Category Archives: Cold War

134 servicemen killed by fire, explosions aboard USS Forrestal 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 29 1967)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'USS FORRESTAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER FIRE TRIAL BY FIRE MOVIE 1967 42704'

(Saturday, July 29, 1967, 10:51:21 a.m. local time; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — An accidental rocket launch on the deck of the supercarrier USS Forrestal today in the Gulf of Tonkin resulted in a fire and explosions that killed 134 U.S. Navy sailors and officers. Continue reading 134 servicemen killed by fire, explosions aboard USS Forrestal 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 29 1967) →

President Truman signs National Security Act of 1947 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 26 1947)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents

(Saturday, July 26, 1947, 12:15 p.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — President Harry S. Truman today (aboard his VC-54C presidential aircraft Sacred Cow, the first aircraft used for the role of Air Force One) signed the National Security Act of 1947, which merged the Department of War (renamed as the Department of the Army) and the Department of the Navy into the National Military Establishment (NME), headed by the Secretary of Defense. Continue reading President Truman signs National Security Act of 1947 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 26 1947) →

Soviets reject Marshall Plan European recovery 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 2 1947)

1940s, Cold War


Video: '45 85 Part 2' (July 2, 1947, at 6:33)

(Wednesday, July 2, 1947; during the Cold War) — Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov walked out of a conference with representatives of the British and French governments today in Paris, signaling the Soviet Union’s rejection of the Marshall Plan (officially known as the European Recovery Program, ERP), an American initiative to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II. Continue reading Soviets reject Marshall Plan European recovery 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 2 1947) →

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) →