TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

Feb. 27, 1968

At the conclusion of a CBS News special report on the Vietnam War, Walter Cronkite delivered a commentary in which he said that the conflict appeared “mired in stalemate.”

ALSO ON THIS DATE

1700

English explorer William Dampier became the first known European visitor to the island of New Britain in the Southwest Pacific.

1801

The District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress.

1911

Inventor Charles F. Kettering demonstrated his electric automobile starter in Detroit by starting a Cadillac’s motor with just the press of a switch, instead of hand-cranking.

1922

The Supreme Court, in Leser v. Garnett, unanimously upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed the right of women to vote.

1933

Germany’s parliament building, the Reichstag, was gutted by fire; Chancellor Adolf Hitler, blaming the Communists, used the fire to justify suspending civil liberties.

1943

During World War II, Norwegian commandos launched a successful raid to sabotage a German-operated heavy water plant in Norway.

1951

The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified.

1973

Members of the American Indian Movement occupied the hamlet of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, the site of the 1890massacre of Sioux men, women and children.

1991

Operation Desert Storm came to a conclusion as President George H.W. Bush declared that “Kuwait is liberated, Iraq’s army is defeated,” and announced that the allies would suspend combat operations at midnight, Eastern time.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is 84. Opera singer Mirella Freni is 83. Rock singer-musician Neal Schon is 64. Country singer Johnny Van Zant is 58. Basketball Hall of Famer JamesWorthy is 57. Actor Adam Baldwin is 56. Rhythm-and-blues singer Chilli is 47. Countryrock musician Shonna Tucker is 40. Chelsea Clinton is 38. Singer Josh Groban is 37. Actress Kate Mara is 35. Actress Lindsey Morgan is 28.