Unforgettable Moments in History: September 2nd

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Good morning! And here’s a thought to start your Wednesday: “History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.” — Lord Acton. Now imagine waking up one morning and realizing the deadliest war in human history was finally over. Because on this day, September 2, 1945, aboard the massive USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay, representatives of Japan formally signed the Instrument of Surrender. General Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied Powers, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz signed for the United States, and after nearly six years of global warfare, World War II was officially over. And imagine the scene: battleships filling Tokyo Bay, sailors watching from every available position, cameras recording history — and as the ceremony ended, formations of American aircraft thundered across the sky overhead. But September 2 had already witnessed another unforgettable sight. Back in 1666, a small fire broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane in London. Small didn't last very long. Fueled by dry conditions, wooden buildings and strong winds, the flames raced through the city. The Great Fire of London would burn for days and destroy thousands of homes, forever changing the face of London. Then jump forward to 1969, because September 2 also helped change something you probably use without even thinking about it. Money. Chemical Bank installed an early ATM in Rockville Centre, New York, promising customers that their bank would open at nine in the morning…and never close again. Think about that. On the same date across different centuries, we've seen a city transformed by fire, a world war formally brought to an end, and technology begin changing something as ordinary as getting cash from the bank. And that's what I love about history. Sometimes the biggest changes in our lives begin with a signature, a spark…or a machine sitting quietly outside a bank. I'm Frank Rodriguez, and this is Today in History. Follow at itsallaboutfrank, because tomorrow we'll open another page of history together.