Abolitionism

William Wilberforce waged a long campaign to convince Britain to abolish the slave trade.

Today in History: Born on August 18

Daniel Webster, congressman from New Hampshire, Massachusetts senator, and secretary of state before the Civil War.

Joseph Glidden, inventor.

Daniel Hale Williams, physician who performed the first open heart surgery, founder of Chicago's Provident Hospital.

A.A. [Alan Alexander] Milne, novelist, humorist and journalist (Winnie the Pooh).

Oliver Hardy, film comedian, one half of Laurel and Hardy.

Cary Grant, U.S. film actor (Gunga Din, Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, North by Northwest).

Europe

Dennis Showalter studies the German army in World War I, refuting lingering myths, while clarifying recent insights

POWs

Belief that they were fighting a civilized war allowed most combatants to accept parole