THIS DAY IN HISTORY: 8 - 13 November

November 13: General Interest 1982: Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedicated Near the end of a weeklong national salute to Americans who served in the Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington after a march to its site by thousands of veterans of the conflict. The long-awaited memorial was a simple V-shaped black-granite wall inscribed with the names of the 57,939 Americans who died in the conflict, arranged in order of death, not rank, as was common in other memorials. Read more... American Revolution 1775 : Patriots take Montreal http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patriots-take-montreal Automotive 1974 : Karen Silkwood dies in mysterious one-car crash http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/karen-silkwood-dies-in-mysterious-one-car-crash Civil War 1861 : Union General McClellan snubs President Lincoln http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mcclellan-snubs-lincoln Cold War 1953 : Indiana Textbook Commission member charges that Robin Hood is communistic http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/indiana-textbook-commission-member-charges-that-robin-hood-is-communistic Crime 1955 : Police search John Graham's home and find bomb-making materials http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/police-search-john-grahams-home-and-find-bomb-making-materials Disaster 1970 : Tidal wave ravages East Pakistan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tidal-wave-ravages-east-pakistan General Interest 1789 : First presidential tour concludes http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-presidential-tour-concludes 1970 : East Pakistan devastated by cylcone http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-pakistan-devastated-by-cylcone 1985 : The eruption of Nevado del Ruiz http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-eruption-of-nevado-del-ruiz Hollywood 1955 : Whoopi Goldberg born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/whoopi-goldberg-born Literary 1850 : Robert Louis Stevenson is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robert-louis-stevenson-is-born Music 1999 : "Chris Gaines," Garth Brooks' rock alter ego, performs on Saturday Night Live http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/quotchris-gainesquot8212garth-brooks39-rock-alter-ego8212performs-on-saturday-night-live Old West 1909 : Ballinger-Pinchot scandal erupts http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ballinger-pinchot-scandal-erupts Presidential 1945 : Truman announces inquiry into Jewish settlement in Palestine http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-announces-inquiry-into-jewish-settlement-in-palestine Sports 1979 : Darryl Dawkins breaks his first backboard http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/darryl-dawkins-breaks-his-first-backboard Vietnam War 1967 : President receives optimistic reports http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-receives-optimistic-reports 1969 : "March Against Death" commences in Washington, D.C. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-against-death-commences-in-washington-dc World War I 1916 : British statesman expresses criticism of war effort http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-statesman-expresses-criticism-of-war-effort World War II 1941 : Congress revises the Neutrality Act http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-revises-the-neutrality-act ============================================================= November 12: General Interest 1954: Ellis Island closes On this day in 1954, Ellis Island, the gateway to America, shuts it doors after processing more than 12 million immigrants since opening in 1892. Today, an estimated 40 percent of all Americans can trace their roots through Ellis Island, located in New York Harbor off the New Jersey coast and named for merchant Samuel Ellis, who owned the land in the 1770s. Read more... American Revolution 1775 : Abigail Adams leads rhetorical charge against Britain http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/abigail-adams-leads-rhetorical-charge-against-britain Automotive 1965 : Goldenrod sets the land-speed record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/goldenrod-sets-the-land-speed-record Civil War 1864 : The destruction of Atlanta begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-destruction-of-atlanta-begins Cold War 1982 : Yuri Andropov assumes power in the Soviet Union http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/yuri-andropov-assumes-power-in-the-soviet-union Crime 1996 : High school sweethearts murder their newborn child http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/high-school-sweethearts-murder-their-newborn-child 2004 : Scott Peterson convicted http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/scott-peterson-convicted Disaster 2001 : Plane crashes in Rockaway, New York http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/plane-crashes-in-rockaway-new-york General Interest 1799 : First meteor shower on record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-meteor-shower-on-record 1948 : Japanese war criminals sentenced http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-war-criminals-sentenced 1980 : Voyager I flies near Saturn http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/voyager-i-flies-near-saturn 