This day in history

British Secretary of War John Profumo resigns his post following revelations that he had lied to the House of Commons about his sexual affair with 19-year-old call girl Christine Keeler.

Keeler was known to have also been involved with Eugene Ivanov, a Soviet naval attaché and suspected spy.

Profumo’s deceit had been exposed by Dr. Stephen Ward, a London osteopath who had hosted parties where Profumo and Keeler had engaged in sexual acts. Although Profumo assured the public that he had not compromised national security in any way, the scandal threatened to topple Prime Minister Harold Macmillan’s government.

In October, under pressure from his own party, Macmillan resigned.

 

Serbia declares its independence.
 

In China, a solitary protester, known as the “Unknown Rebel,” halts the progress of a column of advancing tanks towards Tiananmen Square in Beijing. 
 

The start of the Six Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbours.