TODAY IN HISTORY: JULY 10

July 10 1915- World War I: German South West Africa
The German South West Africa Army surrendered to General Louis Botha at Grootfontein.

July 10 1940: The Battle of Britain began
On this day in 1940, the Germans began the first in a long series of bombing raids against Great Britain, as the Battle of Britain, which lasted for three and a half months.
After the occupation of France by Germany, Britain knew it was only a matter of time before the Axis power turned its sights across the Channel.

And on July 10, 120 German bombers and fighters struck a British shipping convoy in that very Channel, while 70 more bombers attacked dockyard installations in South Wales. Although Britain had far fewer fighters than the Germans–600 to 1,300–it had a few advantages, such as an effective radar system, which made the prospects of a German sneak attack unlikely. Britain also produced superior quality aircraft. Its Spitfires could turn tighter than Germany’s ME109s, enabling it to better elude pursuers; and its Hurricanes could carry 40mm cannon, and would shoot down, with its American Browning machine guns, over 1,500 Luftwaffe aircraft. The German single-engine fighters had a limited flight radius, and its bombers lacked the bomb-load capacity necessary to unleash permanent devastation on their targets. Britain also had the advantage of unified focus, while German infighting caused missteps in timing; they also suffered from poor intelligence.
But in the opening days of battle, Britain was in immediate need of two things: a collective stiff upper lip–and aluminum. A plea was made by the government to turn in all available aluminum to the Ministry of Aircraft Production. “We will turn your pots and pans into Spitfires and Hurricanes,” the ministry declared. And they did.

July 10 1942- World War II: North Africa
Mussolini returned to Rome having given up on his plans for a triumphal entry into Cairo.

July 10 1964
Moïse-Kapenda Tshombé, leader of the Confederation of Tribal Associations of Katanga, became prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

July 10 1976
One American and three British mercenaries were executed by firing squad in Angola.

July 10 1978
Moustafa Ould Mohamed Salek, the Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation, took control in Mauritania, after a coup removed President Ould Daddah from power.

July 10 1999: U.S. women won World Cup
On July 10, 1999, the U.S. women’s soccer team defeated China to win their second Women’s World Cup. The game ended in a 5-4 shootout after 120 scoreless minutes: 90 tightly played minutes of regulation dictated by the United States and 30 tense minutes of overtime largely controlled by the Chinese. The title game was played at the Rose Bowl in southern California in front of 90,185 fans, the largest crowd ever to attend a women’s sporting event.
The first-ever Women’s World Cup was held in China in 1991. In the final, American midfielder and tournament MVP Michelle Akers scored two goals–her ninth and tenth of the tournament–to lead the United States to a 2-1 win over Norway. The team returned home victorious but to little fanfare. In 1995, the U.S. again had a strong showing, placing third behind Germany and champion Norway, but still few at home took notice.

The 1999 World Cup, though, was a much different story. The event was to be held in the United States, where soccer’s popularity was at an all-time high and growing, especially among young girls. The team was finally well-covered in the media and tickets were snapped up early by fans eager to see their new heroes perform. The team’s stars, newly recognizable to the public, included veteran midfielder Michelle Akers, international scoring champion Mia Hamm, midfielder Julie Foudy, midfielder/forward Kristine Lilly and defender Brandi Chastain.

Heading into the Cup, the U.S. and China, both deep and talented squads with lots of international experience, were widely recognized as the favorites. The Chinese were led by striker Sun Wen, considered one of the most dangerous scorers in the tournament, and keeper Gao Hong, who was known for her athleticism. When the two teams made the final, the stage was set for a historic match.

Thirty-three-year-old Michelle Akers, playing in her final World Cup for the United States, was the star of the game, controlling the midfield and funneling balls to her forwards to set up the attack. In 90 minutes of regulation, the Chinese managed only two shots on the U.S. goal. Akers who suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, collapsed after colliding with goalie Brianna Scurry and had to leave the game after the second half. The Chinese team was now rid of their foil, and the momentum swung their way during overtime. On a corner kick in the U.S. end, Chinese defender Fan Yunjie headed the ball toward the U.S. goal. Scurry couldn’t make the save, but just as the game seemed lost, defender Kristine Lilly, standing at the goal-line, headed the ball away from the cage. After a full 120 scoreless minutes, the teams entered a shootout, in which each would be given five penalty shots on goal.

With the score tied 2-2 in the shootout, U.S. goalie Brianna Scurry dove left to make a save on China’s Liu Ying, giving the U.S. a chance to win. With the score tied at 4-4, all eyes were on Brandi Chastain, the last American to shoot. Chastain avoided eye contact with Gao Hong so as not to let the intimidating Chinese goalkeeper psych her out. She boomed a kick into the upper-right corner of the net, then ran and ripped off her jersey in celebration. The picture of Chastain celebrating on her knees clad in her sports bra became the enduring image of the match.