August 20th, 1998:

American cruise missiles pound alleged al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan.

The attacks are a retaliatory strike after the deadly bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa just weeks earlier.

President Bill Clinton...

1968:

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies in Eastern Europe invade Czechoslovakia.

The invasion brutally crushes the "Prague Spring" reforms by Czech communist leaders to allow greater political freedom.

1977:

NASA launches Voyager 2, first of two unmanned American space probes to travel to the outer solar system and beyond.

1942:

Singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes is born in Covington, Tennessee.

He's best known for the "Theme from Shaft" and in more recent years, the voice of "Chef" on TV's "South Park."

And, 1948:

Singer Robert Plant, former frontman of the rock group Led Zeppelin, is born in West Bromwich, England.

Today in History, August 20th,_________, The Associated Press.