This Day in History— 25 August

On This Day — 25 August

25 August 2026

From the liberation of Paris during the Second World War to the creation of instant ramen and the release of The Wizard of Oz, 25 August has witnessed some remarkable moments in history.

📅 25 August in History

From Paris's liberation and Uruguay's independence to the arrival of instant ramen, Linux and Voyager 2's Neptune encounter, 25 August has left its mark across politics, science, technology, entertainment and culture.

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🇫🇷 1944 — Paris is liberated

After four years of Nazi occupation, Paris was liberated by Allied and Free French forces on 25 August 1944. German commander Dietrich von Choltitz surrendered, bringing the occupation of the French capital to an end.

🇺🇾 1825 — Uruguay declares independence

The representatives of Uruguay's Eastern Province declared independence from foreign powers on 25 August 1825. The date remains one of the country's most important national commemorations.

🌊 1875 — First successful English Channel swim

British merchant navy captain Matthew Webb became the first known person to successfully swim across the English Channel, completing the gruelling crossing between England and France in roughly 22 hours.

🏞️ 1916 — US National Park Service is created

President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing the National Park Service, placing the preservation and protection of America's national parks and historic landmarks under a dedicated federal agency.

🌊 1931 — Catastrophic Yangtze flooding

A major levee breach near Gaoyou, China, caused devastating flooding on 25 August 1931. More than 10,000 people were killed in the immediate disaster, part of a much larger flood catastrophe across China that year.

🎬 1939 — The Wizard of Oz opens in US cinemas

One of Hollywood's most beloved films, The Wizard of Oz, opened in US theatres on 25 August 1939. Judy Garland starred as Dorothy in the classic adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel.

🍜 1958 — Instant ramen is born

Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando developed Chicken Ramen on 25 August 1958, creating the first mass-market instant noodles and helping establish what would become a worldwide food phenomenon.

🎶 1962 — Little Eva reaches No. 1

Little Eva's The Loco-Motion reached No. 1 on the US pop charts on 25 August 1962, becoming her biggest and only US chart-topping hit.

🚀 1989 — Voyager 2 reaches Neptune

NASA's Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Neptune on 25 August 1989, becoming the first spacecraft to visit the distant planet.

💻 1991 — Linux begins

Finnish computer science student Linus Torvalds announced the development of what would become the Linux operating system on 25 August 1991.

🎤 2001 — Aaliyah dies

R&B singer and actress Aaliyah died aged 22 on 25 August 2001 when a plane crashed shortly after take-off in the Bahamas.

🚀 2012 — Neil Armstrong dies

Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon, died on 25 August 2012 at the age of 82.

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🎂 Famous Birthdays

• Sean Connery — born 25 August 1930, the Scottish actor best known for playing James Bond.

• Elvis Costello — born 25 August 1954, English singer-songwriter and musician.

• Tim Burton — born 25 August 1958, American filmmaker known for Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and Batman.

• Gene Simmons — born 25 August 1949, musician and co-founder of KISS.