WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2009

Today is Wednesday, May 27, the 147th day of 2009. There are 218 days left in the year.

1703 _ St. Petersburg (Leningrad) founded by Peter the Great

1905 _ Japanese fleet destroys Russian East Sea fleet in Straits of Tsushima

1921 _ After 84 years of British control, Afghanistan achieves sovereignty

1941 _ FDR proclaims an ``unlimited national emergency" due to Germany's sinking of Robin Moor

1951 _ Chinese Communists force Dalai Lama to surrender his army to Beijing

1961 _ President Kennedy announces U.S. goal to reach the Moon

1964 _ ``From Russia With Love" premieres in U.S.

1969 _ Walt Disney World construction begins

1980 _ South Korean police ends people's uprising; 2,000 killed

1997 _ Russian President Boris Yeltsin signs a historic treaty with NATO