TODAY IN HISTORY: JULY 19

July 19 1928
Egyptian King Faud ended parliamentary government in Egypt by Royal Decree and he effectively instigated a coup. Freedom of the press was suspended, opposition party members were not allowed to hold public meetings, and there were no new elections for three years. It was believed that these measures were initiated because of the political crisis triggered by the fall of the Nahas Pasha government.

July 19 1956

The United States withdrew its offer of help to build the Aswan Dam in Egypt. Although the publicly stated reason is Egypt's increasing ties with the Soviet Union, it was widely understood that the US government had caved into pressure by American cotton producers who feared the resultant increase in Egypt's cotton crop should the dam (and thus improved irrigation) be completed.

July 19 1968

Biafra and Nigeria agreed to return to peace negotiations in Addis Ababa.

July 19 1971

Ja'far Muhammad an-Numeiry was removed from power in the Sudan in a military coup. Abu Bakr an-Nur `Uthman took the position of Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council.

July 19 1991- Inkathagate

A South African government minister had revealed that the Inkatha Freedom Party, IFP, was funded by the government through the Department of National Security (formally known as the Bureau of State Security, BOSS). The IFP also received funding from various Conservative sources in Germany. The revelation damaged the credibility of Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (the IFP leader) and the political backlash may have proved significant in his decision to sign the National Peace Accord in September 1991.

In 1994, it was also revealed that South African security forces had provided guns, ammo, and missiles to be used in township warfare.

Source: history.com, africanhistory.about.com