On this day in history - Today, April, 17

Today in History

• 1521 Martin Luther faces charges for his revolutionary religious writings

  The German monk was a leading figure of the Protestant Reformation. As a result of the hearing befor

• 1961 A CIA-sponsored paramilitary group attempts to invade Cuba

  The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed attempt to overthrow the Cuban government. The United States g

• 1975 Phnom Penh falls to the Khmer Rouge

  The regime under “Brother number 1” Pol Pot tortured and killed several million people. Amongst the

• 1978 Mir Akbar Khyber's assassination triggers a communist coup in Afghanistan

  The Communists introduced a series of reforms, such as equal rights for women and universal educatio

• 1986 The world's longest war ends without a single shot having been fired

  The state of war between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly had been extended for a total of 33