The Zimmermann Telegram
On February 24, 1917, British officials shared the Zimmermann Telegram with US President Woodrow Wilson, revealing a German plot to incite a war between the US and Mexico.
On February 24, 1917, British officials shared the Zimmermann Telegram with US President Woodrow Wilson, revealing a German plot to incite a war between the US and Mexico.
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. A founding member of the NAACP, he was a leading civil rights activist.
On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor, leading the US to declare war on Spain two months later. Special Revenue stamps depicting the Maine were produced to fund the Spanish-American War and the event had a significant impact on US postage stamps.
On February 13, 1951, the Battle of Chipyong-ni, sometimes called the “high-water mark” of the Chinese fighting in Korea, began. The American victory boosted morale, who had previously seen the Chinese as unbeatable.
On January 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army launched a surprise attack on South Vietnam during the Tet (New Year) holiday truce. The offensive was largely considered a failure for the North Vietnamese as they didn’t meet any of their objectives.
On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp, marking the beginning of the end of the Holocaust. The United Nations later designated this date International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737, in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the longest-serving president of the Continental Congress, governor of Massachusetts, and famous signer of the Declaration of Independence.
On January 22, 1963, France and West Germany signed the Élysée Treaty, ending centuries of rivalries between the two nations. In 1988, both countries collaborated on joint-issue stamps marking the treaty’s 25th anniversary.
Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was one of the first Americans to make a living solely as a writer.