June 27

in History

Pope Agatho Begins Reign — A saintly pontiff takes the chair of Peter

Rome, ItalyMedieval

678

Pope Agatho Begins Reign

A saintly pontiff takes the chair of Peter

Pope Agatho, later venerated as a saint in both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, began his pontificate in Rome. His papacy would prove historically significant: Agatho successfully asserted papal authority at the Third Council of Constantinople in 680-681, which condemned the Monothelite heresy. His theological letters to the council, arguing for the orthodox position on Christ's two wills, were instrumental in shaping Christian doctrine and strengthening papal influence over the Eastern Church.

678 AD

Canton, South Dakota, United StatesEarly 20th Century

1901

Merle Tuve Was Born

The physicist who mapped the sky and split the atom

In Canton, South Dakota, Merle Tuve was born -- a geophysicist whose work would prove essential to both scientific discovery and national defense. He pioneered the use of radio waves to measure the height of the ionosphere, developed the proximity fuze that revolutionized anti-aircraft warfare in World War II, and later led groundbreaking research in nuclear physics. His versatility and ingenuity made him one of the most important -- and least recognized -- American scientists of the twentieth century.

1901 AD

Korean War — Korean War: Five North Korean aircraft attacked an American air convoy above Suwon Air Base in the first air engagement of the Korean War.

1950-1953Early 20th Century

1950

Korean War

Korean War: Five North Korean aircraft attacked an American air convoy above Suwon Air Base in the first air engagement of the Korean War.

The Korean War was an armed conflict on the Korean peninsula between North Korea and South Korea and their allies. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union, while South Korea was supported by the United Nations Command (UNC) led by the United States. The war, which ended in stalemate, was the first great clash of arms of the Cold War and was one of, if not its deadliest proxy war.

1950 AD