The 100 Days That Defined Modern History

The shattering events of early World War II took place with extraordinary speed. On May 10th, 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, while Germany launched its offensive against France and the Low Countries. British troops were evacuated from Dunkirk by June 4th, Churchill delivered the Finest Hour speech on June 18th, and by mid-July the Battle of Britain commenced.

On June 6th, 1944, the largest amphibious invasion in military history began to target the France's Normandy coast. The 100 days that followed would see the end of Nazi dominance in Western Europe as the allies swept through the country liberating towns and cities. Although the battle gains were striking, not all within Allied command agreed that this was the best strategy to win the war.

In July 1956, Egyptian president Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, prompting a response from Israel, Great Britain, and France. By the end of the crisis Britain and France had assembled impressive invasion fleets in the Mediterranean, but soon had to withdraw. It remains one of the great follies of modern history from which these nations saw their global powers diminished.

In 1968, a tumultuous 100 days began and ended in tragedy with the death of two political icons. On April 4th civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated. As MLK’s killer went on the run, presidential primary campaigning crisscrossed the country. Within weeks, Robert Kennedy was murdered in California. Violence and desperation gripped the USA.

On November 9th, 1989, the most solid symbol of the Cold War for nearly 30 years, the Berlin Wall, was knocked down. The removal of a feature that once divided a city now represented the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union itself. It heralded a swiftly realized era of optimism and political upheaval, which still has repercussions today.

On January 17th, 1991, the UN Security Council passed resolution 678, giving Iraq an ultimatum to leave Kuwait following their invasion a year before. During these 100 days, the largest international coalition since World War II was formed to force Iraq out. Operation Desert Shield would become Desert Storm. The war would be over in a matter of weeks, but the consequences are still felt today.