1490 1st dated edition of Maimonides “Mishneh Torah”, a code of Jewish religious law is published
1775 Patrick Henry proclaims “Give me liberty or give me death” in speech in favour of Virginian troops joining US Revolutionary war
1919 8th Congress of the Russian Communist Party re-establishes a five-member Politburo which becomes the center of political power in the Soviet Union. Original members Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Lev Kamenev and Nikolai Krestinsky
1933 Enabling Act: German Reichstag grants Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers
1945 Battle of Okinawa: US Navy ships bomb the Japanese island of Okinawa in preparation for the Allied invasion; it would become the largest battle of the Pacific War in World War II
2019 Syrian Democratic Forces announce that the last Islamic State territory has been retaken raising flags in Baghuz, Syria and ending the five-year Islamic State “caliphate”
Historical Events Today
Today in Film & TV
1940 1st radio broadcast of “Truth or Consequences” on CBS
Today in Music
1743 George Frideric Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” premieres at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London
Today in Sport
1980 Australian cricketer Allan Border becomes the first and only batsman to reach 150 in each innings of a test, in the 3rd test vs Pakistan in Lahore
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1857 Elisha Otis installs his 1st elevator at 488 Broadway in New York City
Would you believe this fact about today?
1957 US army sells last homing pigeons
