Video: 'First Soviet atomic blast (1949)'
(Monday, August 29, 1949, 7:00 a.m. local time; during the Cold War) — The Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear weapons test today, exploding the RDS-1 at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in the northeast of the Kazakh SSR, ending the absolute U.S. monopoly on nuclear weapons. Continue reading Soviets test first nuclear bomb, ending American nuclear monopoly 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 29 1949)
Video: '5,000 Die In Earthquake (1949)'
(Friday, August 5, 1949, 2:08:52 p.m. Ecuador Time) — 5,050 people were killed and about 20,000 injured today in the 1949 Ambato earthquake that destroyed dozens of towns in Ecuador. Continue reading 5,050 people killed in Ambato earthquake 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 5 1949)
(Saturday, July 30, 1949) — “Some Enchanted Evening” by Perry Como with Orchestra conducted by Mitchell Ayres peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for five consecutive weeks (July 30, Aug. 6/13/20/27, 1949). Continue reading ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ by Perry Como peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 30 1949)
(Saturday, May 14, 1949) — “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)” by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for 11 consecutive weeks (May 14/21/28, June 4/11/18/25, July 2/9/16/23, 1949). Continue reading ‘Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)’ by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 14 1949)
Video: 'Berlin Blockade Lifted - 1949 | Today In History | 12 May 18'
(Thursday, May 12, 1949, 12:01 a.m. CEST; during the Cold War) — The Berlin Blockade, which the Western powers had succeeded in circumventing with their Berlin Airlift, ended today, 328 days after the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies‘ railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. Continue reading Soviets lift land, water blockade of West Berlin 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 12 1949)
Video: 'NATO 60th Anniversary: 1949 Footage of the Original Signing Session of the North Atlantic Treaty'
(Monday, April 4, 1949, 4:30 p.m. EST; during the Cold War) — 12 nations, including the United States, signed the North Atlantic Treaty today at the Departmental Auditorium in Washington, D.C., by a committee chaired by U.S. diplomat Theodore Achilles. Continue reading 12 nations sign North Atlantic Treaty in Washington 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 4 1949)
(Saturday, March 26, 1949) — “Cruising Down the River” by Russ Morgan and His Orchestra peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for seven consecutive weeks (Mar. 26, Apr. 2/9/16/23/30, May 7, 1949). Continue reading ‘Cruising Down the River’ by Russ Morgan and His Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 26 1949)
(Saturday, March 12, 1949) — “Cruising Down the River” by Blue Barron and His Orchestra peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for two consecutive weeks (Mar. 12/19, 1949). Continue reading ‘Cruising Down the River’ by Blue Barron and His Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 12 1949)
(Saturday, January 22, 1949) — “A Little Bird Told Me” by Evelyn Knight and The Stardusters peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for seven consecutive weeks (Jan. 22/29, Feb. 5/12/19/26, Mar. 5, 1949). Continue reading ‘A Little Bird Told Me’ by Evelyn Knight peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 22 1949)
Video: 'Harry Truman inaugural address: Jan. 20, 1949'
(Thursday, January 20, 1949, 12:29 p.m. EST) — President Harry S. Truman, 64, was inaugurated today for a second term of office on the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with Chief Justice Fred Vinson administering the oath of office in the first televised presidential inauguration. Continue reading Truman sworn in for second term, Barkley as 35th VP 70 years ago this hour (Jan 20 1949)
