August 6th Major News Events

6 Aug, 1935 U.S.A. Cryogenics

1935 : In Hollywood, California Dr. Ralph Willard, a doctor who came from the state of Georgia in Russia, has successfully frozen a monkey named Jekal and brought it back to life. The doctor has also frozen guinea pigs and resuscitated them. However, when he wanted to experiment on dogs howls of protest came from humane societies.

6 Aug, 1940 Belgium Famine

1940 : Belgium has appealed to the US for help following A major famine in Belgium. Belgian exports 75 per cent of her wheat. Present supplies with severe rationing -- 25 grams, or half a pound of bread per person per day – will last until September 1 or at least early October.” All industrial activity had stopped and 2,300,000 Belgians were refugees in France, displaced by the German army.

6 Aug, 1951 Korea U.S. Eighth Army

1951 : A fourth straight day of fighting occurred between the allies and Korean forces in western Korea. The U.S. Eighth Army engaged the enemy at dawn and Korean forces launched a counter attack.

6 Aug, 1961 USSR Major Gherman Titov

August 6, 1961 : The Soviet Vostok II spacecraft with Major Gherman Titov spends a full day in orbit over the Earth.

6 Aug, 1965 U.S.A. Voting Rights Act

1965 : President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote and making it illegal to impose restrictions on federal, state and local elections that were designed to disenfranchise black voters.

6 Aug, 1965 Beatles Release the Album "Help!"

1965 : The Beatles release the soundtrack album "Help!" in 1965 in the UK from the film of the same name. Help! is the Beatles 5th album released and includes the following tracks:

Side One:

"Help!"

"The Night Before"

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"

"I Need You"

"Another Girl"

"You're Going to Lose That Girl"

"Ticket to Ride"

Side Two:

"Act Naturally"

"It's Only Love"

"You Like Me Too Much"

"Tell Me What You See"

"I've Just Seen a Face"

"Yesterday"

"Dizzy Miss Lizzy"

6 Aug, 1969 Japan 25 years Since Bomb Dropped

1969 : In the city of Hiroshima, Japanese ceremonies were held commemorating the 25th anniversary of dropping the H-bomb when 100,000 Japanese were killed. The attack on Hiroshima was the first time that an atomic bomb had been used in warfare. Shinto and Christian memorial services were held across the city and a minute of silence was observed. The atomic bomb was dropped by Americans on August 6, 1945. On August 6, 1969 antinuclear protests broke out in Hiroshima led by Japanese socialists and communists.

6 Aug, 1971 England Chay Blyth

August 6, 1971 : Chay Blyth docks his yacht British Steel at the Hamble in Hampshire on the south coast after a voyage of 292 days and becomes the first man to sail round the world non-stop in the "wrong" direction - east to west - against the prevailing winds and currents.

6 Aug, 1977 Attempt To Cut Foreign Oil Use

1977 : President Carter got approval in the house for a new energy bill which called for a move away from foreign oil and a more efficient use of energy by Americans. The goal was to save 2-3 million barrels a day. Some opposition was felt in the senate, especially around issues like taxing crude oil and natural gas.

6 Aug, 1978 Italy Pope Paul VI

1978 : Pope Paul VI, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 15 years, died after suffering a major heart attack.

6 Aug, 1985 Israel Suicide Bomber

1985 : In Tel Aviv, Israel, a suicide bomber astride a donkey exploded near a pro-Israeli site in Southern Lebanon. According to Israel Army Radio both the burrow and the bomber were killed and one Lebanese person was wounded.

6 Aug, 1997 Microsoft Buys Stake in Apple Computers

1997 : Microsoft buys a minority stake in struggling Apple Computers for $150 million and they agree to share technology. The deal helped Apple on Wall Street, sending the company's stock up to close at its highest price in over a year. Microsoft no longer owns Apple stock, but this was an important moment in the development of Apple as a major corporation.

6 Aug, 2002 Concerns Over Terrorist Use Of Smallpox

August 6, 2002 : Small pox vaccinations were given 30 years ago, so scientists worry that the modern generation does not have any immunity to this disease which is fatal in 30% of the cases. If a small pox pandemic broke out it could be as devastating as the Black Death in Medieval times. Although a terrorist attack using the small pox virus is possible, doctors feel that quarantine and post sickness vaccines could contain the outbreak.

6 Aug, 2006 Pakistan Bridge Collapse

2006 : After heavy monsoon rains in the region, a bridge in Mardan, Pakistan collapsed and killed forty people.

6 Aug, 2007 Afghanistan Russia Forgives Debt

2007 : Russia and Afghanistan made a deal to cut 90% of the debt Afghanistan owes to Russia. The move marked an effort by Russia to show support for Afghanistan’s government as it worked with United States and NATO troops to combat Taliban rebels.

6 Aug, 2007 Crandel Canyon Mining Disaster

2007 : Six miners are trapped and lost when a mine at Crandel Canyon, Utah collapses and the tragedy is worsened when 2 rescue workers and a mine inspector are also lost when the tunnel they are digging to get to the trapped miners gives way.

6 Aug, 2008 Mauritania Military Coup

2008 : The first freely-elected President of Mauritania was overthrown by the military on this day. The coup came a day after President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi tried to dismiss top military officers.

6 Aug, 2011 US Credit Rating Downgraded by S&P

2011 : The United States' credit rating was downgraded from AAA to AA+ by Standard & Poor's credit rating agency. The downgrade was made by the agency after citing that problems with budget deficits have created a negative outlook for the USA's economy. The company also stated that the recently approved budget deal did not go far enough to reduce the deficit.

6 Aug, 2011 US Helicopter downed in Afghanistan

2011 : 38 people were killed on A US Helicopter downed in Afghanistan with the Taliban claiming responsibility among those on the Chinook helicopter at least seventeen were members of SEAL Team 6.

6 Aug, 2012 NASA Mars Curiosity Rover Lands

2012 : NASA has successfully landed the Mars Curiosity rover on Mars. The scientific vehicle will go on a mission collecting data and traveling around the Gale crater that should take it about two years to complete.

6 Aug, 2013 Honduras Gang Shootout Kills Seventeen

2013 : A shootout between rival drug gangs has left seventeen people dead in the remote La Mosquitia, Honduras. Authorities thought that women and children could have been some of the victims and armed forces were sent to the area to investigate.