Major Events of August 2014: 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 August 2014 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.
Major Events of August 2014: Key Historical Moments from the Month
- 01 Aug 2014 Gaza Cease-fire Breakdown: A 72-hour humanitarian cease-fire between Israel and Hamas quickly unraveled after just two hours due to the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier during a tunnel clearing operation, leading to renewed hostilities.
- 02 Aug 2014 WHO Warns of Uncontrollable Ebola Outbreak: The World Health Organization issued a critical warning that the ongoing Ebola outbreak was spreading too rapidly to be effectively controlled, signaling a potential global health emergency.
- 03 Aug 2014 Yazidi Genocide by ISIL Begins: The systematic persecution and genocide of the Yazidi people by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) commenced, marking a horrific chapter of ethnic and religious violence in the region.
- 04 Aug 2014 Islamic State Advances in Kurdish Iraq: Sunni extremist militants from the Islamic State seized multiple towns in northern Iraq, overwhelming Kurdish forces and threatening the strategic Mosul hydroelectric dam.
- 05 Aug 2014 Israeli Ground Forces to Withdraw from Gaza Strip: As part of the 2014 Israel-Gaza Conflict, Israeli ground forces planned to withdraw from the Gaza Strip in advance of an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire scheduled to begin at 0500 GMT.
- 06 Aug 2014 ISIS Clashes with Kurdish Minority in Northern Iraq: Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters engage in intense conflict with Kurdish minorities in northern Iraq. The Iraqi Air Force conducted a strike that reportedly killed 60 militants.
- 07 Aug 2014 Khmer Rouge Leaders Sentenced for Genocide: In a landmark UN-backed tribunal, former Khmer Rouge leaders Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes. They were held responsible for the Cambodian genocide that decimated approximately 25% of Cambodia's population between 1975 and 1979.
- 08 Aug 2014 U.S. Conducts Airstrikes Against ISIS in Iraq: U.S. F/A-18 fighters conducted strategic bombings against ISIS artillery and military convoys. Concurrent Iraqi airstrikes killed 45 Islamic State militants and injured 60. The United Nations raised serious concerns about potential genocide against Yazidi Muslims by ISIS.
- 09 Aug 2014 Michael Brown Shooting in Ferguson: Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African American male, was fatally shot by Darren Wilson, a Ferguson police officer, after an alleged confrontation. The incident sparked widespread protests about police use of force and racial tensions in the United States.
- 10 Aug 2014 Iraq Conflict: Kurdish Appeal for International Support: President Massoud Barzani of Iraqi Kurdistan appealed to the international community for military assistance against Islamist militants. The United States launched its fourth round of air strikes near Erbil, and Kurdish forces successfully recaptured two towns in Nineveh province after intense fighting.
- 11 Aug 2014 Israel-Gaza Conflict Ceasefire: A 72-hour ceasefire was declared between Israel and Hamas, with diplomatic talks aimed at finding a long-term solution to the ongoing conflict beginning in Cairo. This temporary halt to hostilities offered a potential opportunity for diplomatic resolution in the prolonged and complex regional dispute.
- 12 Aug 2014 2014 West Africa Ebola Outbreak Escalates: The Ebola epidemic continued to spread, with over 1,000 deaths reported. A Spanish priest died despite receiving the experimental treatment ZMapp, highlighting the virus's severity.
- 13 Aug 2014 Ferguson Protests Erupt After Michael Brown Shooting: Protests against the Ferguson Police Department's shooting of Michael Brown in Missouri turned violent, marking a significant moment in racial tensions and police brutality discussions in the United States.
- 14 Aug 2014 UN Declares Highest Emergency Level in Iraq amid ISIS Advances: The United Nations declared the most severe state of emergency in Iraq following the advances of the Islamic State. In a related incident, four children were killed in a clash between Sunni militants and the Iraqi Army west of Baghdad. U.S. President Barack Obama announced that American airstrikes had broken the ISIS siege at Mount Sinjar, enabling thousands of Yazidi refugees to escape.
- 15 Aug 2014 Ferguson Protests: Highway Patrol Takes Over: Missouri Highway Patrol took over security in Ferguson after five days of protests following the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by a police officer. Governor Jay Nixon responded to criticism about the heavy-handed police response, with President Obama condemning excessive force.
