August 17 - The Day in History

August 17 : General Interest 1969: Woodstock Music Festival concludes On this day in 1969, the grooviest event in music history--the Woodstock Music Festival--draws to a close after three days of peace, love and rock 'n' roll in upstate New York... read more American Revolution 1785 : Connecticut Patriot Jonathan Trumbull dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/connecticut-patriot-jonathan-trumbull-dies Automotive 1915 : Charles Kettering receives patent for electric self-starter http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/charles-kettering-receives-patent-for-electric-self-starter Civil War 1862 : Dakota uprising begins in Minnesota http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dakota-sioux-uprising-begins Cold War 1962 : East Germans kill man trying to cross Berlin Wall http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-germans-kill-man-trying-to-cross-berlin-wall Crime 1984 : A serial rapist strikes in England http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-serial-rapist-strikes-in-england Disaster 1999 : Earthquake exposes weak infrastructure http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/earthquake-exposes-weak-infrastructure General Interest 1943 : Patton wins race to Messina http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patton-wins-race-to-messina 1978 : Balloon crosses the Atlantic http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/balloon-crosses-the-atlantic 1987 : Hitler's last living henchman dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitlers-last-living-henchman-dies 1999 : Deadly earthquake strikes Turkey http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/deadly-earthquake-strikes-turkey Hollywood 1943 : Robert De Niro born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robert-de-niro-born Literary 1993 : Random House gives Colin Powell largest autobiography advance to date http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/random-house-gives-colin-powell-largest-autobiography-advance-to-date Music 1974 : "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace tops the U.S. pop charts http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/quotthe-night-chicago-diedquot-by-paper-lace-tops-the-us-pop-charts Old West 1877 : Billy the Kid kills his first man http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/billy-the-kid-kills-his-first-man Presidential 1998 : Clinton testifies before grand jury http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/clinton-testifies-before-grand-jury Sports 1933 : Lou Gehrig goes the distance http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lou-gehrig-goes-the-distance Vietnam War 1968 : 117,000 combat missions flown over North Vietnam in three years http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/117000-combat-missions-flown-over-north-vietnam-in-three-years 1973 : U.S. troops to withdraw from Thailand http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-troops-to-withdraw-from-thailand World War I 1914 : Russian troops invade East Prussia http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russian-troops-invade-east-prussia World War II 1942 : Carlson's Raiders land on Makin Island http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carlsons-raiders-land-on-makin-island

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