1429 _ English siege of Orleans broken by Joan of Arc
1824 _ Beethoven's 9th (Chorale) Symphony, premieres in Vienna
1840 _ Tornado strikes Natchez, Mass., kills 317
1912 _ Columbia University approves plans for awarding the Pulitzer Prize in several categories, the award is established by Joseph Pulitzer
1913 _ British House of Commons rejects woman's right to vote
1939 _ Germany and Italy announced an alliance known as the Rome-Berlin Axis
1945 _ Formal undertaking of complete German surrender
1947 _ General MacArthur approves Japanese constitution
1966 _ Mamas & Papas ``Monday Monday" hits No. 1
1975 _ President Ford declares an end to ``Vietnam Era"