On this day: Historic events that happened on 9 March

Today, 9 March, occupies a significant place in world history. It was on this day in 1943 that Bobby Fischer, one of the greatest chess players of all time and the only American grandmaster to date, was born. In 1945, the United States bombarded Tokyo with napalm, causing widespread destruction in the city. In 1959, Mattel introduced the Barbie doll, which would go on to be one of the most famous dolls all over the globe. In a spate of flooding, over 100 people lost their lives in Lima, Peru in 1987. Take a look at the historical events that took place on 9 March: 1943- Bobby Fischer was born: American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer was born in Chicago on this day in 1943. Regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time, he remains the only American grandmaster to date. He played what is known as the “game of the century” against Donald Byrne when he was only 13 years old. In the 1960s and 1970s, Fischer achieved unprecedented success against the Soviet Union. In 1972, his game against World Champion GM Boris Spassky was publicised as a Cold War confrontation. After trailing 0-2, Fischer eventually snatched the contest by the score of 12.5-8.5, becoming the 11th grandmaster in history. He backed down from defending his world champion title in 1975, the only person to do so. He slowly faded away from the world of chess. Fischer passed away at the age of 64 in 2008. 1945- US Army bombarded Tokyo: In the final few months of World War II, American troops increased their operation against Japan. On 9 March 1945, US army aeroplanes bombed Tokyo with napalm. The operation led to massive fires that destroyed about one-fourth of the city and killed 80,000 people. 1959- Barbie introduced: On 9 March 1959, the first Barbie doll was introduced by Mattel Inc. The 11-inch tall plastic doll would go on to be a global sensation. Over the years, Barbie remains a beloved toy for children, despite facing criticism for inculcating a sense of materialism and unrealistic body image in kids. 1987- Floods in Peru’s Lima killed over 100: Torrential rainfall led to earthen dams collapsing in Peru and sending a slew of boulders, water and mud to the Lima metropolitan area. Over 100 people were killed, while 25,000 were left homeless. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.