Category Archives: Cold War

Anti-war demonstrators set Kent State’s ROTC building on fire 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 2 1970)

1970s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Homefront USA [10/11]' (Cambodia Campaign at 45:43)

(Saturday, May 2, 1970, firefighters arrived shortly after 8:45 p.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — A group of 600 protesters opposed to President Richard Nixon’s decision to send U.S. troops into Cambodia set fire to the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) building on the Kent State University (KSU) campus tonight in Kent, Ohio. Continue reading Anti-war demonstrators set Kent State’s ROTC building on fire 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 2 1970) →

Nixon puts ‘bums’ label on some college radicals 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Homefront USA [10/11]' (May 1, 1970, at 46:06)

(Friday, May 1, 1970, 8:41-10:25 a.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. President Richard Nixon today referred to some campus radicals who violently oppose his Vietnam policies as “bums” and, in contrast, he said American soldiers were “the greatest.” Continue reading Nixon puts ‘bums’ label on some college radicals 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970) →

Soviets shoot down American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Sverdlovsk, captures pilot 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1, 1960)

1960s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Yesterday's Air Force: The U-2 and Gary Powers Incident'

(Sunday, May 1, 1960, 8:53 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during the 1960 U-2 incident, part of the Cold War) — A United States U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defence Forces today while performing photographic aerial reconnaissance at 70,500 feet deep into Soviet territory. Continue reading Soviets shoot down American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Sverdlovsk, captures pilot 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1, 1960) →

Nixon announces decision to send combat forces to Cambodia 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'President Richard Nixon Address to the Nation on the Situation in Southeast Asia, April 30, 1970'

(Thursday, April 30, 1970, 9:00 p.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — In a sharp departure from the previous conduct of war in Southeast Asia, U.S. President Richard Nixon announced tonight that he was sending United States combat troops into Cambodia for the first time. Continue reading Nixon announces decision to send combat forces to Cambodia 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1970) →

U.S. troops drive into Cambodia to crush enemy sanctuaries 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - The Village War [10/13]' (Cambodia Campaign at 33:17)

(Friday, May 1, 1970, 7:30 a.m. Saigon Standard Time; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Several thousand U.S. soldiers moved across the border from South Vietnam to Cambodia’s Kampong Cham Province this morning, expanding the American involvement in the Vietnam War to attack North Vietnamese Army (NVA) enclaves in an area known as the Fishhook. Continue reading U.S. troops drive into Cambodia to crush enemy sanctuaries 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970) →

Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia ousted by his prime minister 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 18 1970)

1970s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Cambodia and Laos [8/11]' (Cambodian coup of 1970 at 18:11)

(Wednesday, March 18, 1970, 1:00 p.m. Indochina Time; during the Cambodian coup of 1970, part of the Cambodian Civil War) — Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Head of State of Cambodia since June 20, 1960, was overthrown today in his absence, Phnom Penh radio announced. Continue reading Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia ousted by his prime minister 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 18 1970) →

‘Miracle on Ice’: U.S. Olympic hockey team beats Soviet Union 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 22 1980)

1980s, Cold War


Video: 'USA vs Russia (USSR - Soviet Union) 1980 Olympics Hockey - Full Game Miracle on Ice'

(Friday, February 22, 1980, game started at 5:06 p.m. EST; during the Cold War) — In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympics history, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of collegians and second-tier professional players, defeated the defending champion Soviet team, regarded as the world’s finest, 4-3, today at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. Continue reading ‘Miracle on Ice’: U.S. Olympic hockey team beats Soviet Union 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 22 1980) →

Chicago Seven cleared of plot, 5 guilty on second count 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 18 1970)

1970s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'SYND 19-2-70 CHICAGO SEVEN TRIAL VERDICT COMMENT'

(Tuesday, February 18, 1970, 12:20 p.m. CST, during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — All seven defendants in the Chicago conspiracy trial were acquitted today of plotting to incite a riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, but five of them were convicted of seeking to promote a riot through individual acts. Continue reading Chicago Seven cleared of plot, 5 guilty on second count 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 18 1970) →

Senator Joe McCarthy charges U.S. State Department infested with communists 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 9 1950)

1950s, Cold War

(Lincoln Day, Thursday, February 9, 1950, evening EST; during the Second Red Scare and the Cold War) — U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy brandished a piece of paper tonight during a Lincoln Day dinner speech to the Ohio County Republican Women’s Club at the McClure Hotel in Wheeling, West Virginia, which he claimed contained a list of known communists working for the State Department. Continue reading Senator Joe McCarthy charges U.S. State Department infested with communists 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 9 1950) →

Accused spy Alger Hiss convicted of perjury 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 21 1950)

1950s, Cold War


Video: 'Alger Hiss case 1948-1950' (Jan. 21, 1950, at 2:39)

(Saturday, January 21, 1950, 2:50 p.m. EST; during the Second Red Scare and the Cold War) — Former U.S. State Department official and accused communist spy Alger Hiss was found guilty today on two counts of perjury by a federal jury in New York, based primarily on the testimony of former communist and Time magazine editor Whittaker Chambers. Continue reading Accused spy Alger Hiss convicted of perjury 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 21 1950) →