TODAY IN HISTORY

Monday, May  07, 2012 AP Highlight in History:  On May 7, 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Rheims, France, bringing an end to World War II in Europe. Read the original AP story   AP Photo
On this date in: 1812 English poet Robert Browning was born in London. 1833 Composer Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg, Germany. 1840 Composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, Russia. 1915 A German torpedo sank the British liner Lusitania off the Irish coast, killing nearly 1,200 people.  Read the original AP story AP Photo 1939 Germany and Italy announced a military and political alliance, the Rome-Berlin Axis. 1954 The Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam ended after 55 days with Vietnamese insurgents overrunning French forces. 1977 Seattle Slew won the Kentucky Derby on his way to horse racing's Triple Crown. 1984 A $180 million out-of-court settlement was announced in the Agent Orange class-action suit brought by Vietnam veterans. 1992 A 203-year-old proposed constitutional amendment barring Congress from giving itself a midterm pay raise was ratified when Michigan became the 38th state to approve it. 2000 President Vladimir Putin took the oath of office in Russia's first democratic transfer of power. 2008 Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in as Russia's president.		Video Highlights of This Day in History Today's Birthdays: San Francisco '49ers quarterback Alex Smith turns 28 years old today. AP Photo/Paul Sakuma Name Profession Age Pete Domenici Former U.S. senator, R-N.M. 80 Thelma Houston R&B singer 66 Bill Kreutzmann Rock musician (Grateful Dead) 66 Amy Heckerling Writer, director ("Clueless," "Fast Times at Ridgemont High") 60 Traci Lords Actress 44 Breckin Meyer Actor 38 Utah Gov. Gary Herbert turns 65 years old today. AP Photo/Steve C Wilson