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First Post
18 hours ago
- Politics
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History Today: When India's Operation Blue Star began at Amritsar's Golden Temple
On June 1, 1984, the Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple on orders from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation targeted militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was pushing for an independent Sikh-majority nation in Punjab, known as Khalistan. The first exchange of gunfire during the assault took place on this day. Also on this day in 1980, Cable News Network (CNN), the world's first 24-hour television news channel, was launched by Ted Turner read more The first gunfire exchange in the assault on the Golden Temple occurred on June 1, 1984. Image: X/@SoniaLiberal On June 1, 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the order for 'Operation Blue Star' at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. The aim of the mission was to remove militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Over 80 soldiers and at least hundreds of pilgrims caught in the fighting lost their lives, according to government officials. At the time, Bhindranwale was a key leader in the rising separatist Khalistan movement. The anger within parts of the Sikh community over the operation reached its peak on October 31, 1984, when Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, who held her responsible for the attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also on this day in 1974, the stop-choking method created by Cincinnati surgeon Henry J. Heimlich was published. Known as the Heimlich manoeuvre, it involves applying inward and upward pressure on the abdomen of choking individuals and has become the standard lifesaving technique. Further, in 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world's first 24-hour news channel, was launched. The network began broadcasting from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, with a lead story about the attempted assassination of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today , is your one-stop destination to explore key events. Let's take a look at the events: The launch of Operation Blue Star The Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star on June 1, 1984, following orders from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation took place at the Golden Temple, targeting militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He was once the leader of the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal and a key figure in the Khalistan separatist movement. He had taken refuge in the Harmandir Sahib Complex. Bhindranwale sought to create an independent Sikh-majority country in Punjab called Khalistan. On May 3, Major General RS Brar was called to Punjab and given command of the operation, which was code-named Operation Blue Star. The Golden Temple complex suffered extensive damage. AFP/File Photo The first gunfire exchange in the assault on the Golden Temple occurred on June 1, 1984. On June 2, speaking on All India Radio, Gandhi urged: 'don't shed blood, shed hatred,' while the military surrounded the Golden Temple complex and more than 40 other gurdwaras across Punjab. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On June 3, a 36-hour curfew was imposed in Punjab. All communication and public transport were halted, electricity lines were cut, and strict media censorship was enforced. The army began the main assault on the night of June 5. The initial goal was to neutralise the high defensive positions Bhindranwale's men had built inside the Golden Temple complex. The army believed the operation could not succeed if those positions remained. After midnight on June 6, a full-scale attack took place, including heavy gunfire and tank shells that destroyed the Akal Takht. The next day, Bhindranwale's body was found in the basement of the damaged Akal Takht, bearing multiple bullet wounds, though the exact cause of death is unclear. The Golden Temple complex suffered extensive damage. Apart from the Akal Takht, there were bullet holes in the temple, and a valuable Sikh library, along with its books, was lost to fire. The operation's impact spread beyond the immediate casualties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The aftermath of the operation saw then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. AFP/File Photo The deep anger felt by parts of the Sikh community over the operation reached its most tragic point on October 31, 1984, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, who held her responsible for the attack. Heimlich maneuver was published On this day in 1974, Cincinnati surgeon Henry J. Heimlich's stop-choking technique was published in the medical journal 'Emergency Medicine'. The Heimlich maneuver, which involves pressing inward and upward on the abdomen of someone who is choking, became the standard way to save lives. June 1 is now observed each year as National Heimlich Maneuver Day. Wikimedia Commons Heimlich shared his early findings in an essay titled 'Pop Goes the Cafe Coronary,' published in the June 1974 issue of the journal. The term 'Cafe Coronary syndrome' describes a situation where a person chokes while eating in a restaurant, and onlookers mistake it for a heart attack. Before Heimlich's technique, the usual medical response was a tracheostomy, which involves inserting a large needle into the windpipe to open an airway, a procedure only doctors could perform. Heimlich tested the method on four Beagle dogs, repeating the treatment over 20 times on each. The dogs responded well, which gave Heimlich confidence that the same method would help humans with blocked airways. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the next fifty years, the technique saved tens of thousands of lives. June 1 is now observed each year as National Heimlich Maneuver Day. CNN was launched On June 1, 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world's first 24-hour television news channel, was launched. The network began broadcasting from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, with a lead story about the attempted assassination of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan. CNN changed the idea that news was only shown at set times during the day. CNN eventually became known for covering live events worldwide. Wikimedia Commons At the time, TV news in the US was dominated by three major networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC, each with a 30-minute nightly news broadcast. CNN was created by Robert 'Ted' Turner, a bold and outspoken businessman nicknamed the 'Mouth of the South.' In its early years, CNN lost money and was mocked as the Chicken Noodle Network. However, it eventually became known for covering live events worldwide as they happened, often ahead of the major networks. This Day, That Year 1926: American actress and model Marilyn Monroe was born. 1968: Helen Keller, the renowned writer and lecturer, passed away. 2001: Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal shot and killed nine members of the Nepalese royal family, including his parents, King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, before injuring himself. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 2001: World Milk Day is celebrated worldwide after the United Nations declared it in 2001 to promote the importance of milk as a global food. 2009: An Air France flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris went into freefall and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 people on board.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
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History Today: When the whistleblower behind the Watergate scandal exposed himself. Who was 'Deep Throat'?
