Today in History

1805 – An expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reaches the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first European Americans to cross to the west. 1863 – US president Abraham Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg address as he dedicates a national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield.

1916 – Samuel Goldwyn, right, and Edgar Selwyn establish

Goldwyn Pictures, which becomes one of the most successful independent film-makers.

1942 – Soviet forces counterattack at Stalingrad, leading to the capture of more than 250,000 German and Romanian troops.

1969 – Apollo 12 astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean make second Moon landing.

1985 – US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev meet for the first time at a summit in Geneva.

1992 – New Zealand-born ophthalmologist Fred Hollows launches a foundation to treat preventable eye problems in poorer and developing nations.

1998 – The impeachment inquiry against US president Bill Clinton opens with testimony by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who accuses Clinton of perjury and obstructing justice.

2010 – An underground explosion at the Pike River coal mine on the West Coast kills 29 men.

2017 – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe refuses to resign in a TV speech after being ousted as leader of the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Birthdays

Charles I, British king (1600-49); Ferdinand de Lesseps, French canal builder (1805-94); Elizabeth McCombs, NZ politician (1873-1935); Indira Gandhi, Indian politician (1917-84); Calvin Klein, US fashion designer (1942-); Eddie Rayner, NZ musician in Split Enz (1952-); Jodie Foster, US actress (1962-); Ted Turner, US media mogul (1938-); Mahe Drysdale, NZ rower (1978-).