Discover What Happened Today in History
Charles Dow published the first Dow Jones Industrial Average, a stock market index of 12 industrial companies. This became a fundamental barometer for the health of the U.S. stock market and economy.
The massive Allied evacuation of troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, France, began during World War II. Over 338,000 soldiers were rescued by a flotilla of naval and civilian vessels in a pivotal moment for the Allied war effort.
The Apollo 10 spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, successfully completing its 'dress rehearsal' mission for the Apollo 11 moon landing. The crew tested all procedures and the lunar module in lunar orbit without landing.
The novelization of 'Star Wars', written by George Lucas (credited to Alan Dean Foster), was published six months before the film's release. This helped build early buzz and expand the universe of what would become a global cultural phenomenon.
Denmark won the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time with the song 'Vi maler byen rød' (We Paint the Town Red) by Birthe Kjær. The contest was held in Lausanne, Switzerland.