AP Highlight in History: On May 22, 1939, the foreign ministers of Germany and Italy signed a "Pact of Steel" committing the two countries to a military alliance.
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On this date in:
1813
Composer Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany.
1859
Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Canon Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1868
The Great Train Robbery took place near Marshfield, Ind., as seven members of the Reno gang made off with $96,000 in cash, gold and bonds.
1907
Actor Laurence Olivier was born in Dorking, Surrey, England.
1947
The Truman Doctrine was enacted as Congress appropriated military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey.
1960
A magnitude 9.5 earthquake, the strongest ever recorded, struck southern Chile, claiming 1,655 lives.
1981
"Yorkshire Ripper" Peter Sutcliffe was convicted in London of murdering 13 women and was sentenced to life in prison.
1990
North Yemen and South Yemen merged to form the Republic of Yemen.
1992
Johnny Carson hosted NBC's "Tonight Show" for the last time after nearly 30 years in the job. Read the original AP story
AP Photo/Doug Pizac
1998
Voters in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland cast ballots giving resounding approval to a Northern Ireland peace accord.
2011
A tornado devastated Joplin, Mo., claiming at least 159 lives and destroying about 8,000 homes and businesses.
