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On October 18, 1867, the United States formalised the purchase of Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. The transaction, known in the press as Seward's Folly, was criticised as foolish until the discovery of gold in 1896 and oil in the twentieth century. Alaska is today the largest US state, covering 20% of the national territory.

On October 18, 1813, on the third day of the Battle of Leipzig, Saxon and Württemberg troops deserted Napoleon's army and switched to the Allied side in the middle of battle. The betrayal accelerated the collapse of the French lines and sealed Napoleon's defeat in what would be his last major battle on German soil.

On October 18, 1922, a group of radio companies founded the British Broadcasting Company, which in 1927 became the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), the world's most influential public radio and television corporation. The BBC established the model of public media service that dozens of countries would adopt.