On this day in 1954, a 15-megaton hydrogen bomb was detonated on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the worst radioactive contamination ever caused by the United States.
On this day in 1966, Venera 3 Soviet space probe crashed on Venus, becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet's surface.
On this day in 1971, President of Pakistan Yahya Khan indefinitely postponed the pending national assembly session, precipitating massive civil disobedience in East Pakistan.
On this day in 1979, the US embassy in Taipei formally closed, to be succeeded by the American Institute in Taiwan, after diplomatic ties between the two countries were severed on Jan. 1 of that year.
On this day in 1995, Taiwan formally inaugurated the National Health Insurance program.
On this day in 1998, Titanic became the first film to gross over US$1 billion worldwide.
And on this day in 2003, the International Criminal Court held its inaugural session in The Hague.