- 1709 8 Jul Peter the Great of Russia defeats and effectively destroys the Swedish Empire at Poltava, Ukraine.
- 1853 8 Jul US warships arrive at Edo, capital of the closed country of Japan, to demand that it opens for trade.
- 1994 8 Jul North Korea's 'eternal president' Kim Il Sung dies and three years of official mourning are decreed.
World War One Centenary
- Find out more about how the BBC is covering the World War One Centenary, and see the latest programmes and online content
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