Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla, which took place in
Mexico on May 5, 1862. The battle was part of the Franco-Mexican War,
which began as a result of new Mexican President Benito Juarez defaulting
on the country’s loans from European governments. Britain, France and
Spain sent troops to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and
Spain eventually withdrew, but France continued its advance, hoping to
carve out a territory of Mexico for itself. France sent 6,000 troops to attack
the small town of Puebla de Los Angeles in east central Mexico. Juarez
responded by sending 2,000 men. Though they were outnumbered, the
Mexican army was victorious over the French. However, it would be
another five years before the French would withdraw from Mexico
completely. The first record of a Cinco de Mayo celebration appeared in
an article in a newspaper in Columbia, Calif. three days after the Battle
of Puebla. Big parties commemorating the Mexican military victory took
place.

ROSS SIMPSON

Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide on this day in 1945,
one day after their wedding. One week later Germany surrendered
unconditionally.

A Russian soldier is standing amid the rubble in Adolf Hitler’s
command bunker where he and wife Eva Braun were alleged
to have committed suicide.

Communists North Vietnamese troops entered the Independence
Palace of South Vietnam in Saigon on this day in 1975. Eleven
Marines lifted off of the U.S. Embassy were the last soldiers to
evacuate.

George Washington’s inauguration as first President of America took
place at Federal Hall in New York City on this day in 1789. It became
the first U.S. national holiday.

Federal Hall as it looks today.

On this day in 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana
Territory from France for $15 million.

Depiction of the official signing of the Louisiana Purchase.

Willie Hugh Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas in 1933. He’s now 85.

Country singer, activist, poet, songwriter, actor, and author Willie Nelson
helped create Farm Aid. He has written many country hits, including
“ On the Road Again”,"Funny How Time Slips Away" and "Hello Walls."

Airman Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson’s guitar Trigger (Martin N-20 classical)

On this day in 1912, the ocean liner Titanic sank in the
North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg the evening
before. 1,517 people died and more than 700 people
survived.

On this day in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died
from injuries inflicted by John Wilkes Booth.

Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball
game for the Brooklyn Dodgers on this day in 1947. He
previously he had only appeared in exhibition games.

U.S. F-111 warplanes attacked Libya on this day in 1986
in response to the bombing of a discotheque in Berlin on
April 5, 1986.

Pol Pot died at the age of 73 on this day in 1998. The leader
of the Khmer Rouge regime thereby evaded prosecution for
the deaths of 2 million Cambodians.

   
    
   
                  SANDY KOZEL