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1814
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1906
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more events on July 7
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1981
Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
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1969
The first U.S. units to withdraw from South Vietnam leave Saigon.
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1966
The U.S. Marine Corps launches Operation Hasting to drive the North Vietnamese Army back across the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam.
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1943
Adolf Hitler makes the V-2 missile program a top priority in armament planning.
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1941
Although a neutral country, the United States sends troops to occupy Iceland to keep it out of Germany’s hands.
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1940
Ringo Starr, musician, one of the Beatles.
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1927
Christopher Stone becomes the first British ‘disc jockey’ when he plays records for the BBC.
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1925
Afrikaans is recognized as one of the official languages of South Africa, along with English and Dutch.
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1906
Leroy “Satchel” Page, baseball pitcher.
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1887
Marc Chagall, French painter and designer.
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1863
Confederate General Robert E. Lee, in Hagerstown, Maryland, reports his defeat at Gettysburg to President Jefferson Davis.
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1860
Gustav Mahler, composer and conductor.
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1853
Japan opens its ports to trade with the West after 250 years of isolation.
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1815
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1814
Sir Walter Scott’s novel Waverley is published anonymously so as not to damage his reputation as a poet.