On This Day for 9/1 - Titanic wreckage is found on the ocean floor, Hitler invades Poland, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day September 1 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Biography of the Day [Joaquín Balaguer (right), the outgoing president of the Dominican Republic, congratulating his successor, Leonel Fernández Reyna, after the inauguration, August 16, 1996.…]( [Joaquín Balaguer]( Lawyer, writer, and diplomat [Joaquín Balaguer]( born in the Dominican Republic this day in 1907, served as Hector Trujillo's vice president (1957–60) and subsequently as president of the country (1960–62; 1966–78; 1986–96). Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [World War II began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland.]( 1939: German invasion of Poland The lethal combination of German [blitzkrieg]( tactics, French and British inactivity, and Soviet perfidy doomed [Poland]( to swift defeat after [Adolf Hitler]( invaded the country this day in 1939 and sparked [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 2004: [Chechen]( rebels seized a school in [Beslan]( [North Ossetia]( [Russia]( the siege, which ended two days later, resulted in the deaths of more than 330 people, the majority of them children. 1985: [Titanic]( a search led by American oceanographer [Robert Ballard]( the wreck of the [Titanic]( was found on the ocean floor at a depth of about 13,000 feet (4,000 metres). 1969: A group of young army officers led by [Muammar al-Qaddafi]( deposed the king and made [Libya]( a republic. 1951: [Australia]( [New Zealand]( and the [United States]( signed the [ANZUS Pact](. 1930: The [Young Plan]( the second renegotiation of [Germany]( [World War I]( reparation payments, went into effect. 1923: A great earthquake struck the [Tokyo-Yokohama]( metropolitan area; the death toll from the shock was estimated at 142,800. 1914: [passenger pigeon]( last known [passenger pigeon]( died in the Cincinnati (Ohio) Zoo. 1875: [Edgar Rice Burroughs]( novelist [Edgar Rice Burroughs]( best known as the creator of [Tarzan]( was born. 1870: [Battle of Sedan]( French army suffered a decisive defeat at the [Battle of Sedan]( in the [Franco-German War]( leading to the fall of France's [Second Empire](. 1864: [flag of Canada]( [Charlottetown Conference]( the first of a series of meetings that ultimately led to the formation of the Dominion of [Canada]( convened at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. 1838: [William Clark, portrait by Charles Willson Peale, 1810; in Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia.…]( frontiersman [William Clark]( who shared with [Meriwether Lewis]( the leadership of the epic [Lewis and Clark Expedition]( died. 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](