On May 31, 2005, W Mark Felt, the former Associate Director of the US intelligence agency FBI, revealed himself as the secret source named 'Deep Throat' that exposed the Watergate scandal in the US. The official secretly cooperated with Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to expose the scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974 read more More than 30 years after the Watergate scandal rocked the United States, W Mark Felt, once the Associate Director of the US intelligence agency FBI, publicly revealed in 2005 that he had been the mysterious source known as 'Deep Throat.' AP May 31 is remembered as a turning point in American political history, especially for those who remember the political storm that was Watergate. In 2005, more than three decades after the Watergate scandal shook the foundations of the White House and led to President Richard Nixon's resignation, the secret source behind the exposé known only as 'Deep Throat' finally revealed his identity. Meanwhile, back in 1962, Adolf Eichmann, a key architect of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, was executed in Israel following his conviction for crimes against humanity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. Here's a look at what made headlines on May 31. When former FBI Assistant Director revealed himself as 'Deep Throat' More than 30 years after the Watergate scandal rocked the United States, W Mark Felt, once the Associate Director of the US intelligence agency FBI , publicly revealed in 2005 that he had been the mysterious source known as 'Deep Throat.' It was Felt's secret cooperation with Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein that played a vital role in exposing the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to President Richard Nixon 's resignation in 1974. The Watergate scandal eventually led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974. AP Although there had long been speculation about his identity, Felt had always denied any involvement. 'I never leaked information to Woodward and Bernstein or to anyone else,' he wrote in his 1979 memoir. Even as late as 1999, just six years before his confession, a then 91-year-old Felt told reporters, 'It would be contrary to my responsibility as a loyal employee of the FBI to leak information.' Felt's motivation to leak secret info was rooted in his frustration. After the death of longtime FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, Felt had hoped to be named as Hoover's successor. But Nixon passed him over, and tensions escalated as the White House attempted to interfere with the FBI's Watergate investigation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When Bob Woodward reached out to Felt for help, the veteran FBI official agreed, but only under strict conditions. Felt wouldn't be quoted, not even anonymously. He refused to offer any new information and only confirmed what the reporters already knew. And above all, his identity had to remain under wraps. Woodward and Bernstein only contacted him for matters they deemed absolutely essential. Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward at work in 1973. AP At first, they spoke over the phone. But as concerns about tapped lines grew, the pair came up with a system of signals and began meeting secretly in a parking garage in the dead of night. Felt's eventual reveal came via an article in Vanity Fair, much to the surprise of Woodward and Bernstein, who had vowed to protect his identity until his death. He died on December 18, 2008, at the age of 95. When the architect of Holocaust was executed in Israel On this day in 1962, Adolf Eichmann , a high-ranking Nazi official and one of the principal organisers of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, was executed for his crimes against humanity in Israel. Eichmann played a key role in implementing the so-called 'Final Solution,' the Nazis' plan to systematically exterminate the Jewish population. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He was tasked with coordinating the identification, rounding up, and deportation of millions of Jews from Nazi-occupied Europe to death camps. There, they were either gassed or worked until they died. Eichmann performed his duties with chilling efficiency. Between three to four million Jews died in the extermination camps under his direction, and an additional two million were killed elsewhere. Adolf Eichmann, a high-ranking Nazi official and one of the principal organisers of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, was executed for his crimes against humanity in Israel. Image courtesy: The National World War II Mueseum After the war, Eichmann was captured by American troops. But he managed to escape custody, moving secretly through Europe and eventually the Middle East. By 1950, he had slipped into Argentina, then known for its relaxed immigration policies and reputation as a haven for former Nazi officials, where he assumed the false identity of Ricardo Klement. In 1957, a German prosecutor passed a tip to Israeli authorities that Eichmann was alive and hiding in Argentina. Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, launched a covert mission. On May 11, they made their move. As Eichmann walked home from a bus stop along Garibaldi Street, Mossad agents snatched him and took him to a safe house. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nine days later, he was smuggled out of Argentina, heavily sedated and disguised as a crew member of an Israeli airline who had supposedly suffered a head injury. On May 23, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion went public with the shocking news: Eichmann was in Israeli custody. Argentina protested, demanding his return. But Israel insisted that Eichmann's role as a war criminal gave them every right to put him on trial. The proceedings began on April 11, 1961, in Jerusalem, marking the first time a trial was broadcast on television. Eichmann faced 15 charges, including war crimes, crimes against the Jewish people, and crimes against humanity. He claimed he was merely following orders, but the court didn't buy it. He was executed by hanging near Tel Aviv. His remains were cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea.
