In partnership with
🌟 Editor's Note
Good morning — it’s Saturday, January 17. We're going to explore the First Battle of the Stronghold, the birth of PGA, Trotsky's exile, Corvette's debut, and much more — quick, sharp, and with a keen eye for the facts. Let’s dive in!
Love Flashback? Please support me and help keep history fascinating every day.
Invite your friend to join you on this daily journey — good karma. 💌
Got something to say? Hit reply — I read every email.
— Fatih Taskiran, Editor
🚀 Time Machine
-1773
Captain James Cook became the first to cross the Antarctic Circle.
-1873
Modoc warriors beat the US Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold during the Modoc War.
-1912
Captain Robert Scott's expedition reached the South Pole one month after Roald Amundsen.
-1916
Professional golfers and amateur golfers gather at the Taplow Club to form the Professional Golfers Association (PGA).
-1928
Architect of the Soviet state and leader of the October Revolution, Leon Trotsky, was deported to Alma-Ata by Stalin.
-1946
The UN Security Council holds its first meeting in Westminster, England.
-1953
General Motors' (GM) Motorama auto show debuts a prototype Chevrolet Corvette in New York.
-1991
Operation Desert Storm started with US-led coalition forces bombing Iraq during the Gulf War.
-1997
Ireland granted divorces for the first time after a 1995 referendum, marking the decline of Catholic power in the Republic.
-2007
Doomsday Clock set to five minutes to midnight after North Korea's first nuclear test.
✨ PRESENTED BY INTREPID TRAVEL
Adventure outside the ordinary
What happens when one of the most trusted specialty outdoor retailers, REI Co-op, teams up with the world's largest travel company, Intrepid Travel? You get a unique collection of active trips that offer meaningful, immersive travel experiences in the outdoors.
It’s travel inspired by REI, operated by Intrepid. Think community farm stays in Costa Rica, camping in Joshua Tree’s wild backcountry, cycling in Peru’s Sacred Valley, or sleeping in mountain huts before summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.
So, where will you go? Explore more than 85 destinations worldwide with a small group of up to 16, and an expert local leader who’ll help you to truly experience the destination.
REI Co-op members save 15% on REI Exclusive trips and receive a 20% off coupon to use at REI Co-op after booking REI Recommended trips.
For T&Cs and to view the full collection of trips in 85+ destinations, visit rei.com/travel.
📸 Snapshot
There's nothing a cup of tea won't help: after Blitz London, June 1940
🗨️ Final Words
“I would never have married had I known that my time would be so brief. If I had known that, I would not have taken upon myself double tears.“