Major Events of September 1937: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from September 1937 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of September 1937: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Sep 1937 Battle of Taiyuan Begins: The Battle of Taiyuan started, with combatants fighting for control of the capital of Shanxi Province during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
02 Sep 1937 Death of Baron Pierre de Coubertin: Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the visionary founder of the modern Olympic Games, passed away at the age of 74. His groundbreaking work in reviving the ancient Olympic tradition and establishing the International Olympic Committee fundamentally transformed global sports and international cultural exchange.
03 Sep 1937 Devastating Hong Kong Typhoon of 1937: On September 3rd, 1937, one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in Hong Kong's history struck the region. The Great Hong Kong Typhoon caused widespread destruction and massive loss of life, with an estimated 11,000 people killed. The typhoon's immense power devastated coastal communities, infrastructure, and maritime activities, leaving unprecedented destruction in its wake. This event highlighted the vulnerability of coastal populations to extreme weather events and prompted significant improvements in disaster preparedness and meteorological monitoring in the region.
04 Sep 1937 British Tanker Sunk by Italian Submarine: The British tanker *Woodford* was torpedoed and sunk by the Italian submarine *Diaspro* off the Spanish coast during the complex geopolitical landscape of the late 1930s, highlighting the maritime tensions of the pre-World War II era.
05 Sep 1937 Argentine Presidential Election of 1937: Roberto María Ortiz was elected as the President of Argentina in a notable democratic transition, succeeding Agustín Pedro Justo and representing a period of political change in the country.
06 Sep 1937 Spanish Civil War: Battle of El Mazuco: A significant military engagement during the Spanish Civil War, the Battle of El Mazuco was a strategic conflict in the northern region of Spain, marking an intense period of fighting between Republican and Nationalist forces.
07 Sep 1937 Hitler's Nuremberg Rally Manifesto: At the Nuremberg Rally, Adolf Wagner publicly read a manifesto written by Adolf Hitler, proposing a united front with Italy and Japan in a purported 'defensive fight' against communism, signaling growing international tensions and ideological alignments preceding World War II.
08 Sep 1937 Bloudan Conference Rejects Peel Commission Report: At the Pan-Arab conference in Bloudan, 400 unofficial delegates unanimously rejected the Peel Commission's recommendation for partitioning Palestine, signaling strong Arab opposition to proposed territorial divisions.
09 Sep 1937 Hitler Lays Cornerstone for Unrealized Nazi Architectural Project: On September 9, 1937, Adolf Hitler ceremonially laid the cornerstone for the massive Deutsches Stadion (German Stadium) in Nuremberg, a grandiose architectural project emblematic of Nazi architectural ambitions. Designed to be the largest stadium in the world and part of the Nazi Party's monumental urban planning, the stadium was intended to host massive political rallies and showcase the perceived power of the Third Reich. However, like many of the regime's megalomaniacal construction projects, the Deutsches Stadion was never completed, ultimately becoming a symbol of the Nazi leadership's unrealistic and ultimately destructive architectural fantasies.
10 Sep 1937 Jared Diamond Born: Jared Diamond, a renowned American geographer, historian, and author known for his groundbreaking works on human societies and environmental adaptation, was born in Boston.
11 Sep 1937 Roosevelt's Pre-War Press Conference: President Franklin D. Roosevelt held a press conference in New York, emphatically stating his commitment to keeping the United States out of the escalating global tensions, reflecting the nation's isolationist stance in the late 1930s.
12 Sep 1937 Battle of Vienna: Decisive Christian Victory over Ottoman Empire: On September 12, 1637, a pivotal battle took place outside Vienna where a combined Christian alliance led by Polish King John III Sobieski decisively defeated the Ottoman Turkish forces. This battle was a critical turning point in European history, effectively halting the Ottoman Empire's expansion into Central Europe and marking the beginning of the decline of Ottoman military power in the region.
13 Sep 1937 Hitler's Speech on European Power Balance: During the closing address of the Nuremberg Rally, Adolf Hitler emphasized the strategic importance of Franco's Nationalist success, framing it as crucial to maintaining Germany's perceived balance of power in Europe.
14 Sep 1937 Death of Tomáš Masaryk, First Czechoslovak President: Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the founding president of Czechoslovakia, passed away at the age of 87. A philosopher, sociologist, and political leader, Masaryk was instrumental in establishing Czechoslovakia as an independent state after World War I and served as its first president from 1918 to 1935.
