SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 1961, Berlin was divided by a barbed wire fence to halt
the flight of refugees. Two days later work on the Berlin Wall began.

CARLATA BRADLEY

The Soviet Union began the Berlin Blockade on this day in 1948. It
was one of the first major international crises of the Cold  War. The
Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies’ railway, road, and canal
access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. (Wikipedia)

ROSS SIMPSON

Francis Gary Powers’ U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet
Union on this day in 1960. Powers (below) was taken prisoner.

The charred wreckage of U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers’ U-2 spy
plane is shown on display at the Central Armed Forces Museum
in Moscow, April 30, 2010. (AP)

CARLATA BRADLEY

On this day in 1962, the Soviet Union exchanged captured U.S.
U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers (left) for the Soviet spy Rudolph
Ivanovich Abel (right) being held by the United States.
       

The Glienicke bridge just after the Powers swap.

CARLATA BRADLEY

The Beirut barracks bombing was a terrorist attack that occurred on 
this day in 1983, in Beirut, Lebanon, during the Lebanese Civil War. It
involved two truck bombs striking buildings housing Multinational
Force in Lebanon (MNF) peacekeepers, specifically against United
States and French service members, killing 241 U.S. and 58 French peacekeepers, 6 civilians and the 2 suicide attackers. A group
called Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombings
and said that the attacks were to get the MNF out of Lebanon.       

President Ronald Reagan, first lady Nancy Reagan and Marine Commandant P.X. Kelley honor those killed in Beirut during a
Nov. 5, 1983, memorial service.

On this day in 1973, President Richard M. Nixon agreed to turn over
the subpoenaed White House tapes concerning the Watergate affair
to Judge Sirica and the House Judiciary Committee.

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Richard Nixon leaves the White House following his resignation over
the Watergate scandal.