VICTORY DAY! JAPAN SURRENDERS! — On August 14, 1945, Japan’s official surrender to the Allies was announced and made public. Although Japan had already submitted a declaration of surrender to the Allies at Emperor Hirohito’s encouragement on August 10, 1945, fighting between the Japanese and Soviets in Manchuria and the Japanese and Americans in the…

THE CITY OF BERLIN SEPARATES INTO EAST AND WEST! — On August 13, 1961, shortly after midnight, the Wall between East and West Berlin began to be built. The military used barbed wire to make a 100-mile barrier between Russian-controlled East Berlin from the democratic Western side of the city just inside the East Berlin border. Soon the wire was…

A short story — Ame stepped back and surveyed her work with a critical eye. She had built the makeshift hut as sturdily as possible years ago, using mathematical equations and the laws of physics to determine the ideal angles for the trunks of the skinny trees she had lashed together as the walls…

LARGEST-EVER TYRANNOSAURUS-REX BONES FOUND! — On August 12, 1990, Susan Hendrickson, a fossil hunter, discovered three giant bones jutting out of a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. They were part of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton found so far, about 65 million years old, nicknamed “Sue,” after the woman who found her. The skeleton was…

ALCATRAZ OPENS AS CIVILIAN PRISON! — On August 11, 1934, Alcatraz Island received “the most dangerous” prisoners, the first civilian prisoners to be held in the new high-security penitentiary. They joined the few dozen military prisoners left from the prison’s days as a United States military prison. Alcatraz Island is a 22-acre rocky outcrop 1.5 miles…

“SON OF SAM” ARRESTED! — On August 10, 1977, “Son of Sam” David Berkowitz was arrested. In a year, the 24-year-old postal employee killed six young people and wounded seven others with a .44-caliber revolver. Because he favoured young women with long straight brown hair, hundreds of women stayed home at night that year, afraid…

FORD SWORN IN AS U.S. PRESIDENT! — At noon on August 9, 1974, Gerald R. Ford became the 38th President of the United States from the East Room of the White House. President Ford addressed the nation after officially taking office, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” President Ford was the first President to…

NIXON RESIGNS! — On August 8, 1974, the 37th President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, resigned. On television, he addressed the nation the following day, August 8, 1974, declaring he would be the first president in American history to resign. Although he had yet to be impeached, impeachment proceedings were proceeding…

Before David Blaine and Chriss Angel, there was Philippe Petit — Before Chriss Angel and David Blaine, there was Philippe Petit. When he saw a newspaper article proclaiming the opening of The Twin Towers in 1973, he knew he would one day cross from one building to the other on a tightrope. On August 7, 1974, he did just that. Petit…