Today in News History

On June 21, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 533, A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece and Sicily. In 1824, Greek War of Independence: Egyptian forces capture Psara in the Aegean Sea. In 1864, American Civil War: The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road begins. In 1864, Heinrich Wölfflin, Swiss historian and critic (died 1945) was born. In 1940, World War II: Italy begins an unsuccessful invasion of France. In 1942, World War II: A Japanese submarine surfaces near the Columbia River in Oregon, firing 17 shells at Fort Stevens in one of only a handful of attacks by Japan against the United States mainland. In 1945, World War II: The Battle of Okinawa ends when the organized resistance of Imperial Japanese Army forces collapses in the Mabuni area on the southern tip of the main island. In 1948, Andrzej Sapkowski, Polish author and translator was born. In 1985, Braathens SAFE Flight 139 is hijacked on approach to Oslo Airport, Fornebu. Special forces arrest the hijacker and there are no fatalities. In 2012, A boat carrying more than 200 migrants capsizes in the Indian Ocean between the Indonesian island of Java and Christmas Island, killing 17 people and leaving 70 others missing. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.