August 20 - This Day in History

August 20: General Interest
1911: First around-the-world telegram sent, 66 years before Voyager II launch

On this day in 1911, a dispatcher in the New York Times office sends the first telegram around the world via commercial service. Exactly 66 years later, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sends a different kind of message--a phonograph record containing information about Earth for extraterrestrial beings--shooting into space aboard the unmanned spacecraft Voyager II... read more


American Revolution
1794 : Battle of Fallen Timbers
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-fallen-timbers


Automotive
2004 : Record-setting tow-truck parade held in Washington State
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/record-setting-tow-truck-parade-held-in-washington-state


Civil War
1862 : Horace Greeley's "The Prayer of Twenty Millions" is published
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/horace-greeleys-the-prayer-of-twenty-millions-is-published


Cold War
1968 : Soviet Union intervenes in Czechoslovakia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviet-union-intervenes-in-czechoslovakia


Crime
1989 : The Menendez brothers murder their parents
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-menendez-brothers-murder-their-parents


Disaster
1995 : Trains collide and explode in India
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/trains-collide-and-explode-in-india


General Interest
1940 : Trotsky assassinated in Mexico
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/trotsky-assassinated-in-mexico

1968 : Soviets Invade Czechoslovakia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-invade-czechoslovakia

1975 : Viking 1 launched to Mars
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/iviking-1i-launched-to-mars

1982 : U.S. Marines deployed to Lebanon
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-marines-deployed-to-lebanon


Hollywood
1918 : Valley of the Dolls author Jacqueline Susann born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/valley-of-the-dolls-author-jacqueline-susann-born


Literary
1921 : Jacqueline Susann born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jacqueline-susann-born

2013 : Best-selling crime writer Elmore Leonard dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/best-selling-crime-writer-elmore-leonard-dies


Music
1977 : "Best of My Love," by the Emotions, hits the top of the U.S. pop charts
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/quotbest-of-my-lovequot-by-the-emotions-hits-the-top-of-the-us-pop-charts


Old West
1804 : Corps of Discovery suffers its only death
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/corps-of-discovery-suffers-its-only-death


Presidential
1833 : Benjamin Harrison is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/benjamin-harrison-is-born


Sports
1920 : Professional football is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/professional-football-is-born


Vietnam War
1954 : United States decides to support Diem
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/united-states-decides-to-support-diem

1971 : Minh and Ky withdraw from presidential race
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/minh-and-ky-withdraw-from-presidential-race

1974 : Military aid to Saigon slashed
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/military-aid-to-saigon-slashed


World War I
1932 : German artist unveils monument honoring soldiers killed in World War I
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/german-artist-unveils-monument-honoring-soldiers-killed-in-world-war-i


World War II
1944 : Brits launch Operation Wallace and aid French Resistance
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/brits-launch-operation-wallace-and-aid-french-resistance