June 14 in history — What Happened Today in History

The Vatican announces the abolition of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum ("index of prohibited books"), which was originally instituted in 1557.

The European Space Research Organisation is established in Paris – later becoming the European Space Agency.

Disneyland Monorail System, the first daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere, opens to the public in Anaheim, California.

Chile becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a bill into law that places the words "under God" into the United States Pledge of Allegiance.

UNIVAC I is dedicated by the U.S. Census Bureau.

An Air France Douglas DC-4 crashes near Bahrain International Airport, killing 40 people. This came two days after another Air France DC-4 crashed in the same location.

Albert II, a rhesus monkey, rides a V-2 rocket to an altitude of 134 km (83 mi), thereby becoming the first mammal and first monkey in space.

World War II: Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army liberate the captured in Ilocos Sur and start the Battle of Bessang Pass in Northern Luzon.

World War II: After several failed attempts, the British Army abandons Operation Perch, its plan to capture the German-occupied town of Caen.

June deportation: The first major wave of Soviet mass deportations of Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians from the occupied Baltic states begins.

World War II: The German occupation of Paris begins.

The Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Lithuania, resulting in Lithuanian loss of independence.

Seven hundred and twenty-eight Polish political prisoners from Tarnów become the first inmates of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Pennsylvania becomes the first (and only) state of the United States to celebrate Flag Day officially as a state holiday.

U.S. House of Representatives passes the Marihuana Tax Act.

The landmark Australian Eastern Mission returns from its three-month tour of East and South-East Asia.

A deadly tornado strikes Birmingham, England, damaging 2,221 homes and businesses.

Brazil leaves the League of Nations.

John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown depart from St. John's, Newfoundland on the first nonstop transatlantic flight.

The National Association for Women's Suffrage succeeds in getting Norwegian women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

Hawaii becomes a United States territory.

The second German Naval Law calls for the Imperial German Navy to be doubled in size, resulting in an Anglo-German naval arms race.

The White Rajahs territories become the British protectorate of Sarawak.

Trade unions are legalized in Canada.

American Civil War: Second Battle of Winchester: A Union garrison is defeated by the Army of Northern Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley town of Winchester, Virginia.

Second Assault on the Confederate works at the Siege of Port Hudson during the American Civil War.

Bear Flag Revolt begins: Anglo settlers in Sonoma, California, start a rebellion against Mexico and proclaim the California Republic.

Kostas Manolas, Greek footballer

Jesy Nelson, English singer

Patrice Cormier, Canadian ice hockey player

Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal, Norwegian long-distance runner

Lucy Hale, American actress and singer-songwriter

Brad Takairangi, Australian-Cook Islands rugby league player

Adrián Aldrete, Mexican footballer

Kevin McHale, American actor, singer, dancer and radio personality

Andrew Cogliano, Canadian ice hockey player

Mohamed Diamé, Senegalese footballer

Rhe-Ann Niles-Mapp, Barbadian netball player

Matt Read, Canadian ice hockey player

Oleg Medvedev. Russian luger

Qiao Shi, Chinese politician (born 1924)

Alberto Cañas Escalante, Costa Rican journalist and politician (born 1920)

Isabelle Collin Dufresne, French actress (born 1935)

Robert Lebeck, German photographer and journalist (born 1929)

James E. Rogers, American lawyer, businessman, and academic (born 1938)

Elroy Schwartz, American screenwriter and producer (born 1923)

Peter Archer, Baron Archer of Sandwell, English lawyer and politician, Solicitor General for England and Wales (born 1926)

Bob Chappuis, American football player and soldier (born 1923)

Margie Hyams, American pianist and vibraphone player (born 1920)

Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, German pianist and academic (born 1930)

Carlos Reichenbach, Brazilian director and producer (born 1945)

Gitta Sereny, Austrian-English historian, journalist, and author (born 1921)

Bob Bogle, American musician (born 1934)