What Happened On This Day – April 18
1956 Rainier III marries Grace Kelly
The wedding celebrations for the Prince of Monaco and the glamorous U.S. actress were broadcast around the world and enthused the population of war-torn Europe.
1951 The European Coal and Steel Community, a precursor of the European Union, is established
The Treaty of Paris was signed by France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
1949 Ireland becomes an independent republic
Six counties in the northern part of the island remained in the Commonwealth, leading to a decades-long ethno-nationalist conflict that culminated in The Troubles.
1906 A massive earthquake destroys San Francisco
About 3000 people died in the disaster. Over 80 percent of the city was destroyed by the quake and resulting fires.
1506 Construction of the current St. Peter's Basilica begins
St. Peter's in Vatican City is one of the world's most important Catholic sites.
Births On This Day – April 18
1973 Haile Gebrselassie
Ethiopian runner
1971 David Tennant
Scottish actor
1964 Niall Ferguson
Scottish historian
1902 Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Russian/French rabbi
1882 Leopold Stokowski
Polish/English conductor
Deaths On This Day – April 18
2012 Dick Clark
American television host, producer, founded Productions
2002 Thor Heyerdahl
Norwegian explorer
1964 Ben Hecht
American screenwriter, director, producer
1955 Albert Einstein
German/American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1943 Isoroku Yamamoto
Japanese Admiral