Today in History

Israel launches Operation Pillar of Defense against the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip.

First G-20 economic summit convenes, in Washington, DC.

Northern Alliance fighters take control of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.

Budget standoff between Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress forces temporary closure of national parks and museums; federal agencies forced to operate with skeleton staff.

Poland and the Federal Republic of Germany sign a treaty officially making the Oder-Neisse line the border between their countries.

The Space Shuttle Discovery‘s crew rescues a second satellite.

Lech Walesa, leader of Poland’s outlawed Solidarity movement, is released by communist authorities after 11 months confinement; he would win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and be elected Poland’s president in 1990.

US President Jimmy Carter freezes all Iranian assets in the United States in response to Iranian militants holding more than 50 Americans hostage.

The United States launches Apollo 12, the second mission to the Moon, from Cape Kennedy.

Yale University announces its plan to go co-ed.

The U.S. First Cavalry Division battles with the North Vietnamese Army in the Ia Drang Valley, the first ground combat for American troops.

Greece frees hundreds who were jailed in the Communist uprising of 1944-1950.

President Kennedy increases the number of American advisors in Vietnam from 1,000 to 16,000.

President Dwight Eisenhower orders U.S. naval units into the Caribbean after Guatemala and Nicaragua charge Castro with starting uprisings.

Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State under Pres. George W. Bush (2005–2009).

French paratroopers capture Hoa Binh, Vietnam.

Charles, Prince of Wales, heir to the throne of England.

Buckwheat Zydeco (Stanley Dural Jr.), accordion player, zydeco artist.

German bombers devastate Coventry in Great Britain, killing 1,000 in the worst air raid of the war.

Hussein of Jordan, King of Jordan (1952–1999); second Arab head of state to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation.

Edward Higgins White II, engineer, astronaut; first American to “walk” in space (June 3, 1965); died in explosion at Cape Canaveral (Cape Kennedy) during prelaunch testing for first manned Apollo mission.

McLean Stevenson, actor; best known for his role as Lt. Col. Henry Blake on the TV series M*A*S*H*.

Veronica Lake, actress (Sullivan’s Travels).

Brian Keith, actor (The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming).

Park Chung-hee, Korean general and statesman; led 1961 coup that overthrew the Korean Second Republic; elected president 1963; assassinated Oct. 26, 1979.

Lieutenant Eugene Ely, U.S. Navy, becomes the first man to take off in an airplane from the deck of a ship. He flew from the ship Birmingham at Hampton Roads to Norfolk.

Harrison Sallisbury, journalist for The New York Times.

Astrid Lindgren, Swedish children’s writer (Pippi Longstocking).

Louise Brooks, silent film star, symbol of the 1920s flapper.

Aaron Copeland, American composer whose works include Billy the Kidd, Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man.

Jawaharala Nehru, Indian nationalist leader.

Billy Clairborne, a survivor of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, loses his life in a shoot-out with Buckskin Frank Leslie.

Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick is published in New York.

Claude Monet, French impressionist painter.

As Napoleon Bonaparte’s army retreats form Moscow, temperatures drop to 20 degrees below zero.

Robert Fulton, American engineer who invented the first steamboat.

William III, King of England (1689-1702).

Arthur Tudor of England marries Katherine of Aragon.