On this day in history
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0028: The Roman Emperor Nerva names Trajan, an army general, as his successor.
1547: Henry VIII of England dies and is succeeded by his nine-year-old son Edward VI.
1871: Surrounded by Prussian troops and suffering from famine, the French army in Paris surrenders. During the siege, balloons were used to keep contact with the outside world.
1915: The U.S. Coast Guard is founded to fight contraband trade and aid distressed vessels at sea.
1921: Albert Einstein startles Berlin by suggesting the possibility of measuring the universe.
1932: The Japanese attack Shanghai, China, and declare martial law.
1941: French General Charles DeGaulle's Free French forces sack south Libya oasis.
1964: The Soviets down a U.S. jet over East Germany killing three.
1970: Israeli fighter jets attack the suburbs of Cairo.
1986: The space shuttle Challenger explodes just after liftoff.
Source: HistoryNet.com
