October 12 - The Day in History

October 12 : General Interest 1492: Columbus reaches the New World After sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sights a Bahamian island, believing he has reached East Asia... read more American Revolution 1776 : British troops head up East River http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-troops-head-up-east-river Automotive 1940 : Silent-film star Tom Mix dies in Arizona car wreck; brained by "Suitcase of Death" http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/silent-film-star-tom-mix-dies-in-arizona-car-wreck-brained-by-suitcase-of-death Civil War 1870 : Confederate leader Robert E. Lee dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robert-e-lee-dies Cold War 1960 : Nikita Khrushchev throws a tantrum at the United Nations http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nikita-khrushchev-throws-a-tantrum-at-the-united-nations Crime 1998 : The victim of an anti-gay assault dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-victim-of-an-anti-gay-assault-dies Disaster 1918 : Fire rages in Minnesota http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fire-rages-in-minnesota General Interest 1810 : The origin of Oktoberfest http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-origin-of-oktoberfest 1915 : British nurse executed in WWI http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-nurse-executed-in-wwi 1945 : Conscientious objector wins Medal of Honor http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/conscientious-objector-wins-medal-of-honor 1964 : USSR leads the space race http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ussr-leads-the-space-race 2000 : USS Cole attacked by terrorists http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/uss-icolei-attacked-by-terrorists 2002 : Terrorists kill 202 in Bali http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/terrorists-kill-202-in-bali Hollywood 2007 : Al Gore wins Nobel Prize in the wake of An Inconvenient Truth http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/al-gore-wins-nobel-prize-in-the-wake-of-an-inconvenient-truth Literary 1912 : Actress, playwright, novelist Alice Childress is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/actress-playwright-novelist-alice-childress-is-born Music 1997 : John Denver dies in an aircraft accident http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-denver-dies-in-an-ultra-light-aircraft-accident Old West 1940 : The Cowboy actor Tom Mix dies in an Arizona car accident http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-cowboy-actor-tom-mix-dies-in-an-arizona-car-accident Presidential 1786 : Thomas Jefferson composes romantic letter http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-jefferson-composes-romantic-letter Sports 1929 : Athletics score 10 in eighth inning of championship game http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/athletics-score-10-in-eighth-inning-of-championship-game Vietnam War 1967 : Dean Rusk criticizes Congress while fighting continues in South Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dean-rusk-criticizes-congress-while-fighting-continues-in-south-vietnam 1970 : Nixon announces another round of troop withdrawals http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-announces-another-round-of-troop-withdrawals 1972 : Racial violence breaks out aboard U.S. Navy ships http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/racial-violence-breaks-out-aboard-us-navy-ships World War I 1915 : British nurse Edith Cavell executed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-nurse-edith-cavell-executed World War II 1946 : Gen. Joseph Stilwell dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gen-joseph-stilwell-dies

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