February 17 - The Day in History

February 17 : General Interest 1904: Madame Butterfly premieres On this day in 1904, Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly premieres at the La Scala theatre in Milan, Italy... read more American Revolution 1782 : French and British battle in the Indian Ocean http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-and-british-battle-in-the-indian-ocean Automotive 1972 : Beetle overtakes Model T as world's best-selling car http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/beetle-overtakes-model-t-as-worlds-best-selling-car Civil War 1865 : Union troops sack Columbia, South Carolina http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sherman-sacks-columbia-south-carolina Cold War 1947 : Voice of America begins broadcasts to Russia http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/voice-of-america-begins-broadcasts-to-russia Crime 1906 : The first "Trial of the Century" http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-first-trial-of-the-century Disaster 1993 : Ferry sinks near Haiti http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ferry-sinks-near-haiti General Interest 1801 : Deadlock over presidential election ends http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/deadlock-over-presidential-election-ends 1957 : Gromyko becomes foreign minister http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gromyko-becomes-foreign-minister 1979 : China invades Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/china-invades-vietnam Hollywood 1982 : Lee Strasberg dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lee-strasberg-dies Literary 2000 : Dave Eggers' Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius debuts http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dave-eggers-heartbreaking-work-of-staggering-genius-debuts Music 1966 : Brian Wilson rolls tape on "Good Vibrations," take one http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/brian-wilson-rolls-tape-on-quotgood-vibrationsquot-take-one Old West 1820 : Senate passes Missouri Compromise http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/senate-passes-missouri-compromise Presidential 1801 : Thomas Jefferson is elected http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-jefferson-is-elected Sports 1996 : Kasparov defeats chess-playing computer http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kasparov-defeats-chess-playing-computer Vietnam War 1966 : Taylor testifies on Operation Rolling Thunder http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/taylor-testifies-on-operation-rolling-thunder 1968 : U.S. casualty rate reaches record high http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-casualty-rate-reaches-record-high World War I 1915 : Zeppelin L-4 crashes into North Sea http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/zeppelin-l-4-crashes-into-north-sea World War II 1944 : U.S. troops land on Eniwetok atoll http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-troops-land-on-eniwetok-atoll