Today in history! Worldwide, June 15

The Espionage Act is passed by the U.S. Congress, creating harsh penalties for anyone found to be interfering with the United States war efforts through the sharing of information to the country’s enemies.

The growth of the Ku Klux Klan in the southern states and the increase in floggings of Negroes including women and children by the Klan has many in the north demanding the Klan be disbanded, in the latest incident in Gainsville Georgia a woman and her son were dragged from their bed and taken out of town where they were flogged and told to leave the area or more would follow, when admitted to the hospital 82 lash marks were found on the woman’s body.

U.S. planes bomb targets in North Vietnam, as part of Operation Rolling Thunder, launched in March 1965.

The world’s first Hovercraft Show has opened to promote export sales of hovercraft for ferry operators, and military craft.

The IRA detonates a massive bomb outside the Arndale shopping centre at lunchtime, injuring 200 mostly by flying glass, and seven are said to be in a serious condition. The IRA had issued a telephone warning at 1000 or the deaths and injuries would have been much more severe.

Microsoft encountered criticism for censoring Chinese blogs. The censorship involved Microsoft’s MSN service, in which Chinese bloggers were blocked from using such words as “demonstration,” “democracy,” “human rights,” and “freedom”. Scrutineers labelled the company’s actions as giving concessions to the Chinese government, while Microsoft defended itself by saying that it will abide by all laws of the countries in which it operates.

A former Ku Klux Klan member was found guilty of the 1964 murder of two African-American teens. Seventy-one-year-old James Seale could face life in prison when sentenced for involvement in the murders. Seale had been arrested at the time of the murders but then released due to lack of evidence.