2001—Fox airs “Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?” Great.
1989—After just a little over nine years in-country, quick-thinking Soviets pull out of Afghanistan.
1988—Environmentalists, supporting striking workers, storm Int’l. Paper’s Jay, Maine plant 10 days after scabs create a huge chlorine leak.
1978—His first day at the Hillsboro, N.H. Messenger, our current editor is told, “Get over to Henniker; last night the cop shop was fire-bombed.”
1973—Nixon to Joint Chiefs: POWs’ return is “an invaluable opportunity to revise the history of this War.”
1966—In place of Senate hearings on the Vietnam War, CBS shows reruns of “I Love Lucy.” Fred Friendly, President of CBS News, quits in disgust.
1962—“I support [JFK] to the hilt [in Vietnam],” says R. Nixon, “I only hope he will step up the build-up….”
1944—Mistakenly believing that it’s full of Nazis, Allies bomb the 6th c. monastery at Monte Cassino. Its historic treasures are OK, though, having been moved to the Vatican by Nazis in 100 trucks accompanied by monks.
1898—The battleship U.S.S. Maine explodes in Havana harbor.
1798—After Congress fails to reprimand Rep. Matthew Lyon (R-Vt.) for having spit tobacco juice in his eye, Rep. Roger Griswold (Fed.-Conn.) thrashes the ex-newspaper editor with his cane on the floor of the House. Lyon defends himself with fire tongs.