What happened on this day in history: The deadliest battle of the Pacific Theater begins, Marvin Gaye is shot to death by his father, and more notable events from April 1st.
1621: The Pilgrims And Wampanoag Make Peace
SSPL/Getty ImagesA depiction of the Pilgrims and Wampanoag meeting.
Colonists at the Plymouth settlement in Massachusetts, aided by the Patuxet tribesman Squanto, strike a peace treaty with Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag tribe. The first such agreement between colonists and Native Americans — and one that lasted 50 years — the peace treaty promised that neither society would harm the other. If a member of either group did, the injured party would be allowed to dole out punishment.
1700: April Fools’ Tradition Begins
The official April Fools’ tradition starts in Western Europe. Though the tradition has existed in different forms for centuries, its exact origins are unknown. Today, it’s celebrated in countries across the world.
1945: The Battle Of Okinawa Begins
© CORBIS/Corbis via Getty ImagesWounded American soldiers await transfer to the hospital ship anchored off the shore of Okinawa.
The Battle of Okinawa begins on the Japanese island. The bloodiest battle of World War II’s Pacific Theater, it pitted Allied troops against Japan’s Imperial Army. Though fighting in Europe had begun to slow — and Germany’s surrender was just weeks away — the Battle of Okinawa endured for almost three months and resulted in tens of thousands of casualties on both sides.
1984: Marvin Gaye Is Murdered
Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty ImagesMarvin Gaye was a successful performer before his father murdered him in 1984.
Marvin Gaye is shot and killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., at the age of 44 in Los Angeles. A successful singer who’d released hits like “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and “Sexual Healing,” Gaye nevertheless struggled with cocaine abuse, debt, and mental health issues, which had led him to move back with his parents. He and his father had a volatile relationship, and Marvin Gay Sr. shot his son during an argument.
2006: Brian Shaffer Goes Missing
Brian Shaffer disappears from the Ugly Tuna Saloona in Colombus, Ohio. The 27-year-old medical student at the University of Ohio was last seen around 2 a.m. before he vanished. Despite a years-long search, Shaffer remains missing to this day.
2007: The Japan Times Reports That The Hachikō Statue Has Been Stolen
As an April Fools’ prank, The Japan Times reports that the statue of Hachikō, Japan’s famous Akita, has been stolen by “suspected metal thieves.”
