A massive earthquake devastates parts of Java, Indonesia. With 5 million people living within 50 km of the quake's epicenter, about 6000 died, and 1.5 million were left homeless.

Czech resistance fighters kill Reinhard Heydrich. The high-ranking German Nazi official was one of the main architects of the Holocaust. In retaliation, the Nazis murdered all male inhabitants over 15 years of age in the Czech village of Lidice and deported most of the remaining people to concentration camps.

The Golden Gate Bridge is opened. The suspension bridge connecting San Francisco peninsula with Marin County is one of the most recognized works of United States architecture.

Walt Disney's cartoon Three Little Pigs is released. The animated short film is one of the best-known cartoons of all time. In 1934, it was awarded the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

The world's first chess tournament is held in London. Adolf Anderssen, a maths teacher from Wrocław, won the tournament, which was held parallel to the 1851 Great Exhibition.