19 August 1812: The U.S. frigate Constitution, Old Ironsides, defeated the British ship Guerriere during the War of 1812.
19 August 1919: Afghanistan Gains Independence from United Kingdom
19 August 1934: Germans voted to make Adolf Hitler Fuhrer.
19 August 1977: Comedian Groucho Marx died in Los Angeles at age 86.
19 August 1991: Attempted coup against Gorbachev
Boy, those French: they have a different word for everything!
- Steve Martin
