Discover What Happened Today in History
George VI was crowned King of the United Kingdom at Westminster Abbey, following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. His reign saw World War II and the beginning of the dissolution of the British Empire.
The Soviet Union lifted its blockade of West Berlin, which had lasted 11 months. The crisis was resolved by the Western Allies' massive Berlin Airlift, which supplied the city entirely by air.
The airship Norge, commanded by Roald Amundsen and piloted by Umberto Nobile, completed the first verified flight over the North Pole. The journey went from Svalbard, Norway, to Teller, Alaska.
The Beatles released their fifth studio album, "Help!", in the United Kingdom. The album featured the title track and "Yesterday," and accompanied their second feature film of the same name.
A massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan province, China, causing catastrophic damage. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in history, killing over 87,000 people and leaving millions homeless.