April 8 - This Day in History

April 8 : General Interest 1974: Aaron sets new home run record On this day in 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's legendary record of 714 homers... read more American Revolution 1778 : John Adams arrives in Paris to replace Silas Deane http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-adams-arrives-in-paris-to-replace-silas-deane Automotive 1979 : Waltrip beats Petty in last-lap thriller http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/waltrip-beats-petty-in-last-lap-thriller Civil War 1864 : Confederates rout Union at Battle of Mansfield http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-mansfield-louisiana Cold War 1950 : McCarthy publicly attacks Owen Lattimore http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mccarthy-publicly-attacks-owen-lattimore Crime 2005 : Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph agrees to plead guilty http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/olympic-park-bomber-eric-rudolph-agrees-to-plead-guilty Disaster 1916 : California road race kills five http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/california-road-race-kills-five General Interest 563 BC : Buddhists celebrate birth of Gautama Buddha http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/buddhists-celebrate-birth-of-gautama-buddha 1935 : WPA established by Congress http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/wpa-established-by-congress 1953 : Kenyatta jailed for Mau Mau uprising http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kenyatta-jailed-for-mau-mau-uprising 2013 : Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister, dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/margaret-thatcher-britains-first-female-prime-minister-dies Hollywood 1990 : Twin Peaks premieres on ABC http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/twin-peaks-premieres-on-abc Literary 1955 : Barbara Kingsolver is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/barbara-kingsolver-is-born Music 1994 : Kurt Cobain is found dead http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kurt-cobain-is-found-dead Old West 1842 : Elizabeth Bacon Custer is born in Michigan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/elizabeth-bacon-custer-is-born-in-michigan Presidential 1935 : FDR signs Emergency Relief Appropriation Act http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-signs-emergency-relief-appropriation-act Sports 1974 : Aaron hits his 715th home run http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/aaron-hits-his-715th-home-run Vietnam War 1972 : North Vietnamese forces open a third front http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/north-vietnamese-forces-open-a-third-front 1975 : Weyand reports to Congress http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/weyand-reports-to-congress World War I 1904 : Britain and France sign Entente Cordiale http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/britain-and-france-sign-entente-cordiale World War II 1944 : Russians attack Germans in drive to expel them from Crimea http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russians-attack-germans-in-drive-to-expel-them-from-crimea 1945 : Defiant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer is hanged http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/defiant-theologian-dietrich-bonhoeffer-is-hanged 1981 : Omar Bradley dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/omar-bradley-dies