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First Post
4 days ago
- First Post
History Today: How Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mount Everest
On May 29, 1953, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest. The two were part of the British Mount Everest Expedition led by Colonel John Hunt. On this day in 2014, actor Laverne Cox became the first transgender person to appear on the cover of TIME magazine. This is considered to be a turning point for transgender representation in the mainstream media read more Edmund Hillary (left) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay (right) reached the 29,035-foot summit of Everest on May 29, 1953, becoming the first people to stand atop the world's highest mountain. File image/AP History was created on May 29, 1953, when New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first known explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. At 29,035 feet above sea level, Mount Everest is the highest point on Earth and to scale this summit is a feat in itself. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On this day in 2014, actor and advocate for transgender Laverne Cox became the first transgender person to appear on the cover of TIME magazine. Here is all that took place on this day across the world. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay scale Mount Everest summit It was at 11:30 am on May 29, 1953 when Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay in Nepal became the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest . The news of their achievement reached the world on June 2, the day of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and since the two part of the British Mount Everest Expedition, the people of the country took it as a good omen. The duo commenced their final ascent from a high camp above the South Col on the morning of May 28. They navigated treacherous ridgelines and icy slopes, confronting the formidable 40-foot rock face later named the 'Hillary Step.' Hillary led the climb up this challenging section, with Norgay closely following. On May 29, they stood atop the world's highest peak. Tenzing Norgay (left) and Edmund Hillary (right) smile during their first interview with Reuters after their legendary ascent of Mount Everest in Thyangboche, Nepal on June 6, 1953. File image/Reuters They spent approximately 15 minutes at the summit. During this time, Hillary captured photographs of Norgay holding an ice axe adorned with the flags of Nepal, the United Nations, Great Britain and India. While Norgay left chocolates as an offering to the mountain, Hillary placed a small cross given to him by expedition leader John Hunt. Following their triumph Hillary was knighted and Norgay received the George Medal. The successful ascent of Everest by Hillary and Norgay marked a pivotal moment in mountaineering history. Laverne Cox became first transgender person to appear on TIME magazine's cover Today we see many transgender people in the world of entertainment and media. But, that was not the case 11 years ago. Then there was nearly no representation of the community, especially on a global scale. This scenario changed on May 29, 2014, with actor Laverne Cox appearing on the cover of TIME magazine as the first transgender person. This moment is often referred to as the turning point for transgender representation in the mainstream media. Cox, renowned for her role as Sophia Burset in Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, had already broken barriers as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category. Her TIME cover further amplified her influence, spotlighting her as a leading advocate for transgender rights. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Laverne Cox became the first transgender person to be featured on the cover of TIME magazine. Instagram/LaverneCox The actor appeared for the cover story, 'The Transgender Tipping Point' penned by Katy Steinmetz. It delved into the challenges faced by the transgender community and highlighted the increasing visibility of these individuals in society. Cox emphasised the diversity within the transgender experience, stating, 'There's not just one trans story. There's not just one trans experience.' Cox's appearance on the cover of TIME is widely regarded as a landmark in the fight for transgender equality, symbolizing a shift toward broader acceptance and understanding. This Day, That Year In 1999, Discovery became the first space shuttle to dock with the International Space Station. Wisconsin became the 30th state of the union on this day in 1848. On this day in 1453, Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire fell to the Ottomans.
