August 2 – The Marijuana Tax ActPub. 238, 75th Congress, 50 Stat. 551 (subsequently, commonly referred to using the modern spelling as the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937) in the United States is a significant bill on the path that will lead to the criminalization of cannabis. It was introduced to the U.S. Congress by Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger. August 5 – The Soviet Union commences one of the largest campaigns of the Great Purge, to "eliminate anti-Soviet elements". Within the following year, at least 724,000 people are killed on order of the troikas, directed by Joseph Stalin. This is an offensive that targets social classes (such as the kulaks), ethnic or racial backgrounds which are seen as non-Russian, and Stalin's personal opponents from the Communist Party and their sympathizers. August 6 – Spanish Civil War: Falangist artillery bombards Madrid. August 8 – Japan occupies Beijing. August 9 – The Polish Operation of the NKVD (1937–38) is signed by Nikolai Yezhov, as a continuation of the Great Purge. August 13 – Second Sino-Japanese War: The Battle of Shanghai opens. August 26 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese aircraft attack the car carrying the ambassador of Great Britain, during a raid on Shanghai.
August 2 – The Marijuana Tax ActPub. 238, 75th Congress, 50 Stat. 551 (subsequently, commonly referred to using the modern spelling as the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937) in the United States is a significant bill on the path that will lead to the cr,iminalization of cannabis. It was introduced to the U.S. Congress by Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger. August 5 – The Soviet Union commences one of the largest campaigns of the Great Purge, to "eliminate anti-Soviet elements". Within the following year, at least 724,000 people are killed on order of the troikas, directed by Joseph Stalin. This is an offensive that targets social classes (such as the kulaks), ethnic or racial backgrounds which are seen as non-Russian, and Stalin's personal opponents from the Communist Party and their sympathizers. August 6 – Spanish Civil War: Falangist artillery bombards Madrid. August 8 – Japan occupies Beijing. August 9 – The Polish Operation of the NKVD (1937–38) is signed by Nikolai Yezhov as a continuation of the Great Purge. August 13 – Second Sino-Japanese War: The Battle of Shanghai opens. August 26 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese aircraft attack the car carrying the ambassador of Great Britain, during a raid on Shanghai.