This Day in History: August 12, 2024
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1624
Cardinal Richelieu was named chief minister of France by king Louis XIII.
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1851
Issac Singer patented the sewing machine.
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1865
British surgeon Joseph Lister became the first doctor to use an antiseptic during surgery.
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1898
A peace protocol ending the Spanish-American War was signed.
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1972
The last American combat troops left Vietnam.
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1985
In the world's worst single-aircraft disaster, a Japan Air Lines 747 crashed into Mount Osutaka, killing 520 of the 524 aboard.
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1998
Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion to settle lawsuits brought by Holocaust survivors and their heirs. The banks had kept millions of dollars deposited by Holocaust victims before and during World War II.
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2000
The Russian military submarine, Kursk, and its crew were lost in the Barents Sea.
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2004
N.J. governor James McGreevey announced his resignation.
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2013
Notorious Boston gangster James (Whitey) Bulger was found guilty of 31 of the 32 charges he faced, including murder, extortion, money laundering, drug dealing and possession of weapons.
