Category Archives: Cold War

Reagan recants ‘evil empire’ description 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1988)

1980s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Cold War 22of24 Star Wars' (May 31, 1988, at 44:31)

(Tuesday, May 31, 1988, 11:10 a.m. Moscow Daylight Time; during the Moscow Summit (1988), part of the Cold War) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan, standing within the fortress walls of the Kremlin with a smiling Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev at his side, said today that he no longer sees the Soviet Union as “the evil empire.” Continue reading Reagan recants ‘evil empire’ description 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1988) →

High court backs ban on draft card burning 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1968)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'U.S. v O'Brien'

(Monday, May 27, 1968, part of the Opposition to the Vietnam War) — The U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. O’Brien, upheld today the conviction of David O’Brien for destroying his draft card outside a Boston courthouse on Mar. 31, 1966, ruling that the act was not protected by the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech. Continue reading High court backs ban on draft card burning 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1968) →

LBJ defends decision to hold Khe Sanh 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1968)

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


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - Tet! [7/13]' (May 23, 1968, at 41:41)

(Thursday, May 23, 1968, 11:38 a.m. EDT; during the Battle of Khe Sanh, part of the Vietnam War, the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — President Lyndon Johnson said today the marine defense of Khe Sanh greatly strengthen the American initiative toward peace talks “for they vividly demonstrated to the enemy the utter futility of his attempts to win a military victory in the South.” Continue reading LBJ defends decision to hold Khe Sanh 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1968) →

Nuclear-powered sub sinks with 99 men aboard 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1968)

1960s, Cold War


Video: 'USS Scorpion (SSN-589) (documentary)'

(Wednesday, May 22, 1968, 6:44 p.m. GMT; during the Cold War) — The American nuclear-powered submarine USS Scorpion sank today 400 miles from the Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean, killing all 99 of its crew. Continue reading Nuclear-powered sub sinks with 99 men aboard 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1968) →

First audio-recorded presidential debate in U.S. held 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 17 1948)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Dewey Stassen Debate (1948) First Presidential Election Debate'

(Monday, May 17, 1948, 6:00 p.m. PST/10:00 p.m. EDT; during the Republican Party presidential primaries, 1948) — New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen discussed the legal status of the Communist Party of the U.S. during the first audio-recorded presidential debate to ever take place in the United States tonight in Portland, four days before the 1948 Oregon Republican presidential primary. Continue reading First audio-recorded presidential debate in U.S. held 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 17 1948) →

Soviets begin withdrawal from Afghanistan 30 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 15 1988)

1980s, Cold War


Video: 'CNN, Cold War, Soldiers of God, Afghanistan' (May 15, 1988, at 43:36)

(Sunday, May 15, 1988; during the Soviet–Afghan War, part of the War in Afghanistan and the Cold War) — A long convoy of tanks, trucks and happy Soviet soldiers rumbled through a narrow mountain pass and into Kabul today as the first official step of the withdrawal of 115,000 Soviet troops from Afghanistan. Continue reading Soviets begin withdrawal from Afghanistan 30 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 15 1988) →

100,000 welcome Nixon back from stormy tour 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 15 1958)

1950s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Nixon' (May 15, 1958, at 1:48)

(Thursday, May 15, 1958, 11:59 a.m. EDT) — Vice President Richard Nixon received a hero’s welcome today from President Dwight D. Eisenhower and other well-wishers on his return to Washington from a violence-marred tour of Latin America. Continue reading 100,000 welcome Nixon back from stormy tour 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 15 1958) →

American, North Vietnamese delegates meet in Paris 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1968)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Tet [6/11]' (May 1968 at 52:39)

(Friday, May 10, 1968, 3:00-4:45 p.m. CET; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — American and North Vietnamese delegates met in formal conference for the first time today in Paris to discuss peace talks, agreeing to open their formal preliminary talks on Monday, May 13, 1968, at the International Conference Center of the French Foreign Ministry, located in the former Hotel Majestic. Continue reading American, North Vietnamese delegates meet in Paris 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1968) →

NARKKI wins 55 seats in South Korean election 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1948)

1950s, Cold War


Video: 'Korean War - PART 2, Prelude to war (1946-1947) 6.25' (May 10, 1948, at 8:20)

(Monday, May 10, 1948) — The National Alliance for the Rapid Realization of Korean Independence (NARRKI) led by Syngman Rhee won 55 of 200 seats today (the most of any party, although 85 were held by independents) as more than 95 per cent of South Korea’s 8 million eligible voters ignored Communist threats of violence and reprisal to vote in the country’s Constitutional Assembly elections. Continue reading NARKKI wins 55 seats in South Korean election 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1948) →

Police forcibly remove student demonstrators at Columbia University 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1968)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: '50 Years Later: The Columbia University Student Protests of 1968'

(Tuesday, April 30, 1968, 2:30-5:30 a.m. EDT; during the Columbia University protests of 1968, the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War, and the African-American civil rights movement (1954–1968)) — New York City police officers stormed five occupied buildings at Columbia University early today and broke up a week-long student sit-in which had paralyzed the Ivy league campus. Continue reading Police forcibly remove student demonstrators at Columbia University 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1968) →