Pope John Paul II travelled to Romania. This was the first time a pope of Rome had travelled to an Eastern Orthodox country in almost one thousand years, ever since the Great Schism in 1054.

The Mercedes-Benz company buys out the Chrysler company for a record US$40 billion, resulting in the DaimlerChrysler company. This was the largest industrial merger in history.

The Soviet Union announced that it was holding American U-2 pilot Gary Powers. His plane was shot down during an espionage mission.

British anthropologist, Sir James George Frazer, died at the age of 87. He is most known for his publication of 'The Golden Bough', a study of ancient cults, rites, and myths and their relation to Christianity.

Argentinean icon, Eva Peron, was born in the province of Buenos Aires. She was best known as Evita. She was the wife of President Juan Peron and she became a popular culture icon that had transcended Argentine politics.

A German submarine torpedoed and sank the cruise liner RMS Lusitania. 1,198 people died as a result. The Germans had claimed that the ship was carrying ammunition, a mistake, which hastened the entry of the United States in the First World War.

American actor, Gary Cooper, was born in Helena, Montana. He is generally accepted as one of the great movie stars of the century.

Russian scientist, Alexander Stepanovich Popov, demonstrates his invention - the first ever radio receiver.

Yugoslavian politician, Josip Broz Tito, was born in Kumrovec, Croatia (then Austro-Hungarian territory). He was the president of communist Yugoslavia from the end of the Second World War, up until his death in 1980.

Greece was recognised as an independent country by the Treaty of London. Otto of Wittelsbach, Prince of Bavaria was chosen as king of Greece.

Italian composer, Antonio Salieri, died in Viena. He was one of the most popular musicians of his time and shared a somewhat antagonistic but not hostile relationship with Mozart.