May 27 - This Day in History

May 27 : General Interest 1941 : Bismarck sunk by Royal Navy On May 27, 1941, the British navy sinks the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic near France. The German death toll was more than 2,000... read more American Revolution 1813 : Thomas Jefferson writes to John Adams http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-jefferson-writes-to-john-adams Automotive 1937 : Golden Gate Bridge opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/golden-gate-bridge-opens-to-public Civil War 1863 : Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus is challenged http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ex-parte-merryman-issued Cold War 1972 : SALT agreements signed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/salt-agreements-signed Crime 2005 : Murder suspect spends third day perched on crane http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/murder-suspect-spends-third-day-perched-on-crane Disaster 1997 : Tornado levels Texas subdivision http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tornado-levels-texas-subdivision General Interest 1703 : St. Petersburg founded by Peter the Great http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/st-petersburg-founded-by-peter-the-great 1905 : The Battle of Tsushima Strait http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-battle-of-tsushima-strait 1937 : Golden Gate Bridge opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/golden-gate-bridge-opens 1994 : Solzhenitsyn returns to Russia http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/solzhenitsyn-returns-to-russia Hollywood 2006 : Hollywood power couple welcomes child http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hollywood-power-couple-welcomes-child Literary 1894 : Hard-boiled mystery writer Dashiell Hammett is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hard-boiled-mystery-writer-dashiell-hammett-is-born Music 1963 : Dylan's breakthrough album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, is released http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dylans-breakthrough-album-the-freewheelin-bob-dylan-is-released Old West 1831 : Commanche kill mountain man Jedediah Smith http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/commanche-kill-mountain-man-jedediah-smith Presidential 1941 : FDR proclaims an unlimited national emergency http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-proclaims-an-unlimited-national-emergency Sports 1972 : Mark Donohue sets record at Indy 500 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mark-donohue-sets-record-at-indy-500 Vietnam War 1965 : U.S. warships begin bombardment of Viet Cong targets http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-warships-begin-bombardment-of-viet-cong-targets 1971 : Sweden announces support to Viet Cong http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sweden-announces-support-to-viet-cong World War I 1918 : Third Battle of the Aisne begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/third-battle-of-the-aisne-begins World War II 1940 : British evacuation of Dunkirk turns savage as Germans commit atrocity http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-evacuation-of-dunkirk-turns-savage-as-germans-commit-atrocity 1943 : U.S. Olympian Louie Zamperini's plane goes down in the Pacific http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-olympian-louie-zamperinis-plane-goes-down-in-the-pacific