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With the rise of communism following the end of World War II, and the increased control Eastern Bloc nations exercised over their citizens, what began as a trickle of malcontents became millions of people fleeing the Soviet-controlled countries in search of freedom. In an attempt to stop the exodus and to make a statement to the rest of the world, East Germany built the Berlin Wall 50 years this month, in August 1961. Here are five interesting facts about this symbol of communism.

Of the 44 presidents in United States history, 31 have served in the military in either the Army, Navy, National Guard or the Reserves. Many future presidents spent their military careers in obscurity, while several others enjoyed far more success on the battlefield than in the Oval Office. Following is a ranking of the 10 most impressive military careers of U.S. presidents. This is highly subjective, so feel free to add your comments and personal choices.

When white settlers first landed in America and encountered Native Americans, there were some friendly meetings, some skirmishes and a few massacres as the two sides mixed, but eventually the settlers’ superior numbers and firepower drove the Indians from their lands along the Eastern Seaboard. Later, the United States government offered Native Americans treaties, guaranteeing them land further west if they would vacate their homeland. Time and time again, such treaties were broken by the United States, but most tribes continued signing new ones, trusting they would be honored.

Then there were the Native Americans who wanted no part of treaties, reservations or coexistence with the white man. Warriors such as Geronimo, Crazy Horse and others waged war against the U.S. in a bid to retain their homelands. Following is a list of the 10 fiercest Native American chiefs. It’s purely subjective and open to debate, yet this list highlights the warriors who were persistent in fighting settlers and/or the U.S. military, eluded capture for many years and in the process left a path of death, destruction and fear in their wake.

Ask the average American to list the five most influential U.S. presidents of the 20th century and a handful of names will be quickly mentioned. Ask the same person to name the five most influential first ladies of the 20th century and you’ll likely be met with silence. That’s not surprising, because for much of American history, first ladies have been in the background as their husbands ran the country.

Yet beginning with Eleanor Roosevelt and continuing into the latter half of the century, first ladies began taking a more active role in promoting social and charitable causes. That made compiling this list a challenge in choosing the first ladies whose influence has had a lasting impact on our society. For example, Lady Bird Johnson was left off the list although she inspired highway beautification efforts. Hillary Clinton would have made the top five save for the fact her legacy is still evolving.

By the time Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved into the White House in 1933, the Great Depression had already ravaged the United States. Unemployment approached 25 percent and the nation was rapidly losing hope. In his inaugural address, Roosevelt promised Americans a change for the better and he immediately set out to deliver.

From 1933 to 1936, Roosevelt’s New Deal established a series of government agencies, such as the Public Works Administration, the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, designed to put Americans back to work. The success of Roosevelt’s New Deal programs has been debated for years. Some say those programs helped the U.S. get through the Great Depression. Others argue that the New Deal did not improve the unemployment rate and that ultimately, World War II was responsible for ending the Great Depression. Yet there’s no question the New Deal provided a morale boost for Americans and helped build many key structures and facilities still vital to our country’s modern infrastructure.

Here’s a list of the top 10 public works structures built during the Great Depression, ranked according to their economic impact and legacy.

There were only two criteria used to make this list: one, the event must have happened in the Pacific Northwest and two, that it was verifiable. Sorry, no Bigfoot stories here, but if anyone ever proves his existence, he’ll certainly make this list.

For this list’s purposes, the Pacific Northwest is defined as the area composed of the states of Oregon and Washington. Those in Alaska will complain about that definition so one event from Alaskan history has been included just to keep the residents of the Frozen North happy. Having established the parameters, here’s a look at some of the strangest events in Pacific Northwest history.