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Today is Tuesday, Aug. 14, the 226th day of 2007. There are 139 days left in the year.

Highlight in History: On Aug. 14, 1945, President Harry Truman announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally, ending World War II.

The Valley Then: In 1968, a fire damaged Rozanski’s Bar in Plymouth.

On this date: In 1848, the Oregon Territory was created.

In 1900, international forces, including U.S. Marines, entered Beijing to put down the Boxer Rebellion, which was aimed at purging China of foreign influence.

In 1917, China declared war on Germany and Austria during World War I.

In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law.

In 1947, Pakistan became independent of British rule.

In 1969, British troops went to Northern Ireland to intervene in sectarian violence between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

In 1973, the U.S. bombing of Cambodia came to a halt.

In 1980, workers went on strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, in a job action that resulted in the creation of the Solidarity labor movement.

In 1981, Pope John Paul II left a Rome hospital, three months after being wounded in an attempt on his life.

In 2003, a huge blackout hit the northeastern United States and part of Canada; 50 million people lost power.