On this day in history - March 23

What Happened On This Day – March 23

• 2001 The Russian space station Mir plunges into the sea

  The legendary station was disposed of in a controlled crash after 15 years in space.

• 1980 Archbishop Óscar Romero calls on members of the El Salvador armed forces to stop killing their fellow Salvadorians

  A death squad assassinated the archbishop only one day after his famous sermon.

• 1956 Pakistan becomes the world's first Islamic republic

  The Dominion of Pakistan also included the area of modern-day Bangladesh or East Pakistan, which seceded in 1971.

• 1933 The Enabling Act of 1933 grants Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers in Germany

  With the Ermächtigungsgesetz, Hitler was awarded the legal right to issue laws even if in breach of the German constitution.

• 1888 The Football League meets for the first time

  The league featuring teams from England and Wales was the world's oldest Association Football league. In 1992, its top 22 teams formed the Premier League.