August 10 - The Day in History

August 10 : General Interest 1846: Smithsonian Institution created After a decade of debate about how best to spend a bequest left to America from an obscure English scientist, President James K. Polk signs the Smithsonian Institution Act into law... read more American Revolution 1776 : London learns of American independence http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/london-learns-of-american-independence Automotive 1978 : Fatal Ford Pinto crash in Indiana http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fatal-ford-pinto-crash-in-indiana Civil War 1861 : Rebels defeat Union force at the Battle of Wilson's Creek http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-wilsons-creek-missouri Cold War 1949 : Truman signs National Security Bill http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-signs-national-security-bill Crime 1981 : Child found decapitated http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/child-found-decapitated Disaster 1993 : Three-ship collision causes oil spill http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/three-ship-collision-causes-oil-spill General Interest 1793 : Louvre Museum opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/louvre-museum-opens 1821 : New state west of the Mississippi http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/new-state-west-of-the-mississippi 1977 : Son of Sam arrested http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/son-of-sam-arrested 2003 : Temperatures in UK top 100 F for first time during European heat wave http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/temperatures-in-uk-top-100-f-for-first-time-during-european-heat-wave Hollywood 1984 : Red Dawn, first PG-13 movie, is released http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/red-dawn-first-pg-13-movie-is-released Literary 1912 : Virginia and Leonard Woolf marry http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/virginia-and-leonard-woolf-marry Music 1937 : First-ever electric guitar patent awarded to the Electro String Corporation http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-ever-electric-guitar-patent-awarded-to-the-electro-string-corporation Old West 1877 : Amanda McFarland begins Alaskan mission http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/amanda-mcfarland-begins-alaskan-mission Presidential 1874 : Herbert Hoover is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/herbert-hoover-is-born Sports 1981 : Pete Rose sets National League hits record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pete-rose-sets-national-league-hits-record Vietnam War 1955 : Diem refuses to negotiate with Communists http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/diem-refuses-to-negotiate-with-communists 1966 : Marines fight bitter battle in Quang Tin Province http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marines-fight-bitter-battle-in-quang-tin-province 1972 : North Vietnamese forces attempt to cut off Saigon http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/north-vietnamese-forces-attempt-to-cut-off-saigon World War I 1914 : German ships Goeben and Breslau reach Constantinople http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/german-ships-goeben-and-breslau-reach-constantinople World War II 1945 : Japan accepts Potsdam terms, agrees to unconditional surrender http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-accepts-potsdam-terms-agrees-to-unconditional-surrender

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