Shimla, Aug 18 Keekli Bureau
2004
The search engine company Google Inc. raised $1.66 billion in its initial public offering; in an unusual move, the shares were sold in a public auction intended to put the average investor on an equal footing with financial industry professionals.
1994
American theoretical physical chemist Linus Pauling—the only person to have won two unshared Nobel Prizes (Chemistry, 1954; Peace, 1962)—died at age 93.
1960
American pilot Francis Gary Powers was sentenced to 10 years’ confinement by the Soviet Union for espionage following the U-2 Affair, but he was later released (1962) in exchange for the Soviet spy Rudolf Abel.
1945
A commando force formed by Vo Nguyen Giap, under Vietnamese nationalist leader Ho Chi Minh, entered the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.
1936
Soviet officials began the Great Purge of prominent Old Bolsheviks—real or potential political rivals and critics of Joseph Stalin—as the first show trial opened, resulting in the execution of Lev Kamenev and others.
1934
Some 90 percent of German voters approved a referendum that made Adolf Hitler “Führer und Reichskanzler” (“leader and chancellor”).
1883
French fashion designer Coco Chanel—who, with her elegantly casual creations, ruled over Parisian haute couture for almost six decades—was born.
1847
U.S. forces under Major General Winfield Scott began the Battle of Contreras, opening the final campaign of the Mexican-American War.
1812
The USS Constitution, commanded by Captain Isaac Hull, won a brilliant victory over the British frigate HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812.
1458
Enea Silvio Piccolomini was elected pope as Pius II, following the death of Calixtus III.
1274
Edward I was crowned king of England at Westminster.
