Category Archives: U.S. Presidents

President Nixon makes surprise pre-dawn visit to Lincoln Memorial, chats with war protesters 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 9 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Nixon at the Lincoln Memorial - The Real Story | This is the President'

(Saturday, May 9, 1970, 4:58-5:55 a.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Hours before a large anti-war protest began at Washington, D.C., U.S. President Nixon surprised most of his Secret Service bodyguards and about eight demonstrators by walking in to the Lincoln Memorial this morning. Continue reading President Nixon makes surprise pre-dawn visit to Lincoln Memorial, chats with war protesters 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 9 1970) →

President Nixon says he shares goal of Vietnam War dissenters 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 8 1970)

1970s, Cold War, Television 1970s, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'President Richard Nixon's Press Conference on Increased American Troops in Cambodia'

(Friday, May 8, 1970, 10:00-10:33 p.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Strongly defending the United States troop movement into Cambodia, which has evoked a storm of protest by students and others throughout the country, President Richard Nixon said tonight that the operation would win six to eight months of time for the further training of South Vietnamese forces and thus shorten the war for the Americans. Continue reading President Nixon says he shares goal of Vietnam War dissenters 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 8 1970) →

Kennedy, Humphrey hold first-ever televised Democratic presidential debate 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 4 1960)

1960s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Kennedy Humphrey WV Primary Debate Complete'

(Wednesday, May 4, 1960, 8:30 p.m. EDT; during the 1960 Democratic Party presidential primaries) — In the very first televised Democratic presidential debate, Senators John F. Kennedy and Hubert H. Humphrey convened tonight in Charleston, six days ahead of West Virginia’s May 10, 1960, primary, but generated little controversy except over their individual aspirations for the nomination. Continue reading Kennedy, Humphrey hold first-ever televised Democratic presidential debate 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 4 1960) →

Nixon puts ‘bums’ label on some college radicals 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - Homefront USA [10/11]' (May 1, 1970, at 46:06)

(Friday, May 1, 1970, 8:41-10:25 a.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. President Richard Nixon today referred to some campus radicals who violently oppose his Vietnam policies as “bums” and, in contrast, he said American soldiers were “the greatest.” Continue reading Nixon puts ‘bums’ label on some college radicals 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970) →

Soviets shoot down American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Sverdlovsk, captures pilot 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1, 1960)

1960s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Yesterday's Air Force: The U-2 and Gary Powers Incident'

(Sunday, May 1, 1960, 8:53 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during the 1960 U-2 incident, part of the Cold War) — A United States U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defence Forces today while performing photographic aerial reconnaissance at 70,500 feet deep into Soviet territory. Continue reading Soviets shoot down American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Sverdlovsk, captures pilot 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1, 1960) →

Nixon announces decision to send combat forces to Cambodia 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'President Richard Nixon Address to the Nation on the Situation in Southeast Asia, April 30, 1970'

(Thursday, April 30, 1970, 9:00 p.m. EDT; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — In a sharp departure from the previous conduct of war in Southeast Asia, U.S. President Richard Nixon announced tonight that he was sending United States combat troops into Cambodia for the first time. Continue reading Nixon announces decision to send combat forces to Cambodia 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1970) →

U.S. troops drive into Cambodia to crush enemy sanctuaries 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War - The Village War [10/13]' (Cambodia Campaign at 33:17)

(Friday, May 1, 1970, 7:30 a.m. Saigon Standard Time; during the Cambodian Campaign, part of the Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Several thousand U.S. soldiers moved across the border from South Vietnam to Cambodia’s Kampong Cham Province this morning, expanding the American involvement in the Vietnam War to attack North Vietnamese Army (NVA) enclaves in an area known as the Fishhook. Continue reading U.S. troops drive into Cambodia to crush enemy sanctuaries 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1970) →

8 crewmen die as U.S. attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran fails 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 25 1980)

1980s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Iran Hostage Crisis' (Operation Eagle Claw at 2:49)

(Friday, April 25, 1980, 2:00 a.m. Iran Daylight Time) — Operation Eagle Claw, an attempt to rescue 52 embassy staff held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, was aborted early this morning after mechanical problems grounded rescue helicopters and eight U.S. servicemen were killed when a helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft. Continue reading 8 crewmen die as U.S. attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran fails 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 25 1980) →

Library of Congress established 220 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 24 1800)

1800s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'The Library of Congress Is Your Library'

(Thursday, April 24, 1800) — The Library of Congress (LOC), the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the U.S., was established today when President John Adams signed an act of Congress providing for the transfer of the seat of government from Philadelphia to the new capital city of Washington. Continue reading Library of Congress established 220 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 24 1800) →