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First Post
5 days ago
- Politics
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History Today: When Pakistan copied India and conducted nuclear tests
Just 10 days after India conducted nuclear tests in Rajasthan's Pokhran, Pakistan followed suit on May 28. The tests were conducted in five underground locations in Balochistan's Ras Koh Hills. On this day in 1937, the German company Volkswagen was established under Adolf Hitler's regime. Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to design the vehicle read more The Pakistani scientists posing with a nice view of Koh Kambaran in the background. Facebook Tensions have been simmering between neighbouring countries India and Pakistan since the deadly terrorist attack on Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 this year. Several nuclear stations were attacked during Operation Sindoor, India's retaliation to the attack. While the situation is now back to normal, it is important to remember that both nations are nuclear-armed. While India tested its nuclear missiles on May 11, 1998, Pakistan followed suit ten days later on May 28, 1998. It conducted five underground detonations in the Ras Koh Hills of Balochistan. With this, it became the seventh country in the world to possess nuclear weapons. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. On May 28, 1998, Volkswagen was established under Adolf Hitler's regime in Germany to create a people's car or Volkswagen. Meanwhile, Amnesty International was also founded on this day in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson. Here is all that took place on this day across the world. Pakistan conducted nuclear tests Pakistan conducted nuclear tests for the first time on May 28, 1998. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) carried out these five underground nuclear tests near Balochistan's Ras Koh Hills. The tests, codenamed Chagai-I, were a direct response to India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests on May 11 and May 13 respectively. Pakistan's decision to test was driven by a desire to restore strategic balance in South Asia and to demonstrate its nuclear capabilities. While India's Pokhran tests evaded US satellite surveillance, Pakistan's preparations were monitored in real-time by Western intelligence, reported Economic Times. It further stated that American satellite surveillance detected the pouring of concrete into test shafts 24 hours preceding the detonations. The report further stated that US President Bill Clinton issued a last-minute plea, proposing $5 billion in aid should Pakistan desist from the tests. According to reports, the devices tested were primarily uranium-based, with yields estimated between nine to 40 kilotons of trinitrotoluene (commonly known as TNT) equivalent. This was followed up with a second test conducted two days later on May 30, 1998, known as Chagai-II in Kharan Desert. While May 28 is annually celebrated across Pakistan as Youm-e-Takbir (Day of Greatness) to mark the nation's nuclear advancements, it is viewed differently in Balochistan. Many locals there commemorate the day as a 'black day,' pointing to the environmental damage and health problems caused by the nuclear explosions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Volkswagen was founded On this day in 1937, the German Labour Front, operating under the Nazi regime, established the 'Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH' ('Company for the Preparation of the German People's Car Ltd.') in Berlin. The primary objective of this initiative was to manufacture an affordable automobile for the average German citizen. A Volkswagen Beetle being unloaded at Emden harbour, Germany to be sent to Mexico. File image/AP To bring to life Adolf Hitler's vision of a 'people's car' or 'Volkswagen', Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to design the vehicle. He came up with the KdF-Wagen which later became known as the Volkswagen Beetle. The construction of the Volkswagen factory in 1938 in the town of 'Stadt des KdF-Wagens,' later renamed Wolfsburg. However, the outbreak of World War II shifted the company's focus to military production. Once the war came to an end, the British took control of the factory and revived the production of the Beetle . The car went on becoming a symbol of Germany's post-war economic recovery. Today, Volkswagen has evolved into one of the world's leading automobile manufacturers. Amnesty International was founded On May 28, 1961, the British newspaper 'The London Observer' featured on its front page an article by British lawyer Peter Benenson titled 'The Forgotten Prisoners.' This publication initiated the Appeal for Amnesty 1961, a campaign advocating for the release of individuals detained globally solely for the peaceful expression of their convictions. Benenson was inspired to author the appeal after encountering an article detailing the incarceration of two Portuguese students who had publicly offered a toast to freedom. Portugal, at the time, was governed by the dictatorship of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. Outraged by the situation, Benenson composed the Observer article, presenting a case for the students' liberation and imploring readers to dispatch letters of protest to the Portuguese government. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its efforts to secure the release of prisoners of conscience. AP The response to the appeal was overwhelming, leading to the formal establishment of Amnesty International in July 1961. The organisation was founded with the support of various individuals, including Quaker activist Eric Baker and Irish statesman Seán MacBride, who became its first chairman, reported It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its efforts to secure the release of prisoners of conscience and combat human rights abuses worldwide . This Day, That Year On this day in 1999, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper was reopened to public view in Milan. Neville Chamberlain became prime minister of the United Kingdom on this day in 1937.
