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💥This Week In History - The Iraq War Started

💥This Week In History - The Iraq War Started

The week of March. 16 - March. 22 throughout history.

March 18, 2025

Welcome back History Nerds,

We want to thank you for sticking around and reading these every week. To celebrate, we are giving you a virtual fist bump. Enough of that, we have a fun read for you today. A lot happened this week in history, Alcatraz shut down after multiple inmates used spoons to escape, Niagara falls somehow dried up against all odds, and Congress passed the amendment that tried to give women equal rights. So, grab your morning coffee and let’s dive right in. But first…

Did You Know? On March 17, 1762, New York City hosted the world’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade—even before Ireland had one. What started as a small march of homesick Irish soldiers is now a massive spectacle with 2 million spectators, endless bagpipes, and enough green beer to fill a river.

During Your History Lesson You’ll Learn About:

Equal Rights Amendment Passes In Congress
The Launch Of Operation Iraqi Freedom
Alcatraz Closes After 29 Years
The Day Niagara Falls Ran Out Of Water

Equal Rights? More Like Equal Fights in ’72

On March 22, 1972, in the busy corridors of Washington, D.C., Congress put its stamp of approval on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a straightforward promise that the law wouldn’t play favorites based on gender: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." With that, lawmakers set out to etch equality into the Constitution, a move that felt both timely and ambitious amid the swirl of 1970s change—think women’s lib gaining traction and debates heating up over what fairness should look like. It was a big step forward, even if the road ahead would prove a bit bumpier than planned.

The ERA didn’t just pop up overnight; it had been simmering since 1923, when suffragist Alice Paul—still riding the high of winning women the vote—pitched it as the next frontier. If women could pick presidents, she figured, they ought to have equal footing in every other corner of life too. By 1972, after years of gathering dust and dodging debates, the idea caught fire, thanks to a women’s movement that had hit its stride with rallies, sharp slogans, and a push for progress. Congress passed it by a landslide—354-24 in the House, 84-8 in the Senate—and sent it to the states with a seven-year clock to snag 38 approvals. Piece of cake? Not exactly.

The reaction was all over the place—some cheered, some scratched their heads. Folks in favor saw it as a long-overdue patch for a system where women still got paid less, hit job ceilings, and waded through a legal mess that didn’t always play fair. Then there were the skeptics, like Phyllis Schlafly, who worried it’d open a can of worms—think women in the draft or labor laws flipped upside down—though that was more guesswork than fact. The ERA charged ahead, nabbing 35 states by 1977, but it hit a wall, falling three shy of the magic number when the 1979 deadline rolled around (even with a little extra time tacked on to 1982). Didn’t seal the deal, but it sure got people talking—about fairness, rights, and all the nitty-gritty details—leaving a mark that’s still kicking around in courts and conversations today, proof some ideas don’t just fade away quietly.

The Iraq War: Quick Invasion, Years of Chaos

On March 20, 2003, the U.S. launched “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” unleashing a massive airstrike on Baghdad and beginning the Iraq War. The goal? Take down Saddam Hussein, who was accused of hoarding weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The problem? Those weapons didn’t exist. But by the time that became clear, the war was already in motion. In just three weeks, U.S. and allied forces toppled Saddam’s regime, a victory that seemed decisive—until everything started falling apart.

But removing Saddam didn’t mean Iraq was stable—it meant the opposite. After Saddam’s capture in December 2003, the country spiraled into chaos, insurgency, and sectarian violence. What was sold as a liberation quickly turned into an occupation as the warzone became a breeding ground for extremist groups like ISIS. Meanwhile, U.S. troops were stuck in a relentless cycle of fighting, rebuilding, and trying to maintain order. What was meant to be a quick and decisive war turned into a conflict with no easy way out.

The U.S. formally withdrew from Iraq in 2011, but the war left behind an unstable nation still plagued by violence and division. Over 4,000 U.S. troops and more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians lost their lives, and the financial cost ran into the trillions. While Saddam was gone, Iraq’s future remained uncertain, and the war’s aftershocks still shape Middle Eastern conflicts today. If the Iraq War proved anything, it’s that removing a dictator is easy—what comes after is the real fight.

Trivia Time

In every issue of LOL History, we take a break from sharing historical events to bring you a quirky trivia section. Get ready to challenge your brain and impress your friends with some seriously weird knowledge

What did George Washington’s teeth actually come from?

Rust and Ruin: Alcatraz’s Last Stand in 1963

On March 21, 1963, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary ceased operations after nearly three decades as one of America’s most secure prisons. Located on an island in San Francisco Bay, the facility opened in 1934 and was designed to hold the nation’s most dangerous criminals, including Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz.” Its isolated position, surrounded by cold, swift currents 1.5 miles from shore, made it nearly escape-proof. Over its history, 36 inmates attempted to flee in 14 separate incidents; most were recaptured, some drowned, and a few, including the famous 1962 escape led by Frank Morris, were never found, their fate still debated. In that breakout, Morris and two others used spoons to dig out and left papier-mâché heads in their beds to fool the guards…

The decision to close Alcatraz came down to practicality. Operating costs were exorbitant—estimated at $3–5 million annually—far exceeding those of mainland prisons. The saltwater environment corroded the buildings, requiring constant, expensive maintenance. Supplies, from food to water, had to be shipped in, driving expenses higher. By 1963, the prison held only 27 inmates, a fraction of its 336-cell capacity, making it inefficient. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered its closure, and on March 21, the final prisoners were transferred to other facilities. In total, 1,545 men had been incarcerated there. The site sat abandoned until 1973, when it reopened as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, now a historic landmark.

When Niagara Falls Took an Unscheduled Break

On March 22, 1903, something shocking happened—Niagara Falls ran out of water. Thanks to an unusually dry season, water levels in the Niagara River dropped so low that parts of the famous falls slowed to a mere trickle. Tourists expecting a thunderous cascade were instead greeted by bare rocks and a quiet mist, leaving many wondering if nature had simply forgotten to pay its water bill.

With much of the water gone, the normally hidden riverbed was exposed, revealing boulders, debris, and even lost artifacts that had been swallowed by the falls over time. Some daring visitors walked across the dry sections, taking in a view that had never been seen before. Meanwhile, businesses that relied on the falls—including hydroelectric plants—scrambled to adjust, as one of the most powerful sources of natural energy had temporarily taken a break.

Luckily, Niagara Falls wasn’t out of business for long. As rainfall returned, so did the powerful flow, and within days, the falls were back to their full force. The 1903 drought remains one of the strangest moments in its history, a reminder that even nature’s greatest wonders can be brought to a halt. But when the water returned, Niagara Falls proved that true forces of nature never stay silent for long.

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