http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history History Channel - en Copyright 2012, History.com Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT History.com 2012-02-23T05:00:00Z en Copyright 2012, History.com http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-arrives-in-washington President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives in Washington amid secrecy and tight security. With seven states having already seceded from the Union since Lincoln's election, the threat of civil war hung in the air. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-arrives-in-washington http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-flag-raised-on-iwo-jima During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island's highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-flag-raised-on-iwo-jima http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/earthquake-strikes-mediterranean On this day in 1887, an earthquake off the Mediterranean coast of southern France and northern Italy destroys villages and kills more than 2,000 people. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/earthquake-strikes-mediterranean http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-avoids-assassination-attempt On this day in 1861, Abraham Lincoln and his entourage show up unexpectedly at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., foiling a Baltimore plot against his life. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-avoids-assassination-attempt http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/friedrich-von-steuben-arrives-at-valley-forge Friedrich Wilhelm Rudolf Gerhard August, Freiherr von Steuben, a Prussian military officer, arrives at General George Washington’s encampment at Valley Forge commences training soldiers. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/friedrich-von-steuben-arrives-at-valley-forge http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/web-dubois-is-born On this day in 1868, William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) DuBois is born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. A brilliant scholar, DuBois was an influential proponent of civil rights. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/web-dubois-is-born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/children-receive-first-polio-vaccine On this day in 1954, a group of children from Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, receive the first injections of the new polio vaccine developed by Dr. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/children-receive-first-polio-vaccine http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-council-meeting-of-seato In the first council meeting of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles declares the United States is committed to defending the region from communist aggression. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-council-meeting-of-seato http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/formula-one-champ-kidnapped On this day in 1958, five-time Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina is kidnapped in Cuba by a group of Fidel Castro’s rebels. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/formula-one-champ-kidnapped http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/it39s-a-tie-for-song-of-the-year-at-the-20th-annual-grammy-awards Music fans might expect that the songs up for Best Song consideration at the 1977 Grammy Awards included songs that have stood the test of time, like Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," Elvis Costello's "Allison," Tom Petty's "American Girl" or Bob… http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/it39s-a-tie-for-song-of-the-year-at-the-20th-annual-grammy-awards http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/spanish-rebels-storm-parliament In Spain, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero and 200 members of the civil guard burst into the Cortes, Spain's legislature building, in Madrid, firing shots into the air as they take the democratic government of Spain hostage. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/spanish-rebels-storm-parliament http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-begin-withdrawal-to-the-hindenburg-line On this day in 1917, German troops begin a well-planned withdrawal?ordered several weeks previously by Kaiser Wilhelm?to strong positions on the Hindenburg Line, solidifying their defense and digging in for a continued struggle on the Western… http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-begin-withdrawal-to-the-hindenburg-line http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marines-raise-the-flag-on-mt-suribachi On this day, during the battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines raise the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi, the highest point on the island of Iwo Jima and a key strategic point. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marines-raise-the-flag-on-mt-suribachi http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/desertion-up-in-south-vietnamese-army According to the U.S. military headquarters in Saigon, 90,000 South Vietnamese deserted in 1965. This number was almost 14 percent of total South Vietnamese army strength and was twice the number of those that deserted in 1964. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/desertion-up-in-south-vietnamese-army http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnamese-advance-stalls In Operation Lam Son 719, the South Vietnamese advance