The Establishment of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
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On August 11, 1934, the first federal prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Island, marking the beginning of the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Located in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was chosen for its remote and isolated location, which was deemed ideal for housing some of the most dangerous and high-profile inmates. The island’s natural barriers, including cold, […]
The End of Bonnie and Clyde
The Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, two of America’s most famous outlaws during the Great Depression, were ambushed and killed by police near Sailes, Bienville Parish, Louisiana, on May 23, 1934. The duo was notorious for their bank robberies and had captured the public’s imagination through a mix of romanticized and brutal exploits. Their deaths […]
The Dust Bowl’s Black Blizzard
On May 11, 1934, a massive dust storm swept from the Great Plains to the Eastern states, part of the series of dust storms that characterized the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s. This ecological disaster arose from a combination of severe drought and the agricultural practices of the time, which failed to protect the […]
Japan Renounces the Washington Naval Treaty
On this day in 1934, Japan officially withdrew from the Washington Naval Treaty, an arms limitation agreement. This marked a significant step in Japan’s path toward military expansion in the lead-up to World War II.
London Bridge
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The London Bridge, built in 1831 and dismantled in 1967, reopens in Lake Havusu City, Arizona, after being sold to Robert P. McCulloch and moved to the United States.
In Marseilles
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In Marseilles, a Macedonian revolutionary associated with Croat terrorists in Hungary assassinates King Alexander of Yugoslavia and French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou. The two had been on a tour of European capitals in quest of an alliance against Nazi Germany. The assassinations bring the threat of war between Yugoslavia and Hungary, but confrontation is prevented […]