Today in History

Today in History

Today is Sunday, Oct. 25, the 298th day of 2015. There are 67 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 25, 1415, during the Hundred Years' War, outnumbered English soldiers led by Henry V defeated French troops in the Battle of Agincourt in northern France.

On this date:

In 1760, Britain's King George III succeeded his late grandfather, George II.

In 1854, the "Charge of the Light Brigade" took place during the Crimean War as an English brigade of more than 600 men charged the Russian army, suffering heavy losses.

In 1929, former Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall was convicted in Washington, D.C. of accepting a $100,000 bribe from oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny. (Fall was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $100,000; he ended up serving nine months.)

In 1939, the play "The Time of Your Life," by William Saroyan, opened in New York.

In 1945, Taiwan became independent of Japanese colonial rule.

In 1954, a meeting of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Cabinet was carried live on radio and television; to date, it's the only presidential Cabinet meeting to be broadcast.

In 1957, mob boss Albert Anastasia of "Murder Inc." notoriety was shot to death by masked gunmen in a barber shop inside the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York.

In 1962, during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson II demanded that Soviet Ambassador Valerian Zorin confirm or deny the existence of Soviet-built missile bases in Cuba, saying he was prepared to wait "until hell freezes over" for an answer; Stevenson then presented photographic evidence of the bases to the Council.

In 1971, the U.N. General Assembly voted to admit mainland China and expel Taiwan.

In 1983, a U.S.-led force invaded Grenada at the order of President Ronald Reagan, who said the action was needed to protect U.S. citizens there.

In 1994, Susan Smith of Union, South Carolina, claimed that a black carjacker had driven off with her two young sons (Smith later confessed to drowning the children in John D. Long Lake, and was convicted of murder). Three defendants were convicted in South Africa of murdering American exchange student Amy Biehl.

In 1999, golfer Payne Stewart and five others were killed when their Learjet flew uncontrolled for four hours before crashing in South Dakota; Stewart was 42.

Ten years ago: U.S. military deaths in Iraq reached the 2,000 mark. Iraq's election commission declared that final results from the Oct. 15 referendum showed the new constitution was ratified by a huge margin, paving the way for elections. In the World Series, the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros began playing Game 3, which turned into a 14-inning marathon that did not end until well after midnight with Chicago winning, 7-5.

Five years ago: Afghan President Hamid Karzai acknowledged receiving millions of dollars in cash from Iran, adding that Washington was giving him "bags of money" as well because his office lacked funds. In Indonesia, an earthquake triggered a tsunami off western Sumatra that killed hundreds and destroyed homes, mosques and other buildings.

One year ago: The World Health Organization said more than 10,000 people had been infected with Ebola and that nearly half of them had died as the outbreak continued to spread. Jack Bruce, 71, the bassist and lead vocalist of the 1960s power trio Cream, died in London. The San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals, 11-4, to even the World Series at two games each.

Today's Birthdays: Former American League president Dr. Bobby Brown is 91. Singer-actress Barbara Cook is 88. Actress Marion Ross is 87. Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Knight is 75. Pop singer Helen Reddy is 74. Author Anne Tyler is 74. Rock singer Jon Anderson (Yes) is 71. Political strategist James Carville is 71. Singer Taffy Danoff (Starland Vocal Band) is 71. Rock musician Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest) is 68. Actor Brian Kerwin is 66. Actor Mark L. Taylor is 65. Movie director Julian Schnabel is 64. Rock musician Matthias Jabs is 59. Actress Nancy Cartwright (TV: "The Simpsons") is 58. Country singer Mark Miller (Sawyer Brown) is 57. Rock musician Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers; Chickenfoot) is 54. Actress Tracy Nelson is 52. Actor Michael Boatman is 51. Actor Kevin Michael Richardson is 51. Actor Mathieu Amalric is 50. Singer Speech is 47. Actor Adam Goldberg is 45. Actor-singer Adam Pascal is 45. Rock musician Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies) is 45. Actress Persia White is 45. Country singer Chely Wright is 45. Violinist Midori is 44. Actor Craig Robinson is 44. Actor Michael Weston is 42. Actor Zachary Knighton is 37. Actress Mariana Klaveno is 36. Actor Mehcad Brooks is 35. Actor Ben Gould is 35. Actor Josh Henderson is 34. Rhythm-and-blues singer Young Rome is 34. Pop singer Katy Perry is 31. Rock singer Austin Winkler is 31. Singer Ciara is 30. Actress Conchita Campbell is 20.

Thought for Today: "Is it really so difficult to tell a good action from a bad one? I think one usually knows right away or a moment afterward, in a horrid flash of regret." -- Mary McCarthy, American author and critic (born in 1912, died this day in 1989).