THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008

Today is Thursday, August 21, the 234th day of 2008. There are 132 days left in the year

1944 _ Dumbarton Oaks conference opens in Washington, D.C.; establishes U.N.

1959 _ Hawaii becomes 50th U.S. state

1963 _ Martial law declared in S. Vietnam

1968 _ Radio Prague (Czech) announces a Soviet-led invasion. Warsaw Pact forces enter Czechoslovakia to end reform movement

1968 _ After five years Russia once again jams Voice of America radio

1972 _ First hot air balloon flight over the Alps

1982 _ Palestinian terrorists are dispersed from Beirut

1988 _ Cease fire between Iran and Iraq takes effect after eight years of war

1989 _ Voyager 2 begins a flyby of the planet Neptune

1991 _ Communist coup is crushed in USSR in two days