The Hollywood 10 were blacklisted for alleged communist ties, while Alfred Nobel patented dynamite and used the proceeds to found the Nobel Prizes. The Iran-Contra affair was exposed, and The Mousetrap opened in London. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was established, and the last British military installation in the US was evacuated. Martin B-26 Marauder and deHavilland Mosquito fighter planes first flew during WWII. The Greenback Party was formed, and Band Aid recorded “Do They Know It’s Christmas” to fight famine in Ethiopia. The Great Storm of 1703 killed over 9,000 people in southern Britain, while a cyclone in India killed over 300,000 people.
The “Hollywood 10” have been blacklisted by US film studios. (1947) The 10 motion picture industry professionals were jailed after refusing to answer questions posed by the United States House Un-American Activities Committee regarding their alleged involvement in communist activities. They were the first of more than 100 industry professionals, including writers, directors, actors and musicians, to be blacklisted for suspected communist ties. Many were unable to work in their professions for years thereafter.
Dynamite has been patented. (1867) The patent was issued to Alfred Nobel, a Swedish engineer and chemist. Nobel used the proceeds from his 355 patents to found the Nobel Prizes, which are still awarded today.
The Iran-Contra affair has been exposed. (1986) US Attorney General Edwin Meese and US President Ronald Reagan admitted that money obtained from arms sales to Iran had been used to support Nicaraguan anti-communist rebels.
The longest running game in history has opened. (1952) The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie, opened in London at the Ambassadors Theatre. Its run continues to this day and has been viewed by more than 10 million people.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women has been established. (1999) The United Nations designated the day in part in honor of the anniversary of the murder of three sisters in the Dominican Republic. A report released by the World Bank a few years earlier stated that about one in four women in the world have been, or had been, raped and that violence against women is as prevalent a cause of death as cancer.
The last British military installation in the United States evacuated during the Revolutionary War. (1783) The war had effectively ended about three months earlier after the Treaty of Paris was signed, but New York City remained occupied by British soldiers to this day. The British had captured the city in 1776.
Martin B-26 Marauder and deHavilland Mosquito fighter planes first flew during World War II. (1940) The Mosquito, used by the British forces, was at the time the fastest aircraft in the world and was mainly made of laminated plywood. The Marauder was a US bomber aircraft that suffered fewer losses than any other US bomber during the war. Both aircraft were retired by the time the war ended.
The US political party known as the Greenback Party was born. (1874) Political party formed in response to the “Panic of 1873,” when farmers were financially harmed by a reduction in the money supply in the United States. “Greenbacks” was a reference to paper money issued during and after the American Civil War; the party believed that paper money was more secure than the coin-based money supply that had been instituted. The party dissolved in 1884.
The song Do They Know It’s Christmas was recorded by Band Aid as a fundraiser to fight famine in Ethiopia. (1984) Band Aid was a musical group of 36 musicians from Ireland and Great Britain. The studios helped the musicians by giving them free access to the recording studio. The recorded song was released four days later. It topped the music charts and eventually became the fastest selling single in UK history.
The worst windstorm in southern Britain’s history has peaked and ultimately killed more than 9,000 people. (1703) Called the “Great Storm of 1703,” the storm produced winds that exceeded 120 miles per hour (about 193 kilometers per hour). It lasted eight days and finally ceased on 2 December.
A cyclone hit India, killing more than 300,000 people, making it one of the deadliest storms in world history. (1839) Cyclone produced a 40-foot storm surge and completely destroyed Coringa, India, along with 20,000 ships.
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