Discover What Happened Today in History
King George V issued a royal proclamation changing the name of the British royal house from the German-sounding House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor. This was a direct response to anti-German sentiment during World War I, solidifying a British identity for the monarchy.
Walt Disney's first theme park, Disneyland, opened in Anaheim, California. The opening day was famously chaotic, with counterfeit tickets and plumbing issues, but it marked the birth of the modern theme park and a new era in family entertainment and American culture.
A group of nationalist generals, led by Francisco Franco, launched a military uprising against Spain's democratically elected Republican government. This marked the beginning of a brutal three-year civil war that became a prelude to World War II, drawing in international fascist and communist forces.
A massive tsunami, triggered by a 7.0 magnitude undersea earthquake, struck the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. Waves up to 15 meters high devastated villages, killing over 2,200 people and leaving thousands more homeless in one of the deadliest tsunamis of the 20th century.
An American Apollo spacecraft and a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked in orbit, marking the first international human spaceflight mission. The historic handshake between astronauts and cosmonauts was a powerful symbol of détente and cooperation during the Cold War.