The recapture of Manila, which began in earnest on February 3, 1945, marked the culmination of General Douglas MacArthur’s long-promised return to the Philippine capital—a vow famously declared upon his departure in 1942 and meticulously orchestrated over the intervening years. By February 5, the…
Read MoreOn February 5, 1958, the United States Air Force lost a hydrogen bomb, sparking a mystery that has puzzled military officials and historians for decades. Known as “The Tybee Bomb,” the weapon gained notoriety due to an incident that occurred on February 5, 1958,…
Read MoreOn February 4, 1992, Venezuela experienced an attempted coup d’état led by Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chávez and a faction of military officers against President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Though unsuccessful, the rebellion marked a turning point in Chávez’s political trajectory, laying the foundation for his…
Read MoreOn February 4, 1789, George Washington unanimously won the Electoral College, becoming the first winner of a presidential election. Washington’s reluctance to assume the presidency further solidified his image as a leader of virtue and selflessness and, in many ways, contributed to the unanimity.…
Read MoreOn February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, officially ending the Mexican-American War. This agreement fundamentally altered the territorial boundaries of both nations, with Mexico ceding a vast portion of its northern land to the United States. While this expansion significantly…
Read MoreOn February 2, 1887, the people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, decided to become America’s official winter forecasting site by celebrating Groundhog’s Day. This unique tradition centers around Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog designated by the town’s Groundhog Club to predict the weather. Drawing from ancient European…
Read MoreAs war raged across Europe, America knew it needed to find its “voice.” Amidst the throes of World War II, the United States government recognized the need for a propaganda tool to counteract the misinformation spread by Axis powers. Voice of America began its…
Read MoreOn January 31, 1865, Robert E. Lee was appointed general-in-chief of all Confederate armies, a decision that came during the final, desperate months of the American Civil War. By this point, the Confederacy was struggling against relentless Union advances, and its military situation was…
Read MoreOn January 31, 2020, Great Britain struck out on its own, officially leaving the European Union in a historic move known as Brexit. This departure marked a significant milestone in European politics and ended a complex, often contentious relationship between the UK and the…
Read MoreOn January 30, 1835, a startling event took place in Washington, D.C., marking the first recorded assassination attempt against a sitting U.S. president. Andrew Jackson, the nation’s seventh president, became the target of an attack by Richard Lawrence, an unemployed house painter. The dramatic…
Read More