1941, 2 September - World War II: North Africa
General Sir Claude Auchenleck, who replaced General Sir Archibald Wavell as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, appoints General Sir Alan Cunningham to command the Western Desert Force and to prepare a plan for the relief of Torbruk and the re-taking of Cyrenaica The operation is to be called 'Crusader'.
1942, 2 September - World War II: North Africa
Rommel gives up on his quest to take the Suez Canal, having once again failed to take the Alam Halfa Ridge. He withdraws towards El Alamein.
1986, 2 September
As Zimbabwe hosts a meeting of the non-aligned movement and Prime Minister Robert Gabriel Mugabe welcomes 50 world leaders (including Rajiv Gandhi, India, Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua, and Fidel Castro, Cuba) the US announces that it has completely cut its aid to the country ($20 million) in response to a tirade against the US by a Zimbabwean minister during a meeting with President Jimmy Carter.
