The Cold War ended with a joint statement by George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev. The first human heart transplant was performed in 1967. The Ottawa Treaty was signed in 1997, banning landmines. Oberlin College was the first co-educational college in the US. George Washington’s surprise attack on Hessian troops was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. A Streetcar Named Desire opened on Broadway in 1947. The first PlayStation was released in Japan in 1994. Pioneer 10 sent close-up images of Jupiter in 1973. Colonel Mary A. Hallaren became the first female non-medical Army officer in 1948.
The Cold War is officially over. (1989) Although no treaties were signed, George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev issued a joint statement that the two countries would work towards lasting peace and “transform East-West relations into lasting cooperation” at the end of the Malta Summit.
The first successful human heart transplant was performed. (1967) Dr. Christiaan N. Barnard performed the surgery at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa on Lewis Washkansky. The heart worked perfectly. Washkansky, however, died 18 days later of pneumonia which he contracted from a weakened immune system.
The Ottawa Treaty was signed by 122 countries, banning landmines. (1997) The treaty required signatories to stop producing landmines designed to be used against humans – as opposed to anti-tank masterminds – and to clear their land area of landmines within ten years of signing. Among the states that did not sign were the United States, China, Russia, and North and South Korea.
Neon lights were first seen by the public at the Paris Auto Show. (1910) Dr. Georges Claude displayed a neon sign made of two 38-foot (about 12 meters) long tubes at the Grand Palais at the Paris Auto Show. Dr. Claude would later sell the first neon signs to reach the United States to a Packard dealership in 1923.
The first co-educational college was established in the United States. (1833) Oberlin College, Ohio was the first college in the United States to allow coeducational classes. The first four women to earn college degrees in the United States earned them at Oberlin.
George Washington wrote to Congress to say he had arrived at the Delaware River. (1776) He Spent the next two weeks organizing supplies and troops before crossing the Delaware to launch a surprise attack on the Hessian troops stationed at Trenton. This campaign was a turning point in the Revolutionary War, as it marked the return of Washington’s army from almost certain defeat.
Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire opens on Broadway. (1947) Marlon Brando and Kim Hunter played Stanley and Stella, and would continue to do so in the 1951 film version. After the first performance, the audience clapped non-stop for thirty minutes.
The first PlayStation was released in Japan. (1994) It was actually slated to come out three years earlier as a joint venture of Nintendo and Sony, but Nintendo backed out of the deal to form a partnership with Philips. Within a decade of its release, over 100 million PlayStation units were sold.
Pioneer 10 has sent the first close-up images of Jupiter. (1973) Until 1998, Pioneer 10 was the most distant man-made object from the sun, exceeding the orbit of Pluto. The last successful contact was made with Pioneer 10 in early 2003.
Colonel Mary A. Hallaren became the first female non-medical Army officer. (1948) Colonel Hallaren was the director of the Women’s Army Corps before being drafted and was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Army Commendation Medal during her time in the Army.
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