Monthly Archives: January 2025

Warsaw liberated by Soviet, Polish forces 80 years ago this hour (Jan 17 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Week 282 - The Red Army Overruns Poland! - WW2 - January 20, 1945' (Warsaw liberated at 3:36)

(Wednesday, January 17, 1945, German forces cleared from the city by noon Central European Time; during the Vistula–Oder Offensive, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Russian and Polish troops today captured devastated Warsaw to free its last survivors of five years of Nazi tyranny as the Red Army’s greatest offensive surged twenty-four miles across western Poland, taking Czestochowa and reaching within fourteen miles of the German border.

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake near Kobe, Japan kills 6,434 people 30 years ago this hour (Jan 17 1995)

1990s


Video: 'Great Hanshin/Kobe Earthquake 1995 - CCTV Footage 1'

(Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST, January 16 at 20:46 UTC) — More than 6,000 people were killed this morning when the Great Hanshin earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 devastated the city of Kobe, Japan. The earthquake caused approximately ten trillion yen ($100 billion) in damage, 2.5% of Japan’s GDP at the time. Continue reading Magnitude 7.3 earthquake near Kobe, Japan kills 6,434 people 30 years ago this hour (Jan 17 1995) →

Americans, British link up at Houffalize during Battle of the Bulge 80 years ago today (Jan 16 1945)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'The Battle of the Bulge: World War II's Deadliest Battle' (Jan. 16, 1945, at 1:08:29)

(Tuesday, January 16, 1945; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — The 11th Armored Division, which was a part of the Third US Army, joined forces with the 2nd Armored Division and the 84th Infantry Division of the First Army today at Houffalize, Belgium, about 20 miles east northeast of St. Hubert. Continue reading Americans, British link up at Houffalize during Battle of the Bulge 80 years ago today (Jan 16 1945) →

General Sherman issues ’40 acres and a mule’ order 160 years ago today (Jan 16 1865)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'Special Field Order # 15' (Jan. 16, 1865, at 3:41)

(Monday, January 16, 1865; during the American Civil War) — Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, which decreed that 400,000 acres of land in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida would be confiscated, divided into 40-acre lots and given to former slaves.

The order, which was later revoked by President Andrew Johnson, is believed to have inspired the expression, “Forty acres and a mule.”

President Ford declares ‘state of Union is not good,’ hopeful of future 50 years ago this hour (Jan 15 1975)

1970s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress Reporting on the State of the Union January 15, 1975'

(Wednesday, January 15, 1975, 1:09 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Gerald Ford, declaring that “the state of the Union is not good,” urged the Democratic Congress today to enact speedily his new plan for stimulating the economy and to approve a sweeping program aimed at achieving energy independence.