in History
The frozen river becomes Rome's broken door
On the last night of the year, Vandals, Alans, and Suebians crossed the frozen Rhine River and poured into Gaul, beginning an invasion that would reshape Europe. The weakened Roman frontier, stripped of troops to fight other wars, could not hold. This crossing is often cited as one of the pivotal moments in the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Finland's Cold War premier navigates east and west
In Turku, Finland, Karl-August Fagerholm was born into the Swedish-speaking minority. He would serve three times as Prime Minister of Finland, navigating the treacherous waters of Cold War politics between Soviet pressure and Western orientation. His career was marked by fierce opposition from both the Soviet Union and Finland's Communist Party, yet he remained a towering figure in Finnish democracy.
Three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, killing more than 90 people.
Three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, killing more than 90 people and injuring 140 others, making it the second-deadliest hotel fire in American history.