What Happened on April 29?

  • Nixon announced the release of the Watergate tapes. (1974) Nixon had tried to keep the tapes private for months and had exhausted virtually every legal channel, including executive privilege. He resigned before he could be impeached in August of that year.

  • Adolf Hitler married Eva Braun. (1945) The two married in the Fuhrerbunker, where they had been living underground for months, and committed suicide together the next day.

  • Huge riots took place in Los Angeles. (1992) The riots took place after the verdict came out about several police officers who had been videotaped beating an African-American man, Rodney King. When news came out that the officers were acquitted, rioting began.

  • Dachau was liberated. (1945) Dachau was one of the first concentration camps opened, and was the site of some of the worst atrocities of World War II. When it was finally liberated, most of the 30,000 inmates were severely emaciated, and many more had died.

  • The first 3D TV episode showed in the US. (1953) The first major 3D movie, House of Wax had shown earlier that year, making 3D viewing a hot topic. The popular TV show Space Patrol cashed in on the popularity of airing 3D by producing the first experimental 3D TV episode.

  • Hair opened on Broadway. (1968) The musical was an immediate hit, with many of its songs going on to be anti-Vietnam war protester favorites. It was also extremely controversial for its depiction of drug use, sexuality, and nudity, as well as a racially integrated cast.

  • The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 came into effect. (1997) The convention, which outlawed the production and use of chemical weapons was signed in 1993, but didn't come into effect until 1997. Though there had been previous chemical weapons agreements, the CWC of 1993 is one of the most far reaching, as the member countries agree to regular inspections to prove their compliance.

  • Joan of Arc arrived to relieve a siege in Orleans. (1429) The siege had been going on since October of the previous year, and Joan's success in lifting the siege was the first of a series of stunning victories.

  • William Randolph Hearst was born. (1863) Media mogul Hearst was one of the most influential men of the 19th century, and singlehandedly shaped a lot of American's views about the world through his newspapers. He is credited with developing sensationalist yellow journalism, and with pushing public opinion towards the US entering the Spanish-American War.

  • The World War II monument opened in Washington D.C. (2004) The monument had been in the works since the 1980s, and remains a popular Washington D.C. tourist spot, with over four million visitors a year.

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