Japanese Navy during the 1930s. The only ship of her class, she was
built to a modified Sōryū design. Her aircraft supported the Japanese
invasion of French Indochina in mid-1940. During the first month of the
Pacific War, she took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle
of Wake Island. In early 1942, the ship's aircraft supported the
conquest of the Dutch East Indies and bombed Darwin, Australia. After a
brief refit, Hiryū and three other fleet carriers of the First Air
Fleet (Kido Butai) participated in the Battle of Midway in June. After
bombarding American forces on the atoll, the carriers were attacked by
aircraft from Midway and from the carriers USS Enterprise, Hornet, and
Yorktown. Dive bombers from Yorktown and Enterprise crippled Hiryū and
set her afire. She was scuttled the following day after it became clear
that she could not be salvaged. The loss of Hiryū and three other
carriers at Midway was a crucial strategic defeat for Japan and
contributed significantly to the Allies' ultimate victory in the
Pacific.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Hiry%C5%AB>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1532:
Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire: Spanish Conquistador
Francisco Pizarro orchestrated a surprise attack in Cajamarca, Peru,
capturing Sapa Inca Atahualpa.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cajamarca>
1885:
After a five-day trial following the North-West Rebellion,
Louis Riel, Canadian rebel leader of the Métis and "Father of
Manitoba", was executed by hanging for high treason.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel>
1945:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) was founded.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO>
1979:
The first line of Bucharest Metro (train pictured), the M1
Line, opened from Timpuri Noi to Semănătoarea in Bucharest, Romania.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucharest_Metro>
1997:
Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng was released for "medical
reasons" after spending 17½ of the previous 18 years in prison, and was
deported to the United States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wei_Jingsheng>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
galanthophile:
An enthusiastic collector of snowdrops.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/galanthophile>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Any persons may attempt to unite kindred spirits, but, whatever
their hopes and longings, none have the right to impose their vision of
unity upon the rest.
--Robert Nozick
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_Nozick>
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