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First Post
6 days ago
- Politics
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History Today: When Jawaharlal Nehru passed away after a heart attack
On May 27, 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru, the prime minister of India, passed away after suffering a heart attack at age 74. Nehru is widely known as the architect of modern India and one of the most important leaders of the Indian freedom movement. He had been at the helm for 17 years – guiding the country in the backdrop of monumental events including the US-Soviet Cold War and the 1962 War with China read more Jawaharlal Nehru, also known as 'Pandit Nehru', was the architect of modern India. One of the most monumental moments in India's history took place on May 27, 1964. Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, passed away after suffering a heart attack at age 74. Nehru, also known as 'Pandit Nehru', was the architect of modern India. In in the pantheons of India's greatest politicians, he remains a titan. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nehru passes away On the day he died, Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister of India and a towering national figure. It was the position he had held for 17 straight years – since the country's Independence in 1947. Nehru was born into a Kashmiri Brahmin family in in Allahabad on November 14, 1889 . His father, Motilal Nehru, was a well-known lawyer and leader of the Independence Movement. He also knew Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru was first educated at home. He was then sent abroad – first to Harrow and then to Trinity College in Cambridge. He was not a top student. 'I have become a queer mixture of East and West, out of place everywhere, at home nowhere,' Nehru wrote of his time abroad. On returning to India, Nehru got married to Kamala Kaul. Their only child, Indira, would go on to serve as prime minister. But that came later. Nehru over the next couple of decades became one of the most important leaders of the Indian political movement. He also became close to Mahatma Gandhi – and was widely seen as the heir apparent to the movement. On August 15, 1947, Nehru became Independent India's first prime minister. Lord Louis Mountbatten, viceroy of India, discusses Britain's partition plan with Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. File image/AP For the next 17 years, Nehru would guide India through monumental events – including the Cold War between US and the Soviet Union and the 1962 War with China – pursuing a path of non-alignment and policies known as 'Nehruvian socialism.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He died with his daughter Indira at his side. Nehru's death was greeted by massive shock from by his fellow politicians. The prime minister is no more. The light is out,' an emotional C Subramaniam, a Cabinet minister, told Parliament. Incidentally, Nehru had used the very same phrase – the light is out – while announcing Gandhiji's death. His demise plunged India – its writers, intellectuals, thinkers and the public at large – into a profound sorrow. Nehru, to this day, remains one of the most important and influential politics India has ever seen. Golden Gate bridge opens Also, on May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened for the first time to the public. The bridge, which had been under construction for five years, was a massive undertaking. Over 200,000 people came to gape at the 4,200 square foot suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County. Work on the bridge began on January 5, 1933 – during the Great Depression. A decade had passed after bridge engineer Joseph Strauss had first proposed building a suspension bridge for around $27 million. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Five years after work began, the Golden Gate Bridge was opened on May 27, 1937, becoming the longest bridge span in the world at the time. File image/Reuters Strauss, who was later elected chief engineer of the project, would be ably assisted by consulting engineer Leon S. Moisseiff, architect Irving F Morrow, and others. Moisseiff and Morrow's contributions cannot be understated. After all, it was Moisseiff who convinced Strauss to build a simple suspension bridge. Morrow and his wife Gertrude, meanwhile, developed the look of the bridge. Morrow also aided in choosing the Golden Gate Bridge's famed colour – 'international orange.' But the work came at a cost. In all, 11 men died during the work on the bridge. At the time of its opening, it was the world's longest bridge. It would hold that record till 1964. The Golden Gate Bridge stands to this day as an engineering marvel. Every year, thousands of people from around the world still come to San Francisco to admire it. This Day, That Year 1660: Denmark and Sweden signed the Treaty of Copenhagen, bringing an end to the major conflict between the two powers. The treaty, alongside the Treaty of Roskilde, determined the modern boundaries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. 1679: England passed the Habeas Corpus law – putting a dent in the right of kings. The law, which translates to 'you shall have the body,' arguably remains the cornerstone of legal jurisprudence for democracies around the world. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 1897: Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' went on sale in London. The Irish writer is said to have based the character on Prince Vlad III of Wallachia – also known as Vlad The Impaler. From Buffy The Vampire Slayer to Blade and Twilight, the hold of vampires on Pop culture has never since waned. 1933: Disney releases its animated movie Three Little Pigs. The whimsical musical, which preceded Walt Disney's masterpiece Snow White by four years, was a major hit and influenced the direction of the entire animation industry for years to come.
