In 1971 Pakistan announced their unconditional surrender in the Bangladesh Liberation War

On the 26^th of March 1971 the elected President of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared the Independence of Bangladesh amidst ‘Operation Searchlight’ conducted by Pakistan and the outbreak of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Pakistan held elections in 1970 and early 1971 (due to flooding in some areas) where the Anwar League won a large majority of seats. The Anwar league was headed by Sheikh Rahman and it called for independent governance of East Pakistan (at the time Pakistan controlled the region now known as Bangladesh and named the area East Pakistan). The President of Pakistan, Yahya Kahn, refused to recognise the election result and continued to forcibly control the area and ordered his men to "Kill three million of them [Bangladeshis] and the rest will eat out of our hands". His had planed ‘Operation Searchlight’ commenced on this day in 1971 which was set to take over control all major cities and eliminating any opposition. Despite the operation, Rahman was able to send out the declaration of Bengali Independence. An uprising began by the people of Bangladesh but the genocide of many hundreds of thousands of Bengali civilians continued over the next few months at the hands of Pakistan forces. Millions of refuges found sanctuary in India and on the 3^rd of December 1971 India joined the Mukti Bahini (Bangladesh Liberation Army) against Pakistan. By the 16^th of December 1971 Pakistan announced their unconditional surrender and Bangladesh won their freedom. It was a while before the international community recognised the sovereignty of Bangladesh. The United States had long supported Pakistan and in early December, President Nixon had threatened nuclear strikes against India, but the USSR had promised to defend India from the US.

In 1431 King Henry VI of England was crowned King of France in Paris

On the 31^st of August 1422 the great warrior King Henry V died after conquering much of France and procuring the French Throne for his descendants in the Treaty of Troyes. Upon his death his son, Henry VI became King of England and one month later on the death of his maternal grandfather, King Charles VI, he inherited the French crown aged 11 months on the 16^th of December 1431. His uncle ruled as regent until 1437 when Henry VI was considered old enough to rule.

King Charles the VI son, who had disinherited the French throne through the Treaty of Troyes, had proclaimed himself King Charles VII of France and ruled the land south of the Loire River. The Hundred years War continued with Henry’s Regent, John Lancaster, ruling the North of France. After Joan of Arc’s first victory in breaking the siege on the 29^th of April 1429 the French army had a series of victories against the English forces. Henry wasn’t a warrior King like his father being much more of a pacifist and wanted peace in France despite council from Richard, Duke of York and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, to continue with the war. He was persuaded to marry Margaret of Anjou (Charles VI niece) to appease the French by William de la Pole, the Earl of Suffolk. In order to marry Margaret, Henry signed a secret Treaty of Tours which gave up territory in France.