Timeline September 1999

Events in September 1999 5

• 1927 – 1999 George C. Scott (1927-1999) Died 22 September 1999, aged 71 George C. Scott was an American actor best known for his Academy Award-winning performance as General George Patton in Patton, an award he famously declined. He also starred in Dr. Strangelove. He died of an abdominal aneurysm at his home in California.
• 1999 East Timor Independence Referendum and Violence Vote for independence triggers militia violence East Timorese voters overwhelmingly chose independence from Indonesia in a UN-supervised referendum on August 30, 1999. Pro-Indonesian militias responded with a violent campaign that killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands. An Australian-led international peacekeeping force, INTERFET, was deployed in September to restore order.
• 1999 Russian Apartment Bombings Series of blasts kill nearly 300 across Russia A series of apartment building bombings in Moscow, Buynaksk, and Volgodonsk killed almost 300 people over several weeks in September 1999. The attacks were blamed on Chechen militants and were used to justify the launch of the Second Chechen War. Allegations that Russian security services were involved remain disputed.
• 1999 American Beauty Released Suburban drama wins critical acclaim American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Kevin Spacey, opened in theaters in September 1999. The film's dark satire of suburban American life won five Academy Awards including Best Picture. It became one of the most discussed films of the year.
• 1999 Jiji Earthquake Magnitude 7.6 quake strikes central Taiwan A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck central Taiwan on September 21, 1999, killing more than 2,400 people and causing extensive damage across the island. It was the deadliest earthquake in Taiwan's recorded history. The disaster led to major reforms in building codes and disaster preparedness.