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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Today In History

In 1789: The first inaugural ball was held for President and Mrs. George Washington.

In 1915: Nearly 1,200 people died when a German torpedo sank the British liner Lusitania off the Irish coast.

In 1945: Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Rheims, France, to take effect the following day, ending the European conflict of World War II.

In 1954: The 55-day Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam ended with Vietnamese insurgents overrunning French forces.

In 1975: President Ford formally declared an end to the “Vietnam era.” In Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, the Viet Cong staged a rally to celebrate their takeover.