October 18 in history — What Happened Today in History

The Soviet probe Venera 4 reaches Venus and becomes the first spacecraft to measure the atmosphere of another planet.

Félicette, a black and white female Parisian stray cat, becomes the first cat launched into space.

Texas Instruments announces the Regency TR-1, the first mass-produced transistor radio.

The USSR's nuclear program receives plans for the United States plutonium bomb from Klaus Fuchs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

A group of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, led by Mario Vargas, Marcos Pérez Jiménez and Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, stages a coup d'état against president Isaías Medina Angarita, who is overthrown by the end of the day.

Argentine military officer and politician Juan Perón marries actress Eva Duarte.

World War II: Soviet Union begins the liberation of Czechoslovakia from Nazi Germany.

World War II: The state funeral of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel takes place in Ulm, Germany.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council overrules the Supreme Court of Canada in Edwards v. Canada when it declares that women are considered "Persons" under Canadian law.

The British Broadcasting Company (later Corporation) is founded by a consortium, to establish a nationwide network of radio transmitters to provide a national broadcasting service.

The Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic is formed as part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

The Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement is founded in Germany.

First Balkan War: King Peter I of Serbia issues a declaration "To the Serbian People", as his country joins the war.

The Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire sign the treaty of Ouchy, by which the Italo-Turkish War is ended and the Ottomans loose Libya to Italy.

Count Bernhard von Bülow becomes chancellor of Germany.

The United States takes possession of Puerto Rico from Spain.

Johannes Brahms conducts the premiere of his Double Concerto, composed for violinist Joseph Joachim and cellist Robert Hausmann.

United States takes possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for $7.2 million. Celebrated annually in the state as Alaska Day.

The Second Opium War finally ends at the Convention of Peking with the ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin, an unequal treaty.

Herman Melville's Moby-Dick is first published as The Whale by Richard Bentley of London.

American Revolutionary War: The Franco-American Siege of Savannah is lifted.

African-American poet Phillis Wheatley is freed from slavery.

American Revolutionary War: The Burning of Falmouth (now Portland, Maine).

Signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the War of the Austrian Succession.

Boston shoemakers form the first American labor organization.

Frendraught Castle in Scotland, the home of James Crichton of Frendraught, burns down.

Michael the Brave, Prince of Wallachia, defeats the Army of Andrew Báthory in the Battle of Șelimbăr, leading to the first recorded unification of the Romanian people.

King Philip II of Spain sends his third and final armada against England, but it ends in failure due to storms. The remaining ships are captured or sunk by the English.

Drew Crawford, American basketball player

Brittney Griner, American basketball player

Bristol Palin, American public speaker and reality television personality

Laci Green, American YouTube personality, video blogger, sex educator, and activist

Joy Lauren, American actress, director, and producer

Riisa Naka, Japanese model and actress

Tessa Schram, Dutch director and actress

Zac Efron, American actor and singer

Freja Beha Erichsen, Danish model

Wilma Elles, German actress and fashion designer

Yoenis Céspedes, Cuban baseball player

Andrew Garcia, American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Robert Harting, German discus thrower

Robert Dickerson, Australian painter (born 1924)

Gamal El-Ghitani, Egyptian journalist and author (born 1945)

Robert W. Farquhar, American engineer (born 1932)

Frank Watkins, American bass player (born 1968)

Paul West, English-American author, poet, and academic (born 1930)

Mariano Lebrón Saviñón, Dominican author and academic (born 1922)

Edward Regan, American academic and politician (born 1930)

Sidney Shapiro, American-Chinese author and translator (born 1915)

Tom Foley, American lawyer and politician, 57th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1929)

Bum Phillips, American football player and coach (born 1923)

Allan Stanley, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (born 1926)

Bill Young, American sergeant and politician (born 1930)

Brain Damage, American wrestler (born 1977)