1990 : Akihito enthroned as emperor of Japan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/akihito-enthroned-as-emperor-of-japan Hollywood 1981 : William Holden, star of Sunset Boulevard and Network, dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/william-holden-star-of-sunset-boulevard-and-network-dies Literary 1889 : DeWitt Wallace, founder of Reader's Digest, is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dewitt-wallace-founder-of-readers-digest-is-born Music 2003 : Toby Keith has his third straight #1 country album with Shock'n Y'all http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/toby-keith-has-his-third-straight-1-country-album-with-shock39n-y39all Old West 1867 : U.S. reconsiders war with Plains Indians http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-reconsiders-war-with-plains-indians Presidential 1979 : Carter shuts down oil imports from Iran http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carter-shuts-down-oil-imports-from-iran Sports 1892 : Pudge Heffelfinger becomes first pro football player http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pudge-heffelfinger-becomes-first-pro-football-player Vietnam War 1969 : Seymour Hersh breaks My Lai story http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/seymour-hersh-breaks-my-lai-story 1971 : Nixon sets new deadline for next troop withdrawal http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-sets-new-deadline-for-next-troop-withdrawal World War I 1918 : Allied fleet enters Dardanelles http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allied-fleet-enters-dardanelles World War II 1944 : Brits sink the battleship Tirpitz http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/brits-sink-the-battleship-tirpitz =======================================================  November 11: General Interest 1918: World War I ends At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure. Read more... American Revolution 1778 : Poor leadership leads to Cherry Valley Massacre http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/poor-leadership-leads-to-cherry-valley-massacre Automotive 1978 : The General Lee jumps into history http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-general-lee-jumps-into-history Civil War 1811 : Confederate General Benjamin McCulloch is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ben-mcculloch-born Cold War 1973 : Soviet Union refuses to play Chile in World Cup Soccer http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviet-union-refuses-to-play-chile-in-world-cup-soccer Crime 1988 : Police make a grisly discovery in Dorothea Puente's lawn http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/police-make-a-grisly-discovery-in-dorothea-puentes-lawn Disaster 2000 : Skiers die in cable-car fire http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/skiers-die-in-cable-car-fire General Interest 1831 : Nat Turner executed in Virginia http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nat-turner-executed-in-virginia 1885 : George Patton born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-patton-born 1921 : Dedication of the Tomb of the Unknowns http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dedication-of-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns Hollywood 1994 : Interview with the Vampire debuts http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/interview-with-the-vampire-debuts Literary 1852 : Louisa May Alcott publishes her first story http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/louisa-may-alcott-publishes-her-first-story Music 1978 : Donna Summer earns her first #1 pop hit with "MacArthur Park" http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/donna-summer-earns-her-first-1-pop-hit-with-quotmacarthur-parkquot Old West 1933 : Massive dust storm sweeps South Dakota http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/massive-dust-storm-sweeps-south-dakota Presidential 1834 : Franklin Pierce marries Jane Appleton http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/franklin-pierce-marries-jane-appleton 1858 : James Garfield marries Lucretia Rudolph http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/james-garfield-marries-lucretia-rudolph Sports 1981 : Fernando Valenzuela wins Cy Young Award http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fernando-valenzuela-wins-cy-young-award Vietnam War 1967 : Viet Cong release U.S. prisoners of war http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/viet-cong-release-us-prisoners-of-war 1968 : Operation Commando Hunt commences http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-commando-hunt-commences 1972 : Long Binh base turned over to South Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/long-binh-base-turned-over-to-south-vietnam World War I 1918 : World War I ends http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/world-war-i-comes-to-an-end World War II 1942 : Draft age is lowered to 18 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/draft-age-is-lowered-to-18 ===========================================================  November 10: General Interest 1969: Sesame Street debuts On this day in 1969, "Sesame Street," a pioneering TV show that would teach generations of young children the alphabet and how to count, makes its broadcast debut. "Sesame Street," with