Category Archives: Cold War

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara resigns 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 29 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Nov. 29, 1967: Robert McNamara Resigns'

(Wednesday, November 29, 1967, evening EST; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — In the midst of a public relations campaign by the Johnson administration to build support for the Vietnam War, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, one of the war’s primary architects, announced tonight he was resigning to become president of the World Bank, effective in early 1968. Continue reading Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara resigns 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 29 1967) →

North Korean agents blow up South Korean airliner in mid-flight 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 29 1987)

1980s, Cold War


Video: '1987, the North Korean Spy who blew up a plane, Korean Air Flight 858'

(Sunday, November 29, 1987, 2:05 p.m. KST) — Korean Air Flight 858, a scheduled international passenger flight between Baghdad, Iraq, and Seoul, South Korea, exploded in mid-air today upon the detonation of a bomb planted inside an overhead storage bin in the airplane’s passenger cabin by North Korean agents. Continue reading North Korean agents blow up South Korean airliner in mid-flight 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 29 1987) →

Film executives agree to blacklist ‘Hollywood Ten’ 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 25 1947)

1940s, Cold War


Video: 'The Hollywood Ten (1950)'

(Tuesday, November 25, 1947; during the Second Red Scare and the Cold War) — Movie studio executives meeting at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York voted unanimously today to “discharge or suspend without compensation” the ten Hollywood figures who have been cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee. Continue reading Film executives agree to blacklist ‘Hollywood Ten’ 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 25 1947) →

‘Hollywood Ten’ cited for contempt of Congress 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 24 1947)

1940s, Cold War


Video: 'Un-American Activities Enquiry (1947)'

(Monday, November 24, 1947; during the Second Red Scare and the Cold War) — The U.S. House of Representatives voted 346 to 17 today to approve citations for contempt of Congress against a group of writers, producers and directors that became known as the “Hollywood Ten” for refusing to tell the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) whether they were members of the Communist party. Continue reading ‘Hollywood Ten’ cited for contempt of Congress 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 24 1947) →

Westmoreland sees beginning of end to Vietnam conflict 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 21 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Our World Winter 1968 Part 1' (Nov. 21, 1967, at 2:16)

(Tuesday, November 21, 1967; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in the Vietnam War, told the National Press Club today in Washington that he is “absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing.” Continue reading Westmoreland sees beginning of end to Vietnam conflict 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 21 1967) →

Westmoreland says ‘we are winning’ Vietnam War 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 19 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Television 1960s


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - Uneasy Allies [4/13]' (Nov. 19, 1967, at 28:13)

(Sunday, November 19, 1967, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. EST in New York; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, said today on NBC-TV’s Meet The Press news/interview program that American and South Vietnamese forces were “winning a war of attrition.” Continue reading Westmoreland says ‘we are winning’ Vietnam War 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 19 1967) →

President Truman demands pay and price controls 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 17 1947)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents

(Monday, November 17, 1947, at 1:30 p.m. EST; during the Second Red Scare and the Cold War) — President Harry S. Truman, in an address to a special session of Congress, asked Congress today for authority to impose price controls, consumer rationing and wage controls in limited areas of the national economy (click here to listen to Truman’s address). Continue reading President Truman demands pay and price controls 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 17 1947) →

‘We are making progress’ says LBJ on Vietnam War 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 17 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Television 1960s, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: '11/17/1967: LBJ on Vietnam War'

(Friday, November 17, 1967, 11:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. EST; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Acting on optimistic reports by General William Westmoreland and U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam Ellsworth Bunker, President Lyndon Johnson said today at a press conference that his advisers had assured him that the war in Vietnam was going well, in response to a reporter’s question, and that it was a different kind of conflict. Continue reading ‘We are making progress’ says LBJ on Vietnam War 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 17 1967) →

‘We’re making steady progress in Vietnam,’ says Ambassador Bunker 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 15 1967)

Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Our World Winter 1968 Part 1' (Nov. 15, 1967, at 2:08)

(Wednesday, November 15, 1967; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam Ellsworth Bunker, having returned to Washington on Nov. 10, 1967, to report to President Lyndon Johnson, said today that “we’re making steady progress in Vietnam” following a two-hour closed-door briefing of a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee. Continue reading ‘We’re making steady progress in Vietnam,’ says Ambassador Bunker 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 15 1967) →

Westmoreland ‘very, very encouraged’ by situation in Vietnam 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 15 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Tet [6/11]' (Nov. 15, 1967, at 10:00)

(Wednesday, November 15, 1967; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in the Vietnam War, told reporters today at Andrews Air Force Base that he is “very, very encouraged” by the military situation in Vietnam. Continue reading Westmoreland ‘very, very encouraged’ by situation in Vietnam 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 15 1967) →