Video: 'Casablanca' (trailer)
(Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 1942, 12 noon EST) — Casablanca, a romantic drama film about an American saloon owner in North Africa who is drawn into World War II when his lost love turns up, opened today at the Hollywood Theater at 237 W. 51st Street in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Continue reading ‘Casablanca’ romantic drama film opens at Hollywood Theater in New York City 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 26 1942)
Video: 'Alaskan Highway documentary' (Nov. 20, 1942, at 33:45)
(Friday, November 20, 1942) — The Alaska Highway constructed during World War II to connect the contiguous United States to Alaska across Canada, was dedicated today at Soldier’s Summit in the Yukon Territory. Continue reading Alaska Highway dedicated at Soldier’s Summit in Yukon Territory 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 20 1942)
Video: 'President Biden (full documentary) | FRONTLINE'
(Friday, November 20, 1942) — Joe Biden, the 46th and current president of the United States and the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama, was born Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. today at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Continue reading U.S. President Joe Biden born in Scranton, Pennsylvania 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 20 1942)
Video: 'The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal: How the US Won a Strategic Victory | Battle 360 | History'
(Friday, November 13, 1942, 1:48 a.m. Solomon Islands Time) — The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the decisive engagement in a series of naval battles between Allied (primarily American) and Imperial Japanese forces during the months-long Guadalcanal Campaign, part of the Solomon Islands campaign of the Pacific Theater of World War II, began early this morning when the Japanese destroyers Akatsuki and Hiei turned on large searchlights and illuminated the American light cruiser Atlanta only 3,000 yards away – almost point-blank range for the battleship’s main guns. Continue reading World War II Naval Battle of Guadalcanal begins in Solomon Islands 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 13 1942) – all five Sullivan brothers killed
Video: '168 - Axis and Allies Both Invade France - WW2 - November 13, 1942' (Operation Torch at 1:11)
(Sunday, November 8, 1942, during Operation Torch, part of the North African Campaign of World War II) — Operation Torch, an amphibious military invasion of French North Africa, in particular the French-held territories of Algeria and Morocco, began today as more than 400,000 U.S. and British forces went ashore in French North Africa. Continue reading Operation Torch: Allies invade French North Africa in first mass involvement of US troops in European–North African Theatre of World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 8 1942)
Video: 'The World at War: The Desert: North Africa - 1940-1943 (8 of 26)' (Nov. 4, 1942, at 49:41)
(Wednesday, November 4, 1942, 5:30 p.m. Eastern European Time; during the Second Battle of El Alamein, part of Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel disobeyed Adolf Hitler’s orders today and began a retreat from El Alamein in North Africa. Continue reading Rommel disobeys Hitler’s orders and retreats from El Alamein in North Africa 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 4 1942)
(Saturday, October 31, 1942) — “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of eleven weeks (Oct. 31, Nov. 7/14/21/28, Dec. 5/12/19/26, 1942, Jan. 2/9, 1943). Continue reading ‘White Christmas’ by Bing Crosby peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago today (Oct 31 1942)
Video: 'The World at War Extra 8 The Final Solution Auschwitz 5/6' (Rivka Yosselevska describes Pinsk ghetto liquidation at 10:49)
(Thursday, October 29, 1942, 6:30 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — Liquidation of the Pinsk Ghetto, a Nazi ghetto created by Nazi Germany for the confinement of Jews living in the city of Pinsk in eastern Poland, began this morning as soldiers of an SS detachment poured into the ghetto, armed with clubs, double-headed axes and accompanied by dogs. Continue reading 17,000 Jews murdered as Nazis begin liquidating Pinsk ghetto in eastern Poland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 29 1942)
Video: 'The Laconia Incident'
(Saturday, September 12, 1942, 10:07 p.m. Central European Time; during the Laconia incident, part of the Atlantic Campaign of World War II) — The RMS Laconia, a British troop ship which was carrying Italian prisoners of war, British soldiers and civilians, was torpedoed by U-156, a German submarine, tonight off the West Africa coast, killing more than 1,600 people. Continue reading British troop ship RMS Laconia torpedoed by German U-boat off West African coast 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 12 1942)
(Saturday, September 12, 1942) — “(I’ve Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo” by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, and The Modernaires) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of seven consecutive weeks (Sept. 12/19/26, Oct. 3/10/17/24, 1942). Continue reading ‘(I’ve Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo’ by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 12 1942)
