10 MORE Scariest Moments in Recent World History

10 MORE Scariest Moments in Recent World History

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at more moments from the mid-20th century and beyond that made the world stand still. Be sure to check out our last video on heartstopping historical moments if you havent already!

Assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (1963)

November 22, 1963 stands as one of the most infamous dates in American history. On that day, President Kennedy, widely regarded as a youthful and inspiring symbol of national renewal, was shot and killed while riding in a motorcade through downtown Dallas, Texas. It was the first assassination of a sitting U.S. president in over 60 years, the last being William McKinley in 1901, and sent shockwaves across not only the country, but the world at large. Lee Harvey Oswald, a disgruntled former Marine, was arrested shortly after the shooting, but any hope of a full reckoning was dashed when Oswald was himself fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby just two days later.

Munich Massacre (1972)

The Olympic Games are traditionally seen as a celebration of global unity, where nations compete in friendly but fiercely contested events. But that spirit was shattered during the 1972 Munich Olympics, when members of the Palestinian militant group Black September stormed the Olympic Village. The group killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine more hostage, demanding the release of who they deemed political prisoners held by Israel. What followed were two botched rescue attempts by West German authorities. Though five of the eight attackers were killed, the operation ended in tragedy: all nine remaining hostages were killed, turning a global sporting event into an international nightmare.

Challenger Disaster (1986)

Its hard to deny that President Ronald Reagans Teacher in Space Project was driven by good intentions. Designed to promote science education, the initiative aimed to send educators into space to inspire their students and the general public. 11,000 applicants later, Christa McAuliffe, a social studies teacher from New Hampshire, was selected as the first civilian to participate. Her involvement piqued national interest, and the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, was broadcast live to millions of viewers. Just 73 seconds after liftoff, the shuttle broke apart due to catastrophic mechanical failure, killing all seven crew members aboard.

What Happened At Tiananmen Square (1989)

Widely regarded as one of the most consequential moments in modern Chinese history, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and the violent crackdown that followed, cast a long, ominous shadow over the nation's future. What began as a student-led call for political reform, including demands for democratic governance and greater freedom of expression, quickly snowballed into a massive pro-democracy movement. At its peak, the crowd in Beijings Tiananmen Square is estimated to have numbered over a million. Alarmed by the scale and persistence of the demonstrations, the Chinese Communist Party declared martial law. In the early hours of June 4, government troops and tanks moved in, resulting in violent confrontations and the deaths of hundreds, possibly thousands, of unarmed civilians.

Invasion of Iraq (2003)

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives, the administration of President George W. Bush launched a sweeping global campaign known as the War on Terror. While the initial focus was on dismantling al-Qaeda, attention soon shifted to Iraq. In 2003, the United States invaded the country, asserting that Saddam Husseins regime was developing weapons of mass destruction and posed a threat to global security. As explained by General Tommy Franks, the objective was to identify, isolate, and eliminate these weapons. However, the evidence supporting such claims was later discredited, and the invasion drew widespread international condemnation. The conflict remains a deeply controversial chapter in American history, often described as a resounding failure.

Hurricane Katrina (2005)

The images left behind by Hurricane Katrina remain permanently etched in the American consciousness. Striking in August 2005, the storm caused an estimated $125 billion in damage and claimed nearly 1,400 lives. Approximately 80% of New Orleans was submerged after catastrophic levee failures, many of which were later deemed preventable. The disaster displaced over a million people, making it one of the largest of its kind in U.S. history. In the aftermath, the federal government faced intense criticism for what many viewed as a slow, disorganized, and inadequate response. The storm exposed deep vulnerabilities in American infrastructure, emergency planning, and social inequality, and exposed the sizable cracks in systems people had come to trust implicitly.

Mumbai Attacks (2008)

In November 2008, Indias financial and cultural capital of Mumbai was brought to a standstill by one of the deadliest coordinated terrorist attacks in the countrys history. Over the course of four days, ten armed militants from the Pakistan-based militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba executed a series of brutal assaults, including at a major train station, two luxury hotels, a Jewish Chabad house, and a popular café. The attacks left 175 people dead, including their perpetrators, and over 300 more injured. Heavily armed and tactically trained, the assailants deliberately targeted civilians. The Indian governments response, while ultimately effective in neutralizing the attackers, drew criticism for its speed and coordination or lack thereof.

Manila Hostage Crisis (2010)

On August 23, 2010, a routine sightseeing trip in Manila turned into a televised international tragedy. Former police officer, Rolando Mendoza, hijacked a tourist bus carrying 25 people (mostly Hong Kong nationals) in an attempt to force his reinstatement after being dismissed for extortion. What began as a standoff quickly devolved into chaos. After hours of negotiations failed, Mendoza opened fire, killing eight hostages and injuring several others before being fatally wounded by police. The crisis was broadcast live across Asia, drawing outrage not only for the act itself but for the Manila Police Districts widely castigated response, described as disorganized and poorly executed.

Thoku Earthquake & Tsunami (2011)

A 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake off the coast of Japans northeastern Thoku region triggered a massive tsunami that reached heights of over 40 meters in some areas, and traveled as far as 10 kilometers inland. Occasionally referred to as the Great East Japan Earthquake, entire towns were swept away in minutes, and more than 19,000 people died, with thousands more injured or missing. The devastation directly led to a nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, where reactor meltdowns released radioactive material into the environment. The events of March 2011 stand as the costliest natural disaster in history and, not unlike the aforementioned Hurricane Katrina, left traumatic images of destruction in its wake.

Israel-Iran War (2025)

Amid the broader Gaza war that has destabilized the Middle East in the 2020s, tensions between mortal enemies Israel and Iran escalated to a dangerous fever pitch. In a brief but quite literally explosive conflict, Israel launched targeted strikes against key Iranian intelligence sites, reportedly killing high-ranking military officials and damaging nuclear enrichment infrastructure. The situation intensified when U.S. President Donald Trump authorized direct military action in support of Israel, marking a rare direct intervention for him. Although the hostilities lasted less than two weeks and concluded with a precarious ceasefire, the sudden involvement of the United States sent shockwaves through the international community, raising fears (however briefly) of a much larger, potentially global confrontation.

Do you remember where you were when you heard about these historical moments? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!