August 5 - Marilyn Monroe is found dead from an overdose of sleeping pills and chloral hydrate, officially ruled a "probable suicide". However, the exact cause of her death has been disputed. - The South African government arrests Nelson Mandela in Howick, and charges him with incitement to rebellion.

August 6 - Jamaica becomes independent.

August 10 - Marvel Comics publishes Amazing Fantasy#15, which features the first published appearance of Spider-Man, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

August 15 - The New York Agreement is signed trading the West New Guinea colony to Indonesia.

August 16 - Beatles drummer Pete Best is fired and replaced by Ringo Starr. - Algeria joins the Arab League.

August 17 - East German border guards kill 18-year-old Peter Fechter, as he attempts to cross the Berlin Wall into West Berlin.

August 22 - A failed assassination attempt is made against French President Charles De Gaulle.

August 23 - John Lennon secretly marries Cynthia Powell.

August 24 - A group of armed Cuban exile terrorists fire at a hotel in Havana from a speedboat.

August 27 - NASA launches the Mariner 2 space probe.

August 31 - Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent. (source: Wikipedia)