in History
A regent reshapes China's destiny
With the death of Emperor Ai of Han, who left no heir, the ambitious court official Wang Mang moved swiftly to consolidate power, declaring himself marshal of state. This was the critical step in his audacious plan to usurp the Han dynasty and establish his own Xin dynasty, temporarily interrupting the four-century reign of one of China's greatest imperial houses.
Ten thousand soldiers march to the rescue
During the Second Boer War, a column of ten thousand soldiers led by Lord Kitchener broke a thirteen-day siege of a small British garrison in South Africa. The relief force's arrival demonstrated the overwhelming military resources Britain was willing to commit to maintaining its empire, even as guerrilla tactics by Boer commandos continued to frustrate conventional British strategy.
Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico, United States, at 102,800 feet (31,300 m), setting three.
Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico, United States, at 102,800 feet (31,300 m), setting three records that held until 2012: High-altitude jump, free fall, and highest speed by a human without an aircraft.