Today In History
In 1865: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was declared in effect.
In 1737: The most renowned violin maker in history, Antonio Stradivari, died in Cremona, Italy.
In 1940: Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (Operation “Barbarossa” was launched in June 1941.)
In 1944: The Supreme Court upheld the wartime relocation of Japanese-Americans, but also said undeniably loyal Americans of Japanese ancestry could not be detained.
In 1969: Britain’s Parliament abolished the death penalty for murder.
In 1972: the United States began its heaviest bombing of North Vietnam at that time during the Vietnam War. (The bombardment ended 12 days later.)