its memorable theme song ("Can you tell me how to get/How to get to Sesame Street"), went on to become the most widely viewed children's program in the world. It has aired in more than 120 countries. Read more... American Revolution 1775 : Birth of the U.S. Marine Corps http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/birth-of-the-us-marine-corps Automotive 1903 : Mary Anderson patents windshield wiper http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mary-anderson-patents-windshield-wiper Civil War 1865 : Confederate prison camp commander Henry Wirz is executed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/henry-wirz-hanged Cold War 1982 : Leonid Brezhnev dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/leonid-brezhnev-dies Crime 1997 : Judge reduces sentence in nanny murder case http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/judge-reduces-sentence-in-nanny-murder-case Disaster 1975 : Cargo ship suddenly sinks in Lake Superior http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cargo-ship-suddenly-sinks-in-lake-superior General Interest 1928 : Hirohito crowned in Japan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hirohito-crowned-in-japan 1975 : Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Superior http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/iedmund-fitzgeraldi-sinks-in-lake-superior 1995 : Playwright and activist hanged in Nigeria http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/playwright-and-activist-hanged-in-nigeria Hollywood 1932 : Roy Scheider, star of Jaws, is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/roy-scheider-star-of-jaws-is-born Literary 1973 : Slaughterhouse-Five is burned in North Dakota http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/slaughterhouse-five-is-burned-in-north-dakota Music 1958 : Future country legend Conway Twitty earns a #1 hit as a rock-and-roll idol http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/future-country-legend-conway-twitty-earns-a-1-hit-as-a-rock-and-roll-idol Old West 1808 : Osage Indians cede Missouri and Arkansas lands http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/osage-indians-cede-missouri-and-arkansas-lands Presidential 2001 : Bush addresses the United Nations regarding terrorism http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bush-addresses-the-united-nations-regarding-terrorism Sports 1984 : Maryland gets a miracle in Miami http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/maryland-gets-a-miracle-in-miami Vietnam War 1964 : McNamara says that U.S. has no plans to send combat troops to Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mcnamara-says-that-us-has-no-plans-to-send-combat-troops-to-vietnam 1970 : No U.S. combat fatalities reported http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/no-us-combat-fatalities-reported 1971 : Khmer Rouge forces attack Phnom Penh airport http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/khmer-rouge-forces-attack-phnom-penh-airport World War I 1928 : Remarque publishes All Quiet on the Western Front http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/remarque-publishes-all-quiet-on-the-western-front World War II 1942 : Germans take Vichy France http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-take-vichy-france  =======================================================  November 9: General Interest 1938: Nazis launch Kristallnacht On this day in 1938, in an event that would foreshadow the Holocaust, German Nazis launch a campaign of terror against Jewish people and their homes and businesses in Germany and Austria. The violence, which continued through November 10 and was later dubbed "Kristallnacht," or "Night of Broken Glass," after the countless smashed windows of Jewish-owned establishments, left approximately 100 Jews dead, 7,500 Jewish businesses damaged and hundreds of synagogues, homes, schools and graveyards vandalized. An estimated 30,000 Jewish men were arrested, many of whom were then sent to concentration camps for several months; they were released when they promised to leave Germany. Kristallnacht represented a dramatic escalation of the campaign started by Adolf Hitler in 1933 when he became chancellor to purge Germany of its Jewish population. Read more... American Revolution 1780 : Sumter evades Wemyss in South Carolina http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sumter-evades-wemyss-in-south-carolina Automotive 1960 : Robert McNamara becomes president of Ford Motor Company http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robert-mcnamara-becomes-president-of-ford-motor-company Civil War 1862 : Burnside assumes command of the Union Army of the Potomac http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/burnside-assumes-command Cold War 1989 : East Germany opens the Berlin Wall http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-germany-opens-the-berlin-wall Crime 1971 : A Sunday school teacher murders his family and goes undercover for 18 years http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-sunday-school-teacher-murders-his-family-and-goes-undercover-for-18-years Disaster 1872 : Fire rips through Boston http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fire-rips-through-boston General Interest 1906 : Roosevelt travels to Panama http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/roosevelt-travels-to-panama 