November 18 in History

Historical Events on November 18

1493 Christopher Columbus first sights the island now known as Puerto Rico.

1730 The future Frederick II (known as Frederick the Great), King of Prussia, is granted a royal pardon and released from confinement.

1916 World War I: First Battle of the Somme: In France, British Expeditionary Force commander Douglas Haig calls off the battle which started on July 1, 1916.

1918 Latvia declares its independence from Russia.

1940 World War II: German leader Adolf Hitler and Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano meet to discuss Benito Mussolini's disastrous Italian invasion of Greece.

1961 United States President John F. Kennedy sends 18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam.[citation needed]

1970 U.S. President Richard Nixon asks the U.S. Congress for $155 million in supplemental aid for the Cambodian government.

1971 Oman declares its independence from United Kingdom.

2013 NASA launches the MAVEN probe to Mars.

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Famous Birthdays on November 18

1923 Ted Stevens

1945 Mahinda Rajapaksa

1953 Alan Moore

1980 Denny Hamlin

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Famous Deaths on November 18

1247 Robin Hood

1886 Chester A. Arthur

1962 Niels Bohr

1978 Jim Jones

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