Video: 'WW2: U.S. Marines Take Eniwetok (1944)'
(Thursday, February 17, 1944; Part of World War II, Pacific War) — Following the American success in the Battle of Kwajalein to the southeast, the Battle of Eniwetok began today on Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Capture of Eniwetok would provide an airfield and harbor to support Allied attacks on the Mariana Islands to the northwest.
Video: MADAMA BUTTERFLY - "La Scala 17/02/1904"
(Wednesday, February 17, 1904) — Giacomo Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly had its world premiere today at La Scala in Milan, Italy, presented in two acts. After this disastrous premiere, Puccini withdrew the opera and substantially rewrote it, this time in three acts.
(Thursday, February 16, 1804, evening) — Lt. Stephen Decatur led a successful raid into Tripoli Harbor, the principal sea port in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, to burn the U.S. Navy frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into the hands of pirates during the First Barbary War.
Video: 'Big Joe Turner - Shake Rattle N'Roll (Rare Stereo Mix 1954)'
(Monday, February 15, 1954) — “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” a twelve bar blues-form rock and roll song, was recorded today by Big Joe Turner in New York. The Turner version was ranked #127 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Video: '1944 The Destruction of the Abby of Monte Cassino I'
(Tuesday, February 15, 1944; during the Battle of Monte Cassino, part of the Winter Line and the battle for Rome of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — The historic monastery at Monte Cassino in Italy was bombed by the Allies today in an effort to root the Germans from their strategically superior hilltop post. Though the monastery is destroyed, the Germans tenaciously hold the hill. Continue reading Allied assault on Monte Cassino, Italy, begins 70 years ago today (Feb 15 1944)
Video: 'Setounski on Chernenko'
(Monday, February 13, 1984) — Konstantin Chernenko was chosen today to be general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party’s Central Committee, succeeding the late Yuri Andropov.
Video: 'Todd Brabec On When Does one need an ASCAP License?'
(Friday, February 13, 1914) — The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, also known as ASCAP, was founded today in New York to protect the copyrights of creators and ensure compensation for public performances of their works.
Video: 'Opening Ceremony - Complete Event - Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympic'
(Saturday, February 12, 1994) — The 17th Winter Olympic Games opened today in Lillehammer, Norway. 1,737 athletes from 67 nations would participate through Feb. 27, 1994 (click here to watch highlights of the games).
Video: 'Rhapsody in Blue - Original 1924 Recording'
(Tuesday, February 12, 1924) — George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue premiered this afternoon at a concert held by Paul Whiteman and his band Palais Royal Orchestra, entitled An Experiment in Modern Music, which took place in Aeolian Hall in New York City.
Video: 'The Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC.'
(Thursday, February 12, 1914) — The groundbreaking for the Lincoln Memorial took place in Washington, D.C., today, the 105th anniversary of the late president’s birth. A year later on this date, the Memorial’s cornerstone was laid.
