February 14

1916:

Remaining classes of single men called up in Britain

1939:

The Bismarck is launched

1942:

Formation of first Royal Marine Commando at Deal

1945:

Royal Marines received Freedom of Deal

1989:

Iranian theocrat Ayatollah Khomeini issued a "fatwa" agains Salman Rushdie for the publication of "Satanic Verses." Khomeini urged Muslims worldwide to assassinate Rushdie as a matter of "religious duty" for critisizing the Koran. This day marks the beginning of a rift between Western democratic values of freedom of expression and Islamic religious tenets of absolute obedience to the Koran.