1923 : Nazis suppressed in Munich http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nazis-suppressed-in-munich 1956 : Sartre renounces communists http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sartre-renounces-communists 1965 : The Great Northeast Blackout http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-great-northeast-blackout Hollywood 2001 : Kodak Theatre, new home of Oscars, opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kodak-theatre-new-home-of-oscars-opens Literary 2004 : Best-selling Millennium trilogy author Stieg Larsson dies at 50 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/best-selling-millennium-trilogy-author-stieg-larsson-dies-at-50 Music 1990 : Willie Nelson's assets are seized by the IRS http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/willie-nelson39s-assets-are-seized-by-the-irs Old West 1875 : Followers of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse identified as hostile http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/followers-of-sitting-bull-and-crazy-horse-identified-as-hostile Presidential 1901 : Teddy Roosevelt establishes a naval base in the Philippines http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/teddy-roosevelt-establishes-a-naval-base-in-the-philippines Sports 1946 : Army and Notre Dame fight to a draw http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/army-and-notre-dame-fight-to-a-draw Vietnam War 1965 : Antiwar protestor sets himself afire http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/antiwar-protestor-sets-himself-afire 1967 : Captain Lance Sijan shot down over North Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/captain-lance-sijan-shot-down-over-north-vietnam 1970 : Supreme Court refuses to rule on legality of Vietnam Wart http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/supreme-court-refuses-to-rule-on-legality-of-vietnam-war World War I 1914 : Australian warship Sydney sinks German Emden http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/australian-warship-sydney-sinks-german-emden World War II 1938 : "The Night of Broken Glass" http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-night-of-broken-glass ====================================================== November 8: General Interest 1895: German scientist discovers X-rays On this day in 1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen (1845-1923) becomes the first person to observe X-rays, a significant scientific advancement that would ultimately benefit a variety of fields, most of all medicine, by making the invisible visible. Rontgen's discovery occurred accidentally in his Wurzburg, Germany, lab, where he was testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass when he noticed a glow coming from a nearby chemically coated screen. He dubbed the rays that caused this glow X-rays because of their unknown nature. Read more... American Revolution 1775 : Washington seeks to make militias into a military http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-seeks-to-make-militias-into-a-military Automotive 1962 : Sun sets on the Ford Rotunda http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sun-sets-on-the-ford-rotunda Civil War 1864 : President Lincoln is re-elected http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-reelected Cold War 1960 : John F. Kennedy elected president http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-elected-president Crime 1974 : Ted Bundy botches an abduction attempt http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ted-bundy-botches-an-abduction-attempt Disaster 1994 : Hurricane Gordon is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hurricane-gordon-is-born General Interest 1793 : Louvre Museum opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/louvre-museum-opens 1923 : Beer Hall Putsch begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/beer-hall-putsch-begins 1994 : The Republican Revolution http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-republican-revolution Hollywood 1847 : Dracula creator Bram Stoker born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dracula-creator-bram-stoker-born Literary 1900 : Margaret Mitchell is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/margaret-mitchell-is-born Music 1994 : Salvatore "Sonny" Bono is elected to the U.S. Congress http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/salvatore-quotsonnyquot-bono-is-elected-to-the-us-congress Old West 1887 : Doc Holliday dies of tuberculosis http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/doc-holliday-dies-of-tuberculosis Presidential 1942 : FDR broadcasts message to Vichy France leader Marshal Petain http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-broadcasts-message-to-vichy-france-leader-marshal-petain Sports 1951 : Yogi Berra is the AL MVP http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/yogi-berra-is-the-al-mvp Vietnam War 1965 : Lawrence Joel earns Medal of Honor http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lawrence-joel-earns-medal-of-honor World War I 1917 : New Russian leader Lenin calls for immediate armistice http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/new-russian-leader-lenin-calls-for-immediate-armistice World War II 1939 : Hitler survives assassination attempt http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-survives-assassination-attempt