Constitutional rights
The first of the post-Civil War reconstruction amendments, the thirteenth amendment to the constitution was ratified by its first state, Illinois, on Feb. 1, 1865. This amendment to the constitution abolished slavery and prohibited involuntary servitude except as punishment to a crime. This day is considered national freedom day. Ratification would complete on Dec. 6, 1865. Oregon would ratify it two days later on Dec. 8, 1865. On Dec. 18, 1865, it was declared law by Secretary of State William Henry Seward.
World War II
On Feb. 2, 1943, the Battle of Stalingrad ended with the surrender of the German Sixth Army.  This was a major turning point in the war, as Soviet Union could now prepare to go on the offensive and push for Berlin. The Germans lost 350,000 men, and the Red Army lost 500,000. Of the original 850,000 inhabitants of Stalingrad, only 1,500 remained in 1945. It is unknown how many escaped the carnage. The U.S. was mired in Africa and Italy at the time, and it would be another two years before the Soviet Union met the Allies in Berlin. 
Guerrilla warfare
The Tet Offensive began as 35 divisions of the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong attacked 100 cities in South Vietnam, including the capitol of Saigon on Jan. 31, 1968. U.S. forces were caught offguard, and the U.S. Embassy in Saigon was attacked by commandos. More alarming was the capture of Saigon’s main radio station. Of the 70,000 enemy combatants to engage, 37,000 were killed to the U.S.’ 2,500. The Viet Cong declared a psychological victory over the U.S. and the South Vietnamese, while the U.S. considered it a military victory. The damage was done, however, as the American people learned that the North Vietnamese were not as close to defeat as they had been told and could take major buildings deep in
U.S.-controlled territory.
Musical tragedy
Feb. 3, 1959, after Buddy Holly’s bus broke down between tour stops on the Winter Dance Party tour, he chartered a flight to Moorhead, Minn., which also carried Richie Valens of “La Bamba” Fame and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. All three musicians died when the plane crashed, along with the pilot. Don McLean referred to it as “the day the music died” in his famous song “American Pie.”
 
Pies in the face
On Feb. 4, 1998 in Brussels, Belgium, on a visit to European Union officials, a pie hit Gates, then Microsoft CEO, squarely in the face. Prankster Noel Godin took credit eventually, and Gates did not press charges. Godin was a well-known European prankster famed for hitting the rich and famous with pies, leading the French to create a new word: “entarter,” describing the act of being “creamed.” The video is still circling the Internet. If it’s been a few years, you may want to re-watch it.
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