1687 – French explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle, searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River, is murdered by his own men somewhere in Texas. Not even close.

1916 – Eight American planes take off in pursuit of Pancho Villa, the first United States air-combat mission in history.

1931 – Gambling is legalized in Nevada.

1945 – World War II: Off the coast of Japan, a kamikaze hits the aircraft carrier USS Franklin, killing 724 of her crew. Badly damaged, the ship is able to return to the U.S. under her own power.

1945 – World War II: Adolf Hitler issues his “Nero Decree” ordering all industries, military installations, shops, transportation facilities and communications facilities in Germany to be destroyed. That’s pretty much the same effect that the Obama regime has achieved with much of American industry. Unless they’re big campaign contributors.

1978 – UN Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 are passed, calling upon Israel immediately to cease its military action and withdraw its forces from all Lebanese territory (Operation Litani), and establishing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), keeping UN forces in the area to watch terrorist groups arm themselves and bully the citizenry.

1979 – The United States House of Representatives begins broadcasting its day-to-day business via the cable television network C-SPAN. Several viewers imagine they’re watching “Three Stooges” re-runs.

1982 – Falklands War: Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, precipitating war with the U.K.. Iron Meg says the Lion still has fangs.

2002 – Zimbabwe is suspended from the Commonwealth on charges of human rights abuses and of electoral fraud, following a turbulent presidential election. Using this criteria, we could disown just about every major metropolitan area in the country except perhaps Salt Lake City.

2011 – Libyan civil war: After the failure of Muammar Gaddafi’s forces to take Benghazi, French Air Force launches Opération Harmattan, beginning foreign military intervention in Libya. Because of careful and thoughtful planning, Libya emerges from the conflict as a beacon of peace and democracy in the region.