June 5 is a momentous day in U.S. and world history. *In 1944, more than 1,000 British bombers pounded German gun batteries and in Normandy, France, while 3,000 ships crossed the English Channel on the way to the long-awaited Allied invasion of France -- D-Day. As D-Day began, Italians celebrated the liberation of Rome from the Nazis.
*In 1956, the Elvis Presley phenomenon really took off, with Elvis performing "Hound Dog" on The Milton Berle Show, "scandaliz[ing] the audience with his suggestive hip gyrations."
*In 1967, the Arab-Israeli "Six-Day War" began. This war ended up completely reshaping the Middle East, with Israel defeating the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria and capturing the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights. Fifteen years later, Israel returned the Sinai to Egypt in an historic peace deal, but a permanent deal on the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights has yet to be reached.
*In 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, just after celebrating his victory in the California presidential primary. It is widely believed that Kennedy was on his way to the Democratic nomination for President, and more likely than not, the White House, when he was gunned down by Sirhan Sirhan.
No doubt, this event changed the course of history. If RFK had been elected in 1968, there would have been no Nixon Presidency, no Watergate, and most likely: no President Gerald Ford, no President Jimmy Carter, no President Ronald Reagan, etc. Imagine how different the United States would have looked after a two-term Robert Kennedy presidency ending in 1976 than after 8 years of Nixon and Ford. Would our politics be as cynical and nasty as they are today if RKF had lived? Would we be in Iraq right now? Lots of question...few answers. Still, it's fascinating to contemplate.
This day in history, thanks to The History Channel and the BBC.