Today in HistoryToday is Friday, March 16, the 75th day of 2007. There are 290 days left in the year.

ON THIS DATE<$>

In AD 37, Roman emperor Tiberius died; he was succeeded by Caligula.

In 1917, Russia’s grand duke Michael, brother of Tsar Nicholas II who had abdicated the day before, refused to take the throne. A provisional government under Prince Georgi Lvov took office.

In 1926, the first liquid-fuel rocket was successfully launched by Professor Robert Goddard at Auburn, Massachusetts.

In 1945, the Japanese island of Iwo Jima was declared secured by the Allies.

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, the My Lai Massacre of more than 100 people was carried out by US troops under the command of Lt. William L. Calley Jr.

In 1978, Italian prime minister Aldo Moro was kidnapped by the Red Brigade, left-wing urban guerrillas. He was found dead on May 9, 1978.

In 1984, William Buckley, the US’s CIA station chief in Beirut, was kidnapped by gunmen; he died in captivity.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“The only joy in the world is to begin.” — Cesare Pavese, Italian novelist (1908-1950).