Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1477, Jacopo Sadoleto, Italian cardinal (died 1547) was born. In 1789, In response to the dismissal of the French finance minister Jacques Necker, the radical journalist Camille Desmoulins gives a speech which results in the storming of the Bastille two days later. In 1909, Motoichi Kumagai, Japanese photographer and illustrator (died 2010) was born. In 1916, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Ukrainian-Russian soldier and sniper (died 1974) was born. In 1917, Luigi Gorrini, Italian soldier and pilot (died 2014) was born. In 1937, Robert McFarlane, American colonel and diplomat, 13th United States National Security Advisor (died 2022) was born. In 1943, World War II: Battle of Kursk: German and Soviet forces engage in the Battle of Prokhorovka, one of the largest armored engagements of all time. In 1945, Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, German field marshal (born 1895) passed away. In 1966, D. T. Suzuki, Japanese philosopher and author (born 1870) passed away. In 2007, U.S. Army Apache helicopters engage in airstrikes against armed insurgents in Baghdad, Iraq, where civilians are killed; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.