What Happened on July 31

Western Front Despatches

1917 — Passchendaele Offensive Opens

Allied drive aims to clear Channel Ports — Haig wins War Cabinet assent at last — ridges south and east of Ypres the prize

LONDON, July 31 — The long-prepared Flanders offensive has at last been launched, with the British and Allied armies attacking German positions along the ridges south and east of Ypres, Belgium. The battle, which will decide control of the high ground before Passchendaele, is intended to compel the enemy to withdraw from the Channel Ports, a strategic prize of the first order.

Passchendaele village crowns the last ridge east of Ypres, five miles from Roulers, where the Bruges-to-Kortrijk railway meets. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig received the War Cabinet's approval for the operation only on 25 July, after weeks of argument.

• The battle took place on the Western Front from July to November 1917 for control of ridges south and east of Ypres.
• Passchendaele lies on the last ridge east of Ypres, 5 miles from Roulers, a junction of the Bruges-to-Kortrijk railway.
• Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig did not receive approval for the Flanders operation from the War Cabinet until 25 July.
• The campaign ended in November when the Canadian Corps captured Passchendaele, apart from local attacks in December and early 1918.
• British Prime Minister David Lloyd George opposed the offensive, as did General Ferdinand Foch, Chief of Staff of the French Army.

University Intelligence

1874 — Father Healy Installed as Georgetown President

A quiet but signal advance in an age when skin color has too often barred men from the highest stations.

WASHINGTON, July 31 — In an age when the color of a man's skin has too often barred him from the highest stations, the inauguration of the Reverend Patrick Francis Healy as president and rector of Georgetown University stands as a quiet but signal advance. Healy, whose appointment as rector was delayed a year by concern in Rome over his mixed-race background, has commissioned architects John L. Smithmeyer and Paul J. Pelz for a new main building.

• On July 31, 1874, Patrick Francis Healy was officially inaugurated as president and rector of Georgetown University.
• He became the first Black president of a predominantly White university in the United States.
• His appointment as rector was delayed a year due to concern in Rome over his mixed-race background.
• Healy continued to hold the role of prefect simultaneously with the office of president until 1879.
• In 1874, Healy commissioned architects John L. Smithmeyer and Paul J. Pelz to design what became Healy Hall.

World Desk

2006 — Castro Yields Presidency Temporarily to Brother Raúl

After intestinal surgery, Fidel steps aside — vice president to assume duties

HAVANA, July 31 — Fidel Castro, ailing after surgery for intestinal bleeding, has provisionally handed the duties of the Cuban presidency to his younger brother, Vice President Raúl Castro. Doctors operated on the 79-year-old leader earlier today, and the transfer was announced in a statement read on state television.

• Castro underwent surgery for intestinal bleeding on July 31, 2006.
• He delegated his presidential duties to his brother, Vice President Raúl Castro.
• Raúl Castro was elected president by the National Assembly in 2008.

Jerusalem Bureau

2002 — Hamas Bomb at Hebrew University Kills Nine Students

Frank Sinatra Center cafeteria hit by cell-phone detonated device — five Americans among dead

JERUSALEM, July 31 — Nine students are dead and about 100 wounded after a bomb hidden in the Frank Sinatra International Student Center cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem exploded during the lunch hour, detonated by cell phone.

Five of the dead were American students; among the injured are four more Americans and three South Koreans.

• The bomb was placed in the Frank Sinatra International Student Center cafeteria and detonated by cell phone.
• Five of the nine killed were U.S. students; about 100 were injured, including four Americans and three South Koreans.
• Hamas claimed responsibility at a Gaza City rally of 10,000 supporters, calling it revenge for the killing of Salah Shehadeh.
• United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan condemned the attack and urged an end to the cycle of violence.
• The attacker, Muhammad Odeh, a painter at the university, was released in January 2025 as part of a hostage exchange.

Power Desk

2012 — India Blackout Hits 620 Million

Largest outage in history — 22 states dark — grid collapse halts trains, traps miners

NEW DELHI, July 31 — India suffered the largest power outage in history today, cutting electricity to more than 620 million people, or about 9 percent of the world's population, across 22 of the nation's 28 states. An estimated 32 gigawatts of generating capacity went offline as the grid collapsed. NTPC Ltd. stopped 38 percent of its generation. More than 300 intercity passenger trains and commuter lines shut down; the Delhi Metro suspended service on all six lines, evacuating passengers from stalled trains. About 200 miners were trapped underground in eastern India after lifts failed; all were later rescued.

