Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech marked the start of the Cold War. The Boston Massacre saw five American colonists killed by British soldiers. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed in 1970. The Hula Hoop® was patented in 1963, and the air brake in 1872. Stalin died in 1953, and Italy used airships for military purposes in 1912. Roosevelt declared a public holiday to temporarily close all US banks in 1933. Tesla attempted to describe the formation of ball lightning in 1904.
Winston Churchill delivers his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech. (1946) In the speech, Churchill openly denounced the political policies of the USSR and said: “an iron curtain has come down across the continent.” It is considered one of the opening incidents of the Cold War.
The Boston Massacre happened. (1770) Several American colonists taunted British soldiers with snowballs; one shot, forcing the soldier to discharge his weapon into the crowd. Five settlers died, and the event continued to be a sore point between the two nations throughout the Revolutionary War.
The Dial a President radio show took place. (1977) Walter Cronkite and Jimmy Carter went on the air for a call-in show where ordinary citizens could call and ask the president anything they wanted. Over 9 million callers tried to get through, and questions ranged from Carter’s forgiveness of draft dodgers to why he had sent his daughter to public school.
Signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). (1970) The NPT was signed as a deterrent to the development and possible misuse of nuclear weapons and has had over 40 signatories. Since that time, more than 180 countries have signed it, although some, like North Korea, signed and then withdrew from the treaty.
The Hula Hoop® has been patented. (1963) The Hula Hoop® was an instant success and sold more than 25 million models in its first four months of production alone. It was patented by the same company that invented the Frisbee®, Wham-O.
George Westinghouse patented the air brake. (1872) This type of safety brake is found on most modern trains. Westinghouse’s design made rail travel much safer by providing reliable braking service, and the number of accidents and fatalities dropped dramatically.
Nikolai Tesla described the formation of ball lightning. (1904) Although there is no scientifically accepted understanding of ball lightning, Tesla made an attempt to describe its formation in a scientific journal on this day. Tesla himself was actually able to replicate ball lightning, but only as a side effect of other experiments.
Joseph Stalin died. (1953) Stalin had led the country for nearly 30 years in a rule notorious for ethnic and political purges and a booming exile system. He died of a massive heart attack on this day and is considered by many to be the mass murderer of the 20th century, as he oversaw the deaths of some 20 million of its citizens.
President Franklin Roosevelt declared a public holiday. (1933) Act to temporarily close all US banks and freeze transactions passed Congress a few days later. The move was popular, and many Americans returned to banks after they reopened to redeposit their money.
Italy became the first country to use airships in warfare. (1912) Although airships, also known as zeppelins, had been around for decades, Italy was the first to use them for military purposes when they sent airships for reconnaissance behind Turkish lines in the Italo-Turkish War.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
