Today in history: Jan. 12
In 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude-7 earthquake, and more events that happened on this day in history.
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1932: Hattie W. Caraway
In 1932, Hattie W. Caraway became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate after initially being appointed to serve out the remainder of the term of her late husband, Thaddeus.
1945: World War II
In 1945, during World War II, Soviet forces began a major, successful offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe. Aircraft from U.S. Task Force 38 sank about 40 Japanese ships off Indochina.
1959: Motown Records
In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records (originally Tamla Records) in Detroit.
1966: Lyndon B. Johnson
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson said in his State of the Union address that the U.S. military should stay in Vietnam until Communist aggression there was stopped.
1969: The New York Jets
In 1969, the New York Jets of the American Football League upset the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League 16-7 in Super Bowl III, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
2010: Haiti
In 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude-7 earthquake; the Haitian government said 316,000 people were killed, while a report prepared for the U.S. Agency for International Development suggested the death toll may have been between 46,000 and 85,000.
2016: Iran
In 2016, Iran detained 10 American sailors and their two small Navy boats after the boats drifted into Iranian waters; the sailors and their vessels were released the following day.
2017: Barack Obama
Five years ago: President Barack Obama ended the longstanding “wet foot, dry foot” immigration policy that allowed any Cuban who made it to U.S. soil to stay and become a legal resident.
2017: James Comey
Five years ago: In yet another aftershock from the chaotic presidential campaign, the Justice Department inspector general opened an investigation into department and FBI actions before the election, including whether FBI Director James Comey followed established policies in the email investigation of Hillary Clinton.
2021: Mike Pence
One year ago: The House voted to urge Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to the Constitution and hold a Cabinet vote to remove President Donald Trump from office; it was a symbolic action after Pence had already said he would not do so.
2021: The CDC
One year ago: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said anyone flying to the United States would soon need to show proof of a negative test for COVID-19.