Category Archives: Cold War

LBJ hosts Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin at Glassboro Summit Conference 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 23 1967)

1960s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: '1967 Glassboro Summit'

(Friday, June 23, 1967, 11:22 a.m. EDT; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — President Lyndon B. Johnson, Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin and their advisers opened a three-day summit today at Glassboro State College in New Jersey, talking for five-and-a-half hours about the Middle East, Vietnam and arms control. Continue reading LBJ hosts Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin at Glassboro Summit Conference 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 23 1967) →

Ali convicted for refusing draft, gets five years in prison 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 20 1967)

1960s, African-American Civil Rights, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'NBC News - Muhammad Ali on not going to war'

(Tuesday, June 20, 1967; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Muhammad Ali, the deposed heavyweight boxing champion, was convicted by a jury tonight in Houston of violating the U.S. Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. Continue reading Ali convicted for refusing draft, gets five years in prison 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 20 1967) →

Reagan challenges Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall!’ in Berlin 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 12 1987)

1980s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President Reagan's Berlin Wall Speech - June 12, 1987'

(Friday, June 12, 1987, 2:20 p.m. CEST) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan, during a visit to the divided German city of Berlin, publicly challenged Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev today to “tear down this wall,” referring to the Berlin Wall which had divided West and East Berlin since 1961. Continue reading Reagan challenges Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall!’ in Berlin 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 12 1987) →

U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall outlines plan for American reconstruction, relief aid to Europe 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1947)

1940s, Cold War


Video: 'The Marshall Plan Speech (video presentation by the Marshall Foundation)'

(Thursday, June 5, 1947, 2:50 p.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall gave a speech today at Harvard University in which he outlined the Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP), an American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the United States would give over $13 billion in economic support to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II. Continue reading U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall outlines plan for American reconstruction, relief aid to Europe 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1947) →

President Truman signs bill implementing doctrine to fight spread of communism 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1947)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'American Experience Truman 2' (May 22, 1947, at 22:06)

(Thursday, May 22, 1947, 8:00 a.m. CDT; during the Cold War) — With a pledge that the United States will act, as well as talk, in support of the United Nations, U.S. President Harry S. Truman today signed the Greek-Turkish aid bill, providing $400 million in military and economic aid to Turkey and Greece and implementing the Truman Doctrine to fight the spread of communism. Continue reading President Truman signs bill implementing doctrine to fight spread of communism 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1947) →

70,000 turn out in New York to back U.S. men in Vietnam War 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 13 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Pro-Vietnam War Parade In New York (1967)'

(Saturday, May 13, 1967, noon EDT; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — In a forest of American flags, more than 70,000 men, women and children, stirred by martial music and their desire to support the nation’s soldiers in Vietnam, stepped briskly down Fifth Avenue in a parade that lasted more than eight and a half hours today. Continue reading 70,000 turn out in New York to back U.S. men in Vietnam War 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 13 1967) →

President Eisenhower welcomes South Vietnamese President Diem for state visit this hour 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 8 1957)

1950s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam a Television History Episode 2' (May 8, 1957, at 16:55)

(Wednesday, May 8, 1957, noon EDT; during the Vietnam War, part of the Cold War) — U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower personally received South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem today at the National Airport in Washington, D.C., as the South Vietnamese president arrived aboard Eisenhower’s plane, the Columbine III, a silver Constellation, on a state visit to the U.S. Continue reading President Eisenhower welcomes South Vietnamese President Diem for state visit this hour 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 8 1957) →

Anti-communist crusader Sen. Joseph McCarthy dies 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 2 1957)

1950s, Cold War


Video: 'Senator Mccarthy Dead At 47 (1957)'

(Thursday, May 2, 1957, 6:02 p.m. EDT; during the Second Red Scare and the Cold War) — Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin), whose reckless anti-communist investigations made him the most controversial public figure of America’s postwar years, died tonight at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland of a liver ailment at the age of 47. Continue reading Anti-communist crusader Sen. Joseph McCarthy dies 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 2 1957) →

Westmoreland tells Congress ‘we will prevail in Vietnam’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 28 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'The President: April 1967. MP883.' (Apr. 28, 1967, at 27:12)

(Friday, April 28, 1967, 12:30 p.m. EST; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. Army Gen. William Westmoreland told Congress today that “backed at home by resolve, confidence, patience, determination and continued support, we will prevail in Vietnam over communist aggression.”

Never before had a military commander addressed Congress while he was directing an ongoing war.

Muhammad Ali refuses induction into U.S. Army, stripped of boxing crown 50 years ago #OTD #OnThisDay (Apr 28 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Muhammad Ali Refuses Army Induction in 1967'

(Friday, April 28, 1967; during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968) and during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali refused to take the oath of induction into the United States Army today after reporting as scheduled to an induction center in Houston, Texas. Continue reading Muhammad Ali refuses induction into U.S. Army, stripped of boxing crown 50 years ago #OTD #OnThisDay (Apr 28 1967) →