On October 3, 1990: The long-standing division between West Germany and East Germany, which had persisted for 45 years after World War II, officially ended with the reunification of Germany. This monumental event followed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, signaling the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era for Europe. The reunification was a significant step in healing the wounds of the Cold War and marked Germany’s return as a unified, sovereign nation.
Also on this date:
In 1944: During World War II, U.S. Army troops successfully breached the Siegfried Line north of Aachen, Germany. The Siegfried Line, a massive system of defensive fortifications built by Nazi Germany, was intended to hold back the Allies. This breakthrough was a pivotal moment in the Allied advance into Germany, weakening the German military’s ability to defend its homeland.
In 1951: In one of the most iconic moments in baseball history, Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit a three-run homer off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers to secure the National League pennant. Known as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” this dramatic home run is celebrated not only for its impact on baseball but also as a symbol of post-war American culture, as the game captivated millions of radio listeners across the country.
In 1974: Frank Robinson made history as Major League Baseball’s first Black manager when he was hired by the Cleveland Indians. A Hall of Fame player, Robinson had an illustrious career before becoming a manager, and his appointment was a significant milestone in the fight for racial equality in professional sports. His leadership helped pave the way for future generations of African American managers and executives.
In 1993: The Battle of Mogadishu, one of the deadliest U.S. military engagements since the Vietnam War, claimed the lives of 18 American service members and hundreds of Somalis. The battle, part of a U.N. mission to stabilize Somalia, exposed the challenges of peacekeeping in the region and is best known through the film “Black Hawk Down.” The battle had long-term implications for U.S. foreign policy in the 1990s.
In 1995: In a verdict that stunned the nation, the jury in the O.J. Simpson murder trial found the former football star not guilty of the 1994 killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. The trial, one of the most-watched events in television history, raised lasting questions about race, class, and justice in America, with public opinion deeply divided over the outcome.
In 2008: O.J. Simpson was convicted of robbery and kidnapping for leading an armed confrontation with two sports-memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room. Simpson’s conviction came exactly 13 years after his acquittal in the infamous murder trial, closing another chapter in his legal saga. He was sentenced to up to 33 years in prison and was released on parole in 2017.
In 2011: After four years of imprisonment in Italy, Amanda Knox, an American student, was acquitted of murder charges in the death of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher. Knox’s trial gripped international audiences, and her eventual release highlighted issues within the Italian justice system. The case continued to stir controversy for years, with a mix of legal battles and public debate over Knox’s innocence.
In 2013: A ship carrying African migrants sank off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, resulting in the deaths of over 365 people. This tragedy underscored the growing humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean, as thousands of migrants risked their lives to reach Europe in search of safety and better opportunities. The event prompted calls for stronger international responses to migrant crises and the reform of European immigration policies.
In 2023: In an unprecedented move, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House. McCarthy’s ousting, the first in U.S. history, reflected deep divisions within the Republican Party and highlighted the political volatility of the time. His removal raised questions about the future of House leadership and the direction of U.S. politics going forward.
Today in History: November 14
Today in History: November 14. On November 14, 1889, journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in 80 days; she would successfully complete the journey in just over 72 days. In 1851, Herman Melville’s novel ‘Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale’ was published in the United States, almost a month after being released in Britain. In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. In 1965, the U.S. Army’s first major military operation of the Vietnam War began with the start of the five-day Battle of Ia Drang.In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the NFL’s all-time winningest coach with a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Today in History: November 13
Today in History: November 13:On Nov. 13, 2015, Islamic State militants carried out a set of coordinated attacks in Paris at the national stadium, in a crowded concert hall, in restaurants and on streets, killing 130 people in the worst attack on French soil since World War II. In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling which found Alabama bus segregation laws were illegal. In 1971, the U.S. space probe Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, DC. In 1985, some 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a volcanic mudslide buried the city. In 2001, U.S.-backed Northern Alliance fighters in Afghanistan entered Kabul as Taliban forces retreated from the capital city.
Today in History: November 12
Today in History: On November 12: 1954, Ellis Island officially closed as an immigration station and detention center. More than 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States via Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. In 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party. In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., and gave the green light to traffic. In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal. In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The deadliest tropical cyclone on record claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000-500,000 people.
Today in History: November 11
Today in History: November 11: On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compiègne in northern France. In 1620, 41 Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, anchored off Massachusetts, signed the Mayflower Compact, calling for a “civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation.” In 1921, the remains of an unidentified American service member were interred in a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in a ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding. In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off on a four-day mission with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard; it was the tenth and final crewed flight of NASA’s Gemini program.
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October 3: O.J. Simpson Day: In 1995 he was found not guilty of murder. In 2008, he was found guilty of robbery and kidnapping.