History for August 7

History for August 7 - On-This-Day.com:
Nathaniel Greene 1742, John Heathcoat 1783 - Inventor, pioneer in lace making, Mata Hari 1876


Ralph Bunche 1904, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer 1927, David Duchovny 1960


1789 - The U.S. War Department was established by the U.S. Congress.


1782 - George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart.


1888 - Theophilus Van Kannel received a patent for the revolving door.


1914 - Germany invaded France.


1942 - U.S. forces landed at Guadalcanal, marking the start of the first major allied offensive in the Pacific during World War II.


1960 - The Cuban Catholic Church condemned the rise of communism in Cuba. Fidel Castro then banned all religious TV and radio broadcasts.


1964 - The U.S. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which gave President Johnson broad powers in dealing with reported North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. forces.


1974 - French stuntman Philippe Petit walked a tightrope strung between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center.