‘We shall fight on the beaches’ Churchill declares following ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1940)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'We Shall Fight On The Beaches'

(Tuesday, June 4, 1940, 3:40 p.m. British Summer Time; following the Dunkirk evacuation, part of Battle of France on the Western Front of World War II) — Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his moving and dramatic “We shall fight on the beaches” speech to the British House of Commons this afternoon, declaring that even if the motherland had to fight alone against the German military machine, the British fleet and empire would fight on to the bitter end. Continue reading ‘We shall fight on the beaches’ Churchill declares following ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1940) →

Evacuation of 338,226 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, completed 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1940)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Will Britain Remain?! - WW2 - 041 - June 8 1940' (June 3-4, 1940, at 1:37)

(Tuesday, June 4, 1940, 3:40 a.m. Western European Summer Time; during the Dunkirk evacuation, part of Battle of France on the Western Front of World War II) — The Dunkirk evacuation, the rescue of 338,226 Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk, in the north of France, by a hastily assembled fleet of over 800 vessels, ended early this morning when the destroyer HMS Shikari departed for Dover with German infantry firing only a few streets away from where she was moored. Continue reading Evacuation of 338,226 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, completed 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1940) →

George Harrison begins recording ‘Isn’t It A Pity (version two) 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 3 1970)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'George Harrison - An Alternate All Things Must Pass (album)' ('Isn't It a Pity' (version two) at 1:09:05)

(Wednesday, June 3, 1970; during sessions for All Things Must Pass) — George Harrison began recording “Isn’t It A Pity” (version two) for the triple-disc album All Things Must Pass, his first release as a solo artist following the break-up of the Beatles, today in London. Continue reading George Harrison begins recording ‘Isn’t It A Pity (version two) 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 3 1970) →

George Harrison begins recording ‘Isn’t It A Pity (version one) and ‘I Dig Love’ 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 2 1970)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'George Harrison - Isn't It A Pity (Version 1 RS1)'

(Tuesday, June 2, 1970; during sessions for All Things Must Pass) — George Harrison began recording “Isn’t It A Pity” (version one) and “I Dig Love” for the triple-disc album All Things Must Pass, his first release as a solo artist following the break-up of the Beatles, today at EMI Studios in London. Continue reading George Harrison begins recording ‘Isn’t It A Pity (version one) and ‘I Dig Love’ 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 2 1970) →

CNN, TV’s first all-news service, debuts 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 1 1980)

1980s


Video: 'CNN First Hour: June 1, 1980'

(Sunday, June 1, 1980, 6:00 p.m. EDT) — CNN, the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage, made its debut tonight.

Cable News Network, founded by American media proprietor Ted Turner, launched with an original staff of 25 employees based at its headquarters in Atlanta, and bureaus in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

The inaugural broadcast on the channel was an introduction by Turner, who read a “poem” of dedication to a crowd of 700 onlookers on the front lawn of the old Progressive Club in Altanta and a nationwide cable TV audience.

The first news story on CNN was a report on how the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has reacted to the May 29, 1980, shooting of civil rights leader Vernon Jordan.

67,000 people killed by magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Peru 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1970)

1970s


Video: 'Earthquake in Peru - 1970 | Today In History | 31 May 18'

(Sunday, May 31, 1970, 3:23:29 p.m. EDT; during the 1970 Ancash earthquake) — A magnitude 7.9 earthquake (also known as the Great Peruvian earthquake) struck 22 miles off the coast of Casma and Chimbote, Peru, in the Pacific Ocean this afternoon, bringing down homes and buildings and leaving dead and injured in an area spanning half the country. Continue reading 67,000 people killed by magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Peru 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1970) →

‘Funkytown’ by Lipps Inc. peaks at #1 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1980)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, May 31, 1980) — “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for four consecutive weeks (May 31, June 7/14/21, 1980). Continue reading ‘Funkytown’ by Lipps Inc. peaks at #1 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1980) →

‘Brass in Pocket’ by The Pretenders peaks at #14 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1980)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, May 31, 1980) — “Brass in Pocket” by The Pretenders peaked at #14 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks. Continue reading ‘Brass in Pocket’ by The Pretenders peaks at #14 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1980) →

‘Rarities’ compilation album by The Beatles peaks at #21 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1980)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s, The Beatles 1980s


Video: 'Album Review 187: The Beatles - Rarities

(Saturday, May 31, 1980) — Rarities, a compilation album released The Beatles, peaked at #21 on today’s Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart for one week. Continue reading ‘Rarities’ compilation album by The Beatles peaks at #21 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 31 1980) →

‘Everything Is Beautiful’ by Ray Stevens peaks at #1 in USA 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 30 1970)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s

(Saturday, May 30, 1970) — “Everything Is Beautiful” by Ray Stevens peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two consecutive weeks (May 30, June 6, 1970). Continue reading ‘Everything Is Beautiful’ by Ray Stevens peaks at #1 in USA 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 30 1970) →