On This Day for 8/6 - Lucille Ball is born, an atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day August 6 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Biography of the Day [Diego Velazquez]( [Diego Velázquez]( [Diego Velázquez]( most important Spanish painter of the 1600s, whose brilliant diversity of brushstrokes and subtle harmonies of colour made him a forerunner of 19th-century French [Impressionism]( on this day. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [Aftermath of the atomic bomb strike on Hiroshima, Japan, August 1945.]( 1945: Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima On this day in 1945, the United States dropped an [atomic bomb]( on [Hiroshima]( Japan—the blast killed more than 70,000 people and destroyed most of the city—in an effort to hasten the end of [World War II](. Explore more key moments in history for just $39.95 [Learn more >>]( [Sign up now]( for our monthly newsletter, showcasing articles hand-picked by our editors! More Events On This Day 2012: [Artist's conception of the Mars Science Laboratory.]( robotic vehicle [Curiosity]( (also called Mars Science Laboratory) landed on [Mars]( and soon began transmitting images of the planet's surface. 1990: [Saddam Hussein, 1983.]( [UN Security Council]( imposed economic sanctions on [Iraq]( ruled by [Saddam Hussein]( for its invasion of [Kuwait]( four days earlier. 1962: [flag of Jamaica]( 300 years of British rule, [Jamaica]( became an independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations. 1940: [Estonia]( lost its independence when the [Soviet Union]( annexed the country. 1926: [Gertrude Ederle being greased to ward off the cold on her swim across the English Channel, 1926.]( Ederle]( age 19, of New York became the first woman to swim the [English Channel]( breaking the men's record by nearly two hours. 1911: [Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.]( radio and motion-picture actress and television comedian [Lucille Ball]( was born in Celoron, New York. 1890: [Electric chair, illustration from Scientific American magazine, 1888.]( murderer William Kemmler became the first person to be [executed]( by [electric chair]( he was put to death in Auburn State Prison, New York. 1809: [Alfred, Lord Tennyson, detail of an oil painting by Samuel Laurence, c. 1840.…]( poet [Alfred, Lord Tennyson]( often regarded as the chief representative of the Victorian Age in poetry, was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire. 1806: [Francis II]( a thousand years, the [Holy Roman Empire]( came to its official end, with the secession of its confederated states, when Emperor [Francis II]( of Austria put down the imperial crown. A Great Gift Idea from The Britannica Store [1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica Replica Set]( The handsome three-volume reproduction is so beautifully executed that it's almost indistinguishable from the 1768 original, right down to the natural age spots and watermarks on the pages. A must-have for collectors of history or vintage books, the set lends an unmistakable air of prestige to any home or office. [Get yours today]( Our Best-Selling Software! the world's most trusted and authoritative information for [only $39.95](. Britannica on Facebook a fan]( on Facebook and get updated Britannica content in your news feed! Britannica on Twitter @Britannica]( and enjoy daily tweets relating to the news stories of the day! [Home]( [Advocacy for Animals]( [Newsletters]( [Feedback]( [Help]( Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 14-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. Share: Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. This message has been sent to {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe [click here](. To unsubscribe by postal mail, send your request to: Encyclopaedia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle St. - Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654 US ATTN: Customer Service - On This Day © 2017 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](