15 Sep 1937 Birth of Robert Lucas Jr.: Robert Lucas Jr., a prominent American economist who would later win the Nobel Prize, was born in Yakima, Washington. He is renowned for his significant contributions to economic theory, particularly in rational expectations and macroeconomics.
16 Sep 1937 NAACP Challenges Hugo Black's Supreme Court Appointment: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) sent a strongly worded telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, urging him to take action against Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. The telegram demanded Black's resignation or a comprehensive investigation into allegations questioning his commitment to principles of equality and justice.
17 Sep 1937 Lincoln Head Dedicated on Mount Rushmore: The sculptured head of President Abraham Lincoln was officially dedicated on Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota, completing a major milestone in this iconic national monument's construction.
19 Sep 1937 Mother Frances Hospital Established in Tyler, Texas: Mother Frances Hospital was opened in Tyler, Texas, as a direct response to the tragic New London School explosion, which highlighted the critical need for improved medical facilities in the region. The hospital was founded to provide essential healthcare services to the local community in the aftermath of this devastating event.
20 Sep 1937 Zora Neale Hurston Publishes Landmark Novel: African American writer Zora Neale Hurston published her seminal novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God', a groundbreaking work of the Harlem Renaissance that explores race, gender, and identity through the journey of its protagonist Janie Crawford. The novel would later become a critical cornerstone of African American literature.
21 Sep 1937 The Hobbit Published by J.R.R. Tolkien: On September 21, 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien's groundbreaking fantasy novel 'The Hobbit, or There and Back Again' was first published by George Allen & Unwin in the United Kingdom. This seminal work introduced readers to the fictional world of Middle-earth and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, laying the foundation for Tolkien's epic fantasy legendarium.
22 Sep 1937 Japan's Diplomatic Apology to Britain: Japan officially apologized to Britain for an airplane attack on British ambassador Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen that occurred on August 26. The diplomatic incident was resolved with the public apology, and Britain declared the matter closed.
23 Sep 1937 Roosevelt Establishes Official Columbus Day Observance: President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a formal proclamation establishing October 12, 1937, as Columbus Day. The proclamation called for the United States flag to be displayed on all government buildings and encouraged nationwide observance through ceremonies in schools, churches, and public spaces, officially recognizing the historical significance of Christopher Columbus's voyage.
24 Sep 1937 Battle of Pingxingguan: The Battle of Pingxingguan was a significant engagement during the Second Sino-Japanese War, where Chinese Communist and Nationalist forces successfully ambushed and defeated Japanese troops in the mountainous terrain of Shanxi Province. This battle demonstrated the tactical capabilities of Chinese resistance forces against the technologically superior Japanese military.
25 Sep 1937 Battle of Pingxingguan: Communist Chinese Victory Against Japanese Forces: During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Eighth Route Army achieved a strategically significant victory in the Battle of Pingxingguan. This engagement was particularly important for boosting Chinese military morale during a period of intense conflict with Japanese imperial forces. The battle demonstrated the Communist forces' tactical capabilities and resilience against a technologically superior Japanese military.
26 Sep 1937 Assassination in Nazareth: British District Commissioner for the Galilee, Lewis Yelland Andrews, and his bodyguard were fatally gunned down in Nazareth. This event highlighted the escalating tensions in British-controlled Palestine during the late 1930s.
27 Sep 1937 Marihuana Tax Act Becomes Law: The United States enacted the Marihuana Tax Act, which effectively criminalized cannabis by imposing significant tax requirements and strict regulations on its production, sale, and possession. This legislation was a pivotal moment in U.S. drug policy.
28 Sep 1937 League of Nations Condemns Japanese Bombing: The League of Nations officially condemned the Japanese bombing of Chinese cities, marking an international diplomatic response to the escalating conflict between Japan and China during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
29 Sep 1937 Chinese United Front Against Japan: In a pivotal moment during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong temporarily set aside their ideological differences and communist-nationalist rivalry to form a united front against the Japanese invasion, marking a significant strategic alliance.
30 Sep 1937 Chinese United Front Against Japanese Invasion: In a significant political development, Chiang Kai-shek of the Nationalist Party and Mao Zedong of the Communist Party agreed to temporarily suspend their long-standing internal conflict and form a united front to resist the Japanese invasion of China.