• The July 31 blackout affected over 600 million people across 22 of India's 28 states.
• An estimated 32 gigawatts of generating capacity was taken offline during the outage.
• More than 300 intercity passenger trains and commuter lines were shut down due to the power failure.
• About 200 miners were trapped underground in eastern India after lifts failed, but all were later rescued.
• The Delhi Metro suspended service on all six lines and evacuated passengers from trains that stopped mid-journey.

Continental Affairs

1777 — Congress Grants Lafayette Major General Rank

Nineteen-year-old French officer commissioned major general, volunteering to serve under Washington.

PHILADELPHIA, July 31 — In the State House here, the Second Continental Congress this day passed a resolution commissioning the Marquis de Lafayette, a French officer of but nineteen years, as major general in the American revolutionary forces. Born to a wealthy land-owning family in Chavaniac, Auvergne, on 6 September 1757, Lafayette was commissioned an officer at thirteen and became convinced the American cause was noble. He now volunteers to serve under General George Washington. A major general commands a division of 6,000 to 25,000 troops, subordinate to a lieutenant general.

• The Second Continental Congress passed a resolution commissioning the Marquis de Lafayette as a major general on July 31, 1777.
• Lafayette was a 19-year-old French military officer who volunteered to join the Continental Army led by General George Washington.
• Lafayette was born on 6 September 1757 in Chavaniac, Auvergne, France, into a wealthy land-owning family.
• Lafayette was commissioned an officer at age 13 and became convinced the American revolutionary cause was noble.
• A major general typically commands a division of 6,000 to 25,000 troops, subordinate to lieutenant general.

Space Desk

1964 — Ranger 7 Flashes Moon Photos, Hits Surface

First U.S. close-ups — 4,316 pictures sent — craft crashes after historic flight

PASADENA, July 31 — The moon's face, long a blur to earthly telescopes, is now sharp before the world's eyes. Ranger 7, the first American spacecraft to return close-up lunar images, transmitted 4,316 photographs in its final minutes and then crashed at high speed onto the surface today. The pictures, relayed as the craft descended, reveal craters and ridges in detail never before seen. Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory hailed the performance as a clean success, ending months of failure in the Ranger program.

• Ranger 7 transmitted 4,316 photos of the Moon before its intentional crash.
• The spacecraft crashed into the Moon at high speed on July 31, 1964.
• Ranger 7 was the first U.S. spacecraft to successfully transmit close-up images of the lunar surface.

Alpine Expedition

1954 — Italians Conquer K2, Second Highest Peak

Compagnoni and Lacedelli reach 8,611-metre summit — Desio's team first to top 'Savage Mountain'

ROME, July 31 — The world's second-highest mountain has fallen to the rope of an Italian expedition, a feat that climbers had long deemed almost impossible. Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli reached the summit of K2, 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level, on 31 July, planting their nation's flag on a peak known as 'The Savage Mountain' after George Bell said, 'It's a savage mountain that tries to kill you.' Led by Ardito Desio, the eleven climbers, none of whom had been to the Himalaya before, spent an estimated 100 million lira on the attempt.

• Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli reached the summit of K2 on 31 July 1954.
• The summit of K2 is 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level.
• The expedition was led by Ardito Desio and included eleven Italian climbers, none of whom had been to the Himalaya before.
• The expedition cost an estimated 100 million lira (equivalent to US$1.9 million in 2025).
• Compagnoni and Lacedelli took photographs and a movie film from the summit of K2.

Ulster Desk

1972 — Claudy Car Bombs Kill Nine Civilians in Ulster Village

Triple blast follows British move into Free Derry — IRA blamed, no proof offered

BELFAST, July 31 — The village of Claudy was shattered this afternoon when three car bombs exploded within minutes, killing nine civilians and wounding many others. The blasts came hours after British troops, in Operation Motorman, moved into the self-styled Free Derry, ending the autonomous no-go area that had defied the Crown for weeks. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as flames consumed shops and homes along the main street, with rescue workers digging through rubble for the dead and injured. The Irish Republican Army stands accused of the outrage, though no proof has been published to link the organisation to the attack. The bombing follows the Bloody Friday attacks of July 21, in which nine died in a series of explosions in Belfast. The main street remained cordoned off tonight as soldiers and police searched nearby houses for further devices. No organisation has claimed responsibility, and the death toll may yet rise as rescue teams sift through the wreckage.

• Nine civilians were killed in the triple car bombing in Claudy.
• The bombing occurred ten days after the Bloody Friday attacks on 21 July 1972.
• The Irish Republican Army is accused of the Claudy bombing, but no proof has been published.