May 11 in history — What Happened Today in History

Second Chechen War: Chechen separatists ambush Russian paramilitary forces in the Republic of Ingushetia.

India conducts three underground atomic tests in Pokhran.

Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format.

After the aircraft's departure from Miami, a fire started by improperly handled chemical oxygen generators in the cargo hold of Atlanta-bound ValuJet Airlines Flight 592 causes the Douglas DC-9 to crash in the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 on board.

Klaus Barbie goes on trial in Lyon for war crimes committed during World War II.

Fifty-six spectators die and more than 200 are injured in the Bradford City stadium fire.

Citing government misconduct, Daniel Ellsberg's charges for his involvement in releasing the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times are dismissed.

Aeroflot Flight 6551 crashes in Semey, Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (now Kazakhstan), killing all 63 aboard.

The 1970 Lubbock tornado kills 26 and causes $250 million in damage.

In the deadliest of a series of tornadoes, an F5 tornado kills 114 in Waco, Texas.

Uruguay becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.

Four thousand Pullman Palace Car Company workers go on a wildcat strike.

An attack upon a U.S. Army paymaster and escort results in the theft of over $28,000 and the award of two Medals of Honor.

Seven people are killed in the Mussel Slough Tragedy, a gun battle in California.

Hödel assassination attempt by anarchist Max Hödel targeting the German Kaiser, Wilhelm I.

Minnesota becomes the 32nd U.S. state.

Indian Rebellion of 1857: Indian rebels seize Delhi from the British.

William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth discover a route across the Blue Mountains, opening up inland Australia to settlement.

Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons.

Great Northern War: After losing the Battle of Helsinki to the Russians, the Swedish and Finnish troops burn the entire city, so that it would not remain intact in the hands of the Russians.

The Ottoman naval forces inflict a defeat on a Spanish fleet in the battle of Djerba. This marks the highpoint of Ottoman naval dominance in the Mediterranean, which starts declining five years later after the failed siege of Malta.

Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopian runner

Nene Macdonald, Papua New Guinean rugby league player

Maurice Harkless, American-Puerto Rican basketball player

Miguel Sanó, Dominican baseball player

Thibaut Courtois, Belgian footballer

Pablo Sarabia, Spanish footballer

Bryan Rust, American ice hockey player

Bobi, Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo, oldest recorded dog (died 2023)

Giovani dos Santos, Mexican footballer

Cam Newton, American football player

Jeremy Maclin, American football player

Brad Marchand, Canadian ice hockey player

Lim Seul-ong, South Korean singer and actor

Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoan ruler (born 1913)

Floyd Patterson, American boxer and actor (born 1935)

Léo Cadieux, Canadian politician, 17th Canadian Minister of National Defence (born 1908)

Horton Davies, Welsh minister and historian (born 1916)

Noel Redding, English bass player (born 1945)

Renaude Lapointe, Canadian journalist and politician (born 1912)

Bill Peet, American animator and screenwriter (born 1915)

Douglas Adams, English novelist and screenwriter (born 1952)

Timothy Carey, American actor, director, and producer (born 1928)

Ulyana Barkova, Russian farm worker (born 1906)

Stratos Dionysiou, Greek Singer, composer and lyricist (born 1935)

Kim Philby, British-Soviet double agent (born 1912)

James Jesus Angleton, CIA counterintelligence leader (born 1917)