Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted, devastating Naples in the process.
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France initiated the War of the League of Cambrai against Venice.
NASA launched the 2001 Mars Odyssey space probe from Cape Canaveral.
Texaco was formed.
US forces circled the city of Baghdad, which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime two days later.
Car engineer Henry Ford died at the age of 83.
