U.S. and U.S.S.R. sign SALT II arms limitation treaty

U.S. and U.S.S.R. sign SALT II arms limitation treaty

June 18, 2009 03:00:00 am

On June 18, 1979, the United States and Soviet Union signed the SALT II nuclear arms limitation treaty. The treaty was part of a series of nuclear arms reduction treaties signed between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. SALT II was preceded by SALT I and followed by the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and START II.

THIS DAY @ LAW

First German spy convicted for World War I espionage in the US

On August 16, 1918, Lothar Witzke was convicted of espionage by a military commission sitting at Ft. Sam Houston, becoming the first German spy convicted by the United States in World War I. Witzke was sentenced to hang, but President Wilson commuted the sentence on May 27, 1920. In 1922 Witzke was pardoned by President Coolidge and deported to Berlin. Learn more about the Mare Island sabotage.

Cyprus gains independence

On August 16, 1960, Cyprus became independent of the United Kingdom. In May 2004, Cyprus became a member of the European Union.
Read the constitution of Cyprus.