This Day In History: 08/31/1997 - Polish Government Signs Accord - HISTORY

Representatives of the communist government of Poland agree to the demands of striking shipyard workers in the city of Gdansk.

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A recap of all the historical events that occurred on March 31st is given to us by Russell Mitchell in this video clip from This Day In History. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma premiering on Broadway was one of the events. Others included the announcement made by President Lyndon B Johnson that he would not run for a second term in office. Also, the 232 day strike of Major League Baseball players was ended in an agreement. The Eiffel Tower, which was proposed by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the French Revolution, was dedicated and opened on this day as well.

On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America."On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America."On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America."

A recap on the historical events that occurred on March 8th is given to us by Russ Mitchell in this video clip from This Day in History. In 1948, the US Supreme Court ruled that religious teachings in schools was unconstitutional. Also on this day, the Confederate iron clad war ship Virginia sank two Union war ships off the coast of Virginia. The major league baseball player Joe DiMaggio passed away in 1999. Revolution began in Russia, which resulted in Nicholas II abdicating his throne. His abdication led to the communist take over of Russia.

In a This Day in History video, host Russ Mitchell takes us through the history of August 13th. On this day in 1521, a Spanish force led by Cortes captured the Aztec capitol now known as Mexico City. Also, on this day in 1942, Walt Disney's Bambi opened in Radio City Music Hall. On this day in 2004, the Olympic Games came home to the place of their birth when the Summer Games opened in Athens, Greece. Also, on this day in 1961, East German soldiers split Berlin; in time, Berlin became two separate nations and its wall became one of the most prominent symbols of the Cold War.

In a This Day in History video, host Russ Mitchell takes us through the history of August 24th. On this day in 1814, British invaded Washington and set fire to the White House and the capitol building. On this day in 1989, Major League Baseball suspended Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose for life for gambling on baseball. On this day in 2006, Pluto got demoted; scientists claim that it is not a real planet, but a dwarf planet instead. Also on this day in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted in southern Italy, devastating the prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

In a This Day in History video, learn that on July 1, 1997, China regained control of Hong Kong after 156 years of British rule. China gave up the island at the end of the first Opium War; at the time, it was a barren, rocky, no-man's land. But under British ownership, Hong Kong became a metropolis and the commercial gateway to the East and China wanted it back. After years of negotiation, the U.K. was willing to give back Hong Kong as long as Communist China agreed to preserve the island's Capitalist ways.

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