August 16 in history — What Happened Today in History

Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam symbolically hands over land to the Gurindji people after the eight-year Wave Hill walk-off, a landmark event in the history of Indigenous land rights in Australia, commemorated in a 1991 song by Paul Kelly and an annual celebration.

In an unsuccessful coup d'état attempt, the Royal Moroccan Air Force fires upon Hassan II of Morocco's plane while he is traveling back to Rabat.

Vietnam War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins investigations of Americans who have aided the Viet Cong. The committee intends to introduce legislation making these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 people are arrested.

Vietnam War: A coup d'état replaces Dương Văn Minh with General Nguyễn Khánh as President of South Vietnam. A new constitution is established with aid from the U.S. Embassy.

Cyprus gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico, United States, at 102,800 feet (31,300 m), setting three records that held until 2012: High-altitude jump, free fall, and highest speed by a human without an aircraft.

The first issue of Sports Illustrated is published.

Mass riots in Kolkata begin; more than 4,000 people would be killed in 72 hours.

The All Hyderabad Trade Union Congress is founded in Secunderabad.

The National Representatives' Congress, the precursor of the current National Assembly of Vietnam, convenes in Sơn Dương.

First flight of a jet with forward-swept wings, the Junkers Ju 287.

World War II: 317 Greek civilians are murdered by soldiers of the German 1st Mountain Division in the village of Kommeno, Greece.

World War II: US Navy L-class blimp L-8 drifts in from the Pacific and eventually crashes in Daly City, California. The two-man crew cannot be found.

Christie Pits riot takes place in Toronto, Ontario.

The first color sound cartoon, Fiddlesticks, is released by Ub Iwerks.

The first British Empire Games are opened in Hamilton, Ontario, by the Governor General of Canada, the Viscount Willingdon.

The 1929 Palestine riots break out in Mandatory Palestine between Palestinian Arabs and Jews and continue until the end of the month. In total, 133 Jews and 116 Arabs are killed.

The Dole Air Race begins from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, during which six out of the eight participating planes crash or disappear.

The United Kingdom gives the name "Ross Dependency" to part of its claimed Antarctic territory and makes the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand its administrator.

Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is hit on the head by a fastball thrown by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees. Next day, Chapman will become the second player to die from injuries sustained in a Major League Baseball game.

The congress of the Communist Party of Bukhara opens. The congress would call for armed revolution.

Polish–Soviet War: The Battle of Radzymin concludes; the Soviet Red Army is forced to turn away from Warsaw.

The Battle of Lake Baikal is fought between the Czechoslovak Legion and the Red Army.

The Migratory Bird Treaty between Canada and the United States is signed.

German admiral Wilhelm Souchon hands over the two warships under his command to the Ottomans and becomes commander of the Turkish navy, leading later to the entry of the Ottoman Empire in World War I.

Tōhoku Imperial University of Japan (modern day Tohoku University) becomes the first university in Japan to admit female students.

Completion of the Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Queen Mary.

The 8.2 Mw Valparaíso earthquake hits central Chile, killing 3,882 people.

Wang Hao, Chinese race walker

Moussa Sissoko, French footballer

Ismaïl Aissati, Moroccan footballer

Ryan Kerrigan, American football player

Rumer Willis, American actress

Carey Price, Canadian ice hockey player

Eri Kitamura, Japanese voice actress and singer.

Yu Darvish, Japanese baseball player

Martín Maldonado, Puerto Rican baseball player

Shawn Pyfrom, American actor

Kany Diabaté Ahn, French dancer and choreographer

Cristin Milioti, American actress

Matteo Anesi, Italian speed skater

Shuja Khanzada, Pakistani colonel and politician (born 1943)

Mile Mrkšić, Serb general (born 1947)

Patrick Aziza, Nigerian general and politician, Governor of Kebbi State (born 1947)

Vsevolod Nestayko, Ukrainian author (born 1930)

Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, Italian-South African lawyer and politician (born 1960)

Peter Scholl-Latour, German journalist, author, and academic (born 1924)

David Rees, Welsh mathematician and academic (born 1918)

Princess Lalla Amina of Morocco (born 1954)

Martine Franck, Belgian photographer and director (born 1938)

Abune Paulos, Ethiopian patriarch (born 1935)

William Windom, American actor (born 1923)

Mihri Belli, Turkish activist and politician (born 1916)

Dimitrios Ioannidis, Greek general (born 1923)