Associated Press

On May 8, 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River.

In 1846, the first major battle of the Mexican- American War was fought at Palo Alto, Texas; U.S. forces led by Gen. Zachary Taylor were able to beat back Mexican forces.

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced on radio that Nazi Germany’s forces had surrendered, and that “the flags of freedom fly all over Europe.”

In 1984, the Soviet Union announced it would boycott the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In 2012, Maurice Sendak, author of “Where the Wild Things Are” and other beloved children’s books, died in Danbury, Connecticut at age 83.

In 2018, President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear accord with Iran and restored harsh sanctions.