Today is Thursday, January 31, the 31st day of 2013. There are 334 days left in the year.
1627 ― Spanish government goes bankrupt
1871 ― Millions of birds fly over western San Francisco, darken the sky
1901 ― Chekhov's "Three Sisters" opens at the Moscow Art Theater
1915 ― First (German) poison gas attack, against Russians
1928 ― Scotch tape first marketed by 3-M Company
1929 ― Leon Trotsky expelled from Russia to Turkey
1943 ― General Friedrich von Paul surrenders to Russian troops at Stalingrad
1950 ― President Truman reveals that he ordered the Atomic Energy Commission to develop the hydrogen bomb
1958 ― U.S. launches their first artificial satellite, Explorer 1
1978 ― "Elvis The Legend Lives!" opens at Palace Theater New York City for 101 performances