ON THIS DAY
17 May
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1943: RAF raid smashes German dams
An audacious raid into the industrial heartland of Germany uses revolutionary bombs to flood the Ruhr valley.
1974: Bombs devastate Dublin and Monaghan
Four car bombs explode in the Irish capital, leaving at least 23 dead and more than 100 injured.
1960: East-West summit in tatters after spy plane row
The much-heralded Big Four summit in Paris fails after U2 spy plane recriminations.
1978: Charlie Chaplin's stolen body found
The coffin containing the body of Charlie Chaplin - missing since his grave was pillaged nearly two months ago - is found.
2000: First Britons reach North Pole unaided
Two Royal Marine commandos are the first Britons to reach the geographical North Pole braving severe weather conditions.
1955: Eden takes to the airwaves
Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden presents the largest-scale election broadcast ever seen on television.
Around this Day
14 May
Top Story:
1955: Communist states sign Warsaw Pact
15 May
Top Story:
1957: Britain drops its first H-bomb
16 May
Top Story:
1943: Germans crush Jewish uprising
18 May
Top Story:
1944: Monte Cassino falls to the Allies
19 May
Top Story:
1980: Nine dead after Mount St Helens eruption
20 May
Top Story:
1983: Car bomb in South Africa kills 16
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