Today in History
Historical Events
Terrorist Attack in Nice, France Kills 85 and Injures More than 300 People. The attack took place during Bastille Day Celebrations, when a 19-tonne truck was driven into the crowd. The attacker was eventually shot by the police.
Mars flyby of Mariner 4. The American spacecraft became the first to take pictures of another planet and send them back to Earth.
Coup in Iraq. Abd al-Karim Qasim, a brigadier in the Iraqi Army staged a military coup in Iraq, overthrowing the Hashemite monarchy. The Iraqi King Faisal II, the Crown Prince Abd al-Ilah, and Prime Minister Nuri al-Said were assassinated during the coup. Qasim took over the position of Prime Minister, which he held until 1963. The coup also led to the dissolution of the Arab Federation of Jordan and Iraq.
First female parliamentarian in the Arab world is elected to office. Egyptian Rawya Ateya became the first woman to be elected to the National Assembly.
Storming of the Bastille. Bastille, a prison housing only 7 prisoners at the time, was stormed by a crowd calling for the closure of the prison. The storming became the central event of the French Revolution.
Famous Births
Born on this day

Ingmar Bergman
1918
Swedish director

Gerald Ford
1913
American politician, 38th President of the United States

Woody Guthrie
1912
American singer-songwriter, musician

Terry-Thomas
1911
British actor

Gustav Klimt
1862
Austrian painter, graphic artist
Famous Deaths
Died on this day

Guy de Lussigny
2001
French painter

Adlai Stevenson
1965
American politician, 31st Governor of Illinois

Marius Petipa
1910
French/Russian dancer, choreographer

Billy the Kid
1881
American criminal

Philip II of France
1223