Today in News History

On June 20, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1295, The Treaty of Anagni, an attempt mediated by the papacy to end the War of the Sicilian Vespers, is signed by the crown of Aragon, the kingdom of France and kingdom of Naples. In 1782, The U.S. Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States. In 1787, Oliver Ellsworth moves at the Federal Convention to call the government the 'United States'. In 1863, American Civil War: West Virginia is admitted as the 35th U.S. state. In 1945, The United States Secretary of State approves the transfer of Wernher von Braun and his team of Nazi rocket scientists to the U.S. under Operation Paperclip. In 1948, The Deutsche Mark is introduced in Western Allied-occupied Germany. The Soviet Military Administration in Germany responded by imposing the Berlin Blockade four days later. In 1963, Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union and the United States sign an agreement to establish the so-called "red telephone" link between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. In 1965, Bernard Baruch, American financier and politician (born 1870) passed away. In 1975, The film Jaws is released in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing film of that time and starting the trend of films known as "summer blockbusters". In 1991, The German Bundestag votes to move seat of government from the former West German capital of Bonn to the present capital of Berlin. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.