Johnson ends the bombing of North Vietnam (1968), and Stalin's body is moved from Lenin's tomb in Moscow (1961). Born on this day: Chiang Kai-shek, John Keats and Peter Jackson. Died: Federico Fellini, Sean Connery and Harry Houdini.
31 events, 75 births and 68 deaths on this date.
President Johnson halted the sustained American bombing campaign against North Vietnam, a move meant to open the way to peace talks in Paris. The decision was controversial, as the war in Vietnam continued for several more years.
Arnold Newman · Public domainStalin's remains left the Red Square mausoleum he had shared with Lenin for a quiet grave by the Kremlin wall. The white marker there signalled a break with the personality cult built around him.
Nevada joined the Union during the Civil War, earning the nickname Battle Born State. Its statehood followed a silver boom at the Comstock Lode, which had drawn a rush of settlers to the territory.
A Houston federal grand jury charged Andrew Fastow, who had run Enron's finances, with 78 counts including wire fraud and money laundering. The charges linked him to the collapse of the energy company he had worked for.
Streetcar and transit workers walked out, bringing the city's trams and buses to a standstill. The stoppage left Indianapolis residents without their usual means of getting to work and around town.
Mahathir Mohamad stepped down after 22 years in office, handing power to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He had overseen rapid growth and major building projects, which earned him the nickname Father of Modernisation.
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Chiang Kai-shek led the Republic of China through the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, later governing Taiwan until his death. He is remembered as a military commander who shaped China's modern political course, though his rule remains deeply contested.
Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain
Keats was an English Romantic poet whose work was little praised in his lifetime but became central to English literature. Odes such as Ode to a Nightingale and Ode on a Grecian Urn remain among the most read and studied poems in the language.
William Hilton · Public domain
New Zealand filmmaker best known for directing The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. He also co-founded Weta Workshop and Weta Digital, pioneering visual effects work.
New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General · CC BY 4.0
Italian director whose films, including La Dolce Vita and 8½, mixed dreamlike fantasy with earthy, satirical realism. He won four Academy Awards, all for Best Foreign Language Film, a record at the time.
Walter Albertin, World Telegram staff photographer · Public domain
Sean Connery was the first actor to play James Bond on screen, taking the role in seven films across two decades. He later won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Untouchables, becoming the first Scottish actor to win a major Oscar.
Rob Bogaerts for Anefo · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
Houdini built his fame on escapes from handcuffs, chains and sealed milk cans, along with a crusade to expose fake spiritualists. He is remembered for daring police to lock him up and for his stunts that left audiences breathless.
LaPine Studios · Public domain
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