Today's Highlight in History:
On August 14th, 1900, international forces, including US Marines, entered Beijing to put down the Boxer¹ Rebellion, which was aimed at purging² China of foreign influence.
On this date:
In 1848, the Oregon Territory was established.

In 1917, China declared war on Germany and Austria during World War One.

In 1935, the Social Security Act became law.

In 1945, President Truman announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally³, ending World War Two.

In 1947, Pakistan became independent of British rule.

In 1969, British troops arrived in Northern Ireland to intervene in sectarian violence between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

In 1973, the US bombing of Cambodia came to a halt.

In 1980, President Carter and Vice⁴ President Walter Mondale were nominated for a second term at the Democratic national convention in New York.

In 1980, workers went on strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, in a job action that resulted in the creation of the Solidarity⁵ labor⁶ movement.

In 1996, the Republican national convention in San Diego nominated Bob Dole⁷ for president and Jack⁸ Kemp for vice president.

Ten years ago: Interrupting his vacation in Kennebunkport, Maine, President Bush returned to Washington, where he told reporters he saw no hope for a diplomatic solution to the Persian Gulf⁹ crisis, at least until economic sanctions forced Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait.

Five years ago: Shannon Faulkner officially became the first female cadet in the history of The Citadel¹⁰, South Carolina's state military college. (However, Faulkner quit the school less than a week later, citing the stress of her court fight, and her isolation¹¹ among the male cadets.)

One year ago: Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush won a convincing victory in the Iowa straw poll. Death claimed former AFL-CIO president Lane Kirkland at age 77, and Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Pee Wee Reese at age 81.