Today in History: Friday, May 11, 2013

历史上的今天：2013年5月11日，星期六

May 11th, 1973. Charges are dropped against Daniel Ellsberg for leaking the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War. A judge cites government misconduct by officials in President Richard Nixon’s White House, illegal wiretaps on Ellsberg’s phone and a break in at his psychiatry’s office. Years later, Ellsberg tells the Associated Press that he has to release the papers, a secret government study of America’s role in Vietnam.

“It did prove to be helpful to put off this information, and it certainly was worth the risks that I ran.”

1997. In New York, world chess champ Garry Kasparov loses a six-game match against IBM’s Deep Blue computer. Afterward, Kasparov demands a rematch, a challenge which IBM declines.

1888. “God bless America…” Composer Irving Berlin is born in Belarus, then part of the Russian Empire. Among his songs, God Bless America, White Christmas, and There’s No Business Like Show Business.

And 1981. Bob Marley, the singer songwriter who is considered Reggae’s biggest star dies of cancer in Miami. He was 36.

Today in History, May 11th. Camille Bohannon, the Associated Press.