Discover What Happened Today in History
The United States dropped an atomic bomb, codenamed 'Fat Man,' on the Japanese city of Nagasaki during World War II. The bombing resulted in massive destruction and loss of life, leading to Japan's unconditional surrender six days later.
Singapore was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia and became an independent republic. Lee Kuan Yew became its first Prime Minister, leading the city-state on a path of rapid economic development.
At the Berlin Olympics, American athlete Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay. His victories were a powerful rebuke to Nazi Germany's ideology of Aryan racial superiority.
Construction began on the bell tower for the cathedral of Pisa, Italy. The tower began to lean during its construction due to an unstable foundation, creating one of the world's most famous architectural anomalies.
Thomas Edison was granted a patent for a 'Duplex Telegraph,' a system allowing two messages to be sent simultaneously over a single wire. This was a significant improvement in the efficiency of long-distance communication technology.