- 16 Aug 2014 Ferguson, Missouri Emergency Declaration: Following several nights of intense civil unrest and protests, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency in Ferguson, responding to escalating tensions after the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed African American teenager.
- 17 Aug 2014 Michael Brown Autopsy Reveals Multiple Gunshot Wounds: A private investigator's autopsy confirmed that Michael Brown was shot six times during the violent protests in Ferguson, Missouri, adding fuel to the ongoing national debate about police use of force and racial tensions.
- 18 Aug 2014 Missouri Governor Deploys National Guard to Ferguson: Following a week of violent protests sparked by the shooting of Michael Brown, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon dispatched the Missouri National Guard to Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, in an attempt to restore order and manage civil unrest.
- 19 Aug 2014 James Wright Foley Beheaded by ISIS: American journalist James Wright Foley, kidnapped in 2012, has reportedly been beheaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, marking a significant and tragic moment in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
- 20 Aug 2014 2014 Israel-Gaza Conflict Escalation: Just six hours before a scheduled cease-fire's expiration, the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict intensified with Israeli airstrikes killing 11 Palestinians, including the wife and infant son of Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif. In response, Hamas launched over 130 missiles against Israel, marking the eleventh breakdown of a proposed truce.
- 21 Aug 2014 Obama Responds to James Foley Execution: President Obama condemned the brutal beheading of freelance journalist James Foley by an ISIS terrorist, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. The White House confirmed the authenticity of the murder video, and the Pentagon revealed that U.S. commandos had attempted a rescue mission earlier that summer.
- 22 Aug 2014 Syrian Civil War Death Toll Escalates: The United Nations reported a devastating milestone in the Syrian Civil War, with the conflict's death toll rising to at least 191,000 over the past year. This grim statistic reflects the brutal and prolonged nature of the conflict.
- 23 Aug 2014 UN Warns of Potential Massacre in Amirli, Iraq: The United Nations raised urgent concerns about a potential humanitarian crisis in Amirli, a northern Iraqi city under siege by Islamic State (IS) forces since June. Simultaneously, Baghdad and Kirkuk were rocked by bombings that killed at least 30 people, underscoring the ongoing instability in the region.
- 24 Aug 2014 Turkey Pressured Over Syria Border Security: Turkey faced intense international pressure to secure its borders and prevent the flow of foreign fighters, oil, and weapons supporting ISIS. ISIS militants were observed moving towards the Turkey-Syria border with armored vehicles seized from Iraqi military bases.
- 25 Aug 2014 Russia Recognizes Poroshenko as Ukraine's President: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov officially recognized Petro Poroshenko as Ukraine's legitimate President, expressing hope that Poroshenko would meet Russia's expectations, potentially signaling a diplomatic overture.
- 26 Aug 2014 Putin-Poroshenko Meeting in Minsk: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko meet in Minsk, Belarus, in an attempt to negotiate and de-escalate ongoing tensions in eastern Ukraine during the Donbass conflict.
- 27 Aug 2014 UN Report Accuses IS and Syrian Government of War Crimes: The UN Human Rights Council released a comprehensive report alleging war crimes committed by both Islamic State (IS) militants and Syrian government forces during the ongoing Syrian conflict.
- 28 Aug 2014 NATO Confirms Russian Troop Presence in Ukraine: NATO officials alleged that over 1,000 Russian troops were operating in Ukraine, with continued military equipment supply to pro-Russian rebels, including advanced air-defense systems, artillery, tanks, and armored personnel carriers.
- 29 Aug 2014 In response to the conflict in Syria and Iraq, the United Kingdom has raised its terror threat level to "severe".
- 30 Aug 2014 Taliban Attack in Jalalabad: Taliban insurgents launched a coordinated attack on the National Directorate of Security Building in Jalalabad, resulting in at least six fatalities and highlighting ongoing security challenges in Afghanistan.
- 31 Aug 2014 China Restricts Hong Kong Electoral Process: China's parliament made a controversial decision to prevent Hong Kong from freely electing its next leader in 2017, further constraining the city's democratic processes and sparking potential political tensions.