March 12th

Today's Highlight in History:
On March 12th, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Guides, which later became the Girl Scouts of America.

On this date:
In 1664, New Jersey became a British colony as King Charles the Second granted land in the New World to his brother James, the Duke of York.

In 1925, Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen died.

In 1930, Indian political and spiritual leader Mohandas K. Gandhi began a 200-mile march to protest a British tax on salt.

In 1933, President Roosevelt delivered the first of his radio "fireside chats," telling Americans what was being done to deal with the nation's economic crisis.

In 1938, the "Anschluss" took place as German troops entered Austria.

In 1939, Pope Pius the 12th was formally crowned in ceremonies at the Vatican.

In 1940, Finland and the Soviet Union concluded an armistice during World War Two. (Fighting between the two countries flared again the following year.)

In 1947, President Truman established what became known as the "Truman Doctrine" to help Greece and Turkey resist Communism.

In 1969, Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman in London.

In 1980, a Chicago jury found John Wayne Gacy Junior guilty of the murders of 33 men and boys. (The next day, Gacy was sentenced to death; after years on death row, he was finally executed in May 1994.)

Ten years ago: Vice President Quayle met in Santiago, Chile, with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who promised to peacefully relinquish power to Violeta Chamorro, the US-backed candidate who had won Nicaragua's presidential election.

Five years ago: World leaders wound up a weeklong summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, committing themselves to fighting poverty, but differing on how to do so. President Clinton declared 39 California counties disaster areas after storms and flooding that had battered two-thirds of the state.

One year ago: Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic joined NATO. Violinist Yehudi Menuhin died in Berlin at age 82.

"Ill luck, you know, seldom comes alone."

-- Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish novelist, dramatist and poet (1547-1616).