Important Events From This day in History – 7 May

Today in History

• 2000 Vladimir Putin becomes President of Russia

  The former KGB officer enjoys widespread support in Russia, where living standards have improved dramatically under his leadership. Internationally, he has been chastised for his authoritarian government style.

• 1946 Sony is founded

  The company started as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering. It is now one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products.

• 1945 Germany’s Nazi regime surrendered unconditionally

  The surrender brought an end to World War II, one of the bloodiest conflicts in history. According to estimates, between 40 and 71 million people died as a result of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime’s war and the Holocaust.

• 1915 A German U-Boat sinks the RMS Lusitania

  The attack claimed 1198 lives, making it the deadliest shipwreck of World War I. The fact that some of the dead were American citizens influenced the decision to enter the war in 1917.

• 1895 Alexander Popov demonstrates the world’s first radio receiver

  The Russian physicist originally intended the device to be a lightning detector. The following year, he made the first radio transmission between two buildings.