Category Archives: Cold War

‘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) →

UN declares free elections should be held in Korea 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 14 1947)

1940s, Cold War


Video: 'Korean War - PART 2, Prelude to war (1946-1947) 6.25' (Nov. 14, 1947, at 6:26)

(Friday, November 14, 1947) — The United Nations passed a resolution at Flushing Meadow today declaring that free elections should be held, foreign troops should be withdrawn and a UN commission for Korea, the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK), should be created. Continue reading UN declares free elections should be held in Korea 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 14 1947) →

PBS documentary examines abuse of power 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 4 1987)

1980s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: ‘The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis’

(Wednesday, November 4, 1987, 9:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. EST) — American journalist and political commentator Bill Moyers produced and hosted The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis tonight on PBS-TV, examining the Iran-Contra scandal as the most recent example of the continuing abuse of democratic values by unaccountable intelligence operations during the Cold War. Continue reading PBS documentary examines abuse of power 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 4 1987) →

Soviets launch Sputnik 2, sacrifice dog 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 3 1957)

1950s, Cold War, space exploration


Video: 'Laika The Dog & What Happened To Her'

(Saturday, November 3, 1957; 02:30:00 UTC) — The Soviet Union today launched Sputnik 2, the second spacecraft launched into Earth orbit and the first to carry a living animal, a Soviet space dog named Laika, who died a few hours after the launch. Continue reading Soviets launch Sputnik 2, sacrifice dog 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 3 1957) →