April 3 - The Day in History

April 3 : General Interest 1860: Pony Express debuts On this day in 1860, the first Pony Express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously leaves St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California... read more American Revolution 1776 : Congress authorizes privateers to attack British vessels http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-authorizes-privateers-to-attack-british-vessels Automotive 2009 : "Fast & Furious" is top opening-day car movie http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fast--furious-is-top-opening-day-car-movie Civil War 1865 : Confederate capital of Richmond is captured http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/richmond-captured Cold War 1948 : Truman signs Foreign Assistance Act http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-signs-foreign-assistance-act Crime 1882 : Jesse James is murdered http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jesse-james-is-murdered Disaster 1974 : Series of deadly twisters hits U.S. heartland http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/series-of-deadly-twisters-hits-us-heartland General Interest 1882 : Jesse James shot in the back http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jesse-james-shot-in-the-back 1936 : Bruno Hauptmann executed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bruno-hauptmann-executed 1948 : Truman signs Marshall Plan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-signs-marshall-plan 1996 : Unabomber arrested http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/unabomber-arrested 1996 : Ron Brown killed in plane crash http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ron-brown-killed-in-plane-crash Hollywood 1978 : Annie Hall beats out Star Wars for Best Picture http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/annie-hall-beats-out-star-wars-for-best-picture Literary 1955 : ACLU says it will contest obscenity of HOWL http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/aclu-says-it-will-contest-obscenity-of-howl Music 1948 : The Louisiana Hayride radio program premieres on KWKH-AM Shreveport http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-louisiana-hayride-radio-program-premieres-on-kwkh-am-shreveport Old West 1817 : Texas Ranger "Big Foot" Wallace born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/texas-ranger-big-foot-wallace-born Presidential 1945 : President Harry Truman signs Marshall Plan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-harry-truman-signs-marshall-plan Sports 1988 : Lemieux wins NHL scoring title, stops Gretzky streak http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lemieux-wins-nhl-scoring-title-stops-gretzky-streak Vietnam War 1969 : Nixon administration will "Vietnamize" the war http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-administration-will-vietnamize-the-war 1972 : Nixon orders response to North Vietnamese invasion http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-orders-response-to-north-vietnamese-invasion World War I 1918 : Ferdinand Foch becomes supreme Allied commander http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ferdinand-foch-becomes-supreme-allied-commander World War II 1942 : Japanese launch major offensive against Bataan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-launch-major-offensive-against-bataan