Category Archives: 1940s

President Truman signs bill implementing doctrine to fight spread of communism 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1947)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'American Experience Truman 2' (May 22, 1947, at 22:06)

(Thursday, May 22, 1947, 8:00 a.m. CDT; during the Cold War) — With a pledge that the United States will act, as well as talk, in support of the United Nations, U.S. President Harry S. Truman today signed the Greek-Turkish aid bill, providing $400 million in military and economic aid to Turkey and Greece and implementing the Truman Doctrine to fight the spread of communism. Continue reading President Truman signs bill implementing doctrine to fight spread of communism 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1947) →

Boulder Dam officially renamed Hoover Dam 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1947)

1940s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'American Experience Hoover Dam'

(Wednesday, April 30, 1947) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed a resolution today changing the name of Boulder Dam, a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona, to Hoover Dam, after former President Herbert Hoover. Continue reading Boulder Dam officially renamed Hoover Dam 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1947) →

Financier Bernard Baruch first applies the term ‘Cold War’ 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1947)

1940s, Cold War

(Wednesday, April 16, 1947, 1:00 p.m. EST; during the Cold War) — Financier and presidential confidant Bernard M. Baruch said in a speech today at the South Carolina statehouse, “Let us not be deceived – we are today in the midst of a cold war,” becoming the first to coin the term “Cold War” to describe the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Nearly 600 killed as blasts and fires wreck Texas City, Texas 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1947)

1940s


Video: 'Texas City Explosion 1947-04-16 Universal Newsreel; Texas City Disaster'

(Wednesday, April 16, 1947, 9:12 a.m. CST) — The French cargo ship Grandcamp, carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer, caught fire and blew up today at the harbor in Texas City, Texas, devastating the town. Continue reading Nearly 600 killed as blasts and fires wreck Texas City, Texas 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1947) →

Jackie Robinson breaks baseball’s color line, debuts with Dodgers this hour 70 years ago#OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 15 1947)

1940s, African-American Civil Rights


Video: 'April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson makes His MLB Debut'

(Tuesday, April 15, 1947, 2:00 p.m. EST) — Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, 28, became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era today when he made his official debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day at Ebbets Field before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, more than 14,000 of whom were black. Continue reading Jackie Robinson breaks baseball’s color line, debuts with Dodgers this hour 70 years ago#OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 15 1947) →

‘Monsieur Verdoux’ premieres in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 11 1947)

1940s, Movies 1940s


Video: 'Monsieur Verdoux' trailer

(Friday, April 11, 1947, 8:45 p.m. EST) — Monsieur Verdoux, a black comedy film directed by and starring Charles Chaplin, who plays a bigamist wife killer inspired by serial killer Henri Désiré Landru, premiered tonight at Broadway Theatre located in midtown Manhattan. Continue reading ‘Monsieur Verdoux’ premieres in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 11 1947) →

First Tony Awards held in New York 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 6 1947)

1940s, Broadway


Video: 'Tony Awards History on Broadway Blogspot' (Apr. 6, 1947, at 2:33)

(Easter Sunday, April 6, 1947, 8:30 p.m. EST) — New York’s theatre honored twenty men and women tonight with the first presentation of the annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards for outstanding contributions to the current theatrical season. Continue reading First Tony Awards held in New York 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 6 1947) →

111 miners killed in 1947 Centralia mine disaster 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 25 1947)

1940s


Video: 'Centralia Coal Mine No 5 Disaster / Explosion ~ March 25, 1947 ~ Woody Guthrie'

(Tuesday, March 25, 1947, 3:26 p.m. CST) — A coal-dust explosion inside the Centralia No. 5 coal mine exploded today near the town of Centralia, Illinois, killing 111 people; only 31 miners escaped. Continue reading 111 miners killed in 1947 Centralia mine disaster 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 25 1947) →

Lord Mountbatten arrives in New Delhi to oversee India’s transition to independence 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 22 1947)

1940s

(Saturday, March 22, 1947) — Viscount Mountbatten, who on March 24, 1947, will become the twenty-ninth and presumably the last British Viceroy of India, arrived today in New Delhi by special plane from London to oversee the transition of British India to independence no later than June 30, 1948.

President Truman establishes federal employee loyalty program 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 21 1947)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'The Loyalty Program'

(Friday, March 21, 1947, during the Cold War) — Against his own better judgment, U.S. President Harry S. Truman today signed Executive Order 9835, sometimes known as the “Loyalty Order,” making the political beliefs of every federal employee subject to investigation by the FBI in order to root out communist influence in the U.S. federal government (click here for a clip about this event from “American Experience: Truman” at 2:50:28). Continue reading President Truman establishes federal employee loyalty program 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 21 1947) →