Today in News History

On June 18, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 860, Byzantine-Rus' War: A fleet of about 200 Rus' vessels sails into the Bosphorus and starts pillaging the suburbs of the Byzantine capital Constantinople. In 1391, Tokhtamysh-Timur war: Battle of the Kondurcha River: Timur defeats Tokhtamysh of the Golden Horde in present-day southeast Russia. In 1757, Battle of Kolín between Prussian forces under Frederick the Great and an Austrian army under the command of Field Marshal Count Leopold Joseph von Daun in the Seven Years' War. In 1803, Haitian Revolution: The Royal Navy led by Rear-Admiral John Thomas Duckworth commence the blockade of Saint-Domingue against French forces. In 1812, The United States declaration of war upon the United Kingdom is signed by President James Madison, beginning the War of 1812. In 1868, Miklós Horthy, Hungarian admiral and politician, Regent of Hungary (died 1957) was born. In 1947, Shigematsu Sakaibara, Japanese admiral (born 1898) passed away. In 1948, Britain, France and the United States announce that on June 21, the Deutsche Mark will be introduced in western Germany and West Berlin. Over the next six days, Communists increasingly restrict access to Berlin. In 1954, Carlos Castillo Armas leads an invasion force across the Guatemalan border, setting in motion the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. In 1979, SALT II is signed by the United States and the Soviet Union. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.