1815

Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated for a second time as Emperor of the French.

1937

Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion by knocking out Jim Braddock.

1940

Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France signed an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

1945

The World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

1970

President Richard Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that lowered the minimum voting age to 18.