September 7 in History

Explanation: The Blitz, from the German word 'Blitzkrieg' (lightning war), lasted until May 1941. London was bombed for 57 consecutive nights. It is estimated that more than 43,000 British civilians died during this bombing campaign.

Explanation: Brazil's independence was declared by Dom Pedro I on the banks of the Ipiranga river, in the episode known as the 'Cry of Ipiranga'. Brazil thus became the only empire in Latin America, a historically unique distinction on the continent.

Explanation: Interpol, headquartered in Lyon, France, is today one of the largest international police organizations with 195 member countries. Its role is to facilitate international police cooperation, particularly in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and organized crime.

Explanation: Called the 'Lindbergh operation' in reference to the famous aviator who crossed the Atlantic, this procedure was performed from New York on a patient in Strasbourg using a surgical robot. The major technological challenge was compensating for the transatlantic transmission delay to ensure the safety of the operation.

Explanation: Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, reigned over England for 45 years. Her reign, known as the 'Elizabethan era', saw the rise of English theatre with Shakespeare and the growth of British naval power, notably with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Explanation: The 1901 Peking Protocol ended the Boxer Rebellion in China, an anti-Western nationalist movement. This humiliating treaty imposed massive indemnities paid to foreign powers and allowed foreign troops to be stationed in Peking, accelerating the decline of the Qing dynasty.

Explanation: Buddy Holly, born Charles Hardin Holley, died at just 22 in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, alongside Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. That date entered legend as 'The Day the Music Died', immortalized by Don McLean in his song 'American Pie' in 1971.

Explanation: The Battle of Arsuf (in present-day Israel) on September 7, 1191 pitted Richard I of England, known as Richard the Lionheart, against Saladin. The Christian victory allowed the recapture of the city of Jaffa, but Jerusalem was never reconquered during this crusade. A peace treaty was signed in 1192, granting Christian pilgrims access to the holy city.

Explanation: The death of Stalin on March 5, 1953 opened a period of power struggle within the Soviet Communist Party. Khrushchev gradually prevailed over rivals such as Beria (arrested and then executed) and Malenkov. He is notably known for his secret speech of 1956 denouncing Stalin's crimes, kickstarting de-Stalinization.

Explanation: Keith Moon, nicknamed 'Moon the Loon' for his wild behavior, died at 32 from a drug overdose. He is considered one of the greatest drummers in rock history. The Who is also famous for their rock opera 'Tommy' (1969) and their legendary performance at Woodstock.