It happened on a… July 2

2014

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is criminally charged with corruption by French prosecutors.

Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other FARC hostages are rescued by the Colombian armed forces.

Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world nonstop in a balloon.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” the second book in the series is published by Bloomsbury in the UK

General Motors announced that it was installing electronic road maps as an option in some of its higher-priced cars.

North Vietnam and South Vietnam were reunited.

Sam Walton opens his first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas.

The first Wal-Mart store opens for business in Rogers, Arkansas.

Elvis Presley records “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel”,

B.J. Lane patented the gas mask.

Thomas Savery patents the first steam engine.