Today in History
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2002 The Sierra Leone Civil War ends
The conflict lasted 11 years and left over 50,000 dead.
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1997 Børge Ousland becomes the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided
The Norwegian polar explorer walked 3000 kilometers (1864 miles) across Antarctica.
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1943 Insurgents in the Warsaw Ghetto take up arms against the German oppressors
This sparked the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the largest single Jewish revolt during WWII.
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1919 The Paris Peace Conference opens
The purpose of the conference was to establish the terms of peace following World War I, which resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
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1886 Modern hockey is born
The Hockey Association was founded in England to formalize a modern version of a game that had already been played in ancient times.
Births On This Day, January 18
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1955 Kevin Costner
American actor, singer, director, producer
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1913 Danny Kaye
American actor
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1892 Oliver Hardy
American comedian, actor
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1882 A. A. Milne
English author
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1689 Montesquieu
French philosopher
Deaths On This Day, January 18
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2011 Sargent Shriver
American politician, 21st United States Ambassador to France
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1956 Konstantin Päts
Estonian politician, 1st President of Estonia
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1952 Curly Howard
American actor, comedian
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1936 Rudyard Kipling
English author, poet, Nobel Prize laureate
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1862 John Tyler
American lawyer, politician, 10th President of the United States