St. Patrick’s Day….
Celebrates the life of Saint Patrick who died on this date (Various sources give the year as AD 460, 461, or 493). St. Patrick’s color was originally blue, but over the years it has changed to green to commemorate his use of the shamrock to explain the Trinity to pagans.
Arab Oil Embargo…..
March 18, 1974…..
The Arab Oil Embargo on the U.S. is ended. It had started the previous October when OAPEC (Arab members of OPEC plus Egypt and Syria) declared an oil embargo on the U.S., Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, and the U.K. for supporting Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The embargo targeted the U.S. for resupplying the Israeli military during the war. During the embargo, the price of oil had risen nearly 400%, from US$3 per barrel to nearly $12.
Iraq War Begins…..
March 19, 2003……
The Iraq War begins. U.S. President George W. Bush announced, “…coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.”
The U.S. began bombing Iraq the following day.