April 10 - US Table Tennis Team Visits China

This Day in History: 10 April 2020

 

10 April 1971

 

49 years ago, today, the United States table tennis team began a weeklong visit to communist China, at the invitation of their government. This was a well-publicised trip, part of China's attempt to strengthen their diplomatic relations with the US, beginning 'ping-pong diplomacy'. Diplomatic relations between the two nations had ended in 1949, when the US cut the ties to the new government that had taken power. Throughout the next couple of decades, the two remained enemies, and during the Korean War, their armies clashed. This occurred again during the 1960s, in the Vietnam War, as they supported opposing sides. However, later on, China's government began to revaluate its policy with the US.

 

Several factors sparked this change. Chinese officials hoped that closer relations might act as a useful counterweight in Chinese relations with the Soviet Union. There were concerns from the Chinese communists that the Soviets were deviating from the Marxist ideology, resulting in some border skirmishes in 1969. However, the Chinese desire for US trade was another factor, and the invitation to the US table tennis team was a friendly gesture that signified the Chinese hopes for easing tension. This plan worked, as in June 1972, US President Nixon made a historic visit to China, starting talks about re-establishing diplomatic relations. As well as this, the Chinese table tennis team also toured America, sparking a short craze for the sport.

 

Want to find out more about ping-pong diplomacy's role in dissolving the Cold War? Click here for more information.

 

April 9 - Baghdad Falls to the US

This Day in History: 9 April 2003

 

9 April 2003

 

17 years ago, today, Baghdad fell to United States forces, just three weeks into the invasion of Iraq. This ended the invasion but resulted in widespread looting. After a decade of political conflict between the US and Iraq, a multinational 'coalition of the willing' controversially invaded and occupied Iraq, which was then ruled by the harsh dictator, Saddam Hussein. Many reasons were put forward by George W. Bush for why the invasion was necessary. The explanation that Saddam's regime was building weapons of mass destruction was among the most controversial, but other justifications included Saddam's alleged support of al-Qaeda, a group that two years prior had committed the 9/11 attacks. However, after the invasion, no such weapons were found, and claims that Iraqi officials were working with al-Qaeda were found to be false.

 

Countries such as the UK and Australia joined the US in their invasion, which was intensely controversial. The controversy was heightened after the assertion by President Bush soon after the invasion that the coalition had 'ended major combat operations', in the infamous Mission Accomplished speech. For the next several years, Iraq would descend into violence as many insurgent groups grew in popularity. Although the invasion and occupation was contentious, and cost many lives, Iraq did have a form of democracy restored, and their first proper general elections were held two years later.

 

Want to find out more about Baghdad falling to US forces? Click here for more information, or here for more on the Iraq invasion.

 

April 8 - Death of Margaret Thatcher

This Day in History: 8 April 2020

 

8 April 2013

 

7 years ago, today, Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, died from a stroke, at age 87. Her term lasted from 1979 to 1990, making her the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20^th century. During her time in power, she privatised state-owned industries, led her country to victory in the Falklands War and acted as a close ally to US President Ronald Raegan, thus playing a key part in ending the Cold War. Thatcher was gifted with the nickname of 'The Iron Lady' by the public, as she championed conservative policies that revitalised Britain's economy. However, critics argue that these changes did hurt the nation's lower classes.

 

In 1992, after she had resigned as Prime Minister, she left the House of Commons, and was appointed to the House of Lords, receiving the title 'Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven'. She began to record her memoirs and give lectures around the world. Sadly, following a series of minor strokes in the early 2000s, Thatcher greatly stepped away from public view. After her death, on this day, more than 2,000 guests from all over the world attended her funeral, held at London's St. Paul's Cathedral. In 1965, this was the site of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's funeral. Despite this, several hundreds of people celebrated Thatcher's death on the streets, with cans of beer, pints of milk, and disco music.

 

Want to find out more about the life and legacy of Margaret Thatcher? Click here for more information. Click here for more details on the celebrations that took place after her death.

 

April 7 - Eisenhower Proposes the 'Domino Theory'

This Day in History: 7 April 2020

 

7 April 1954

 

66 years ago, today, United States President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, delivered his speech during the Cold War, suggesting the creation of a 'domino' effect in Southeast Asia, relating to the fall of French Indochina to the communists. This 'domino theory' influenced many decisions taken in the US while thinking about Vietnam for many years. Earlier on in the year, it was clear to many that the French were failing to re-establish control in Vietnam, as they had lost it during World War Two. US officials were worried that a communist victory would create a new regime, controlling all or parts of Vietnam. In response to this, to gain US support for the French, Eisenhower gave a press conference, on this day.

 

The speech consisted largely of the President explaining the significance of Vietnam to the United States, firstly stating its economic importance, but also noting the possibility of their societies being forced under a dictatorship. Finally, Eisenhower discussed the domino effect, explaining that "you have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is a certainty that it will go over very quickly". However, these words lacked any direct and immediate impact, and a month later, the communists defeated Dian Bien Phu. An agreement was also reached that left communist forces in control of northern Vietnam. Despite this, Eisenhower's theory laid the basis for US involvement in Vietnam. Future Presidents, such as John F. Kennedy, also used this to justify assistance for the non-communist South Vietnam, and ultimately, the deploying of US armed forces in Vietnam. 

 

Want to find out more about Eisenhower's proposed 'domino theory'? Click here for more information.

 

April 6 - The Mormon Church is Established

This Day in History: 6 April 2020

 

6 April 1830

 

190 years ago, today, the Mormon Church, also known as The Church of Christ, was established by Joseph Smith. He had claimed 7 years prior that he had been visited by a Christian angel, named Moroni, who spoke to him of an ancient Hebrew text, apparently lost for 1,500 years. This text had also supposedly been engraved in gold plating by a Native American historian, which described the story of the Israelites living in America in ancient times. For the next few years, Smith created an English translation of this text, and in 1830, 'The Book of Mormon' was published.

 

This new religion quickly gained followers, as Smith also began to set up Mormon communities in states such as Missouri and Illinois. Despite this, the new denomination was heavily criticised for its unorthodox practises, such as polygamy. On June 27, 1844, Smith and his brother were murdered in jail by anti-Mormons. Nevertheless, Smith's successor, Brigham Young, led persecuted Mormons from Illinois along the western wagon trials in search of religious and political freedom. In 1847, this group reached the Great Salt Lake, and the pioneers began to settle here, waiting for more Mormon migrants who would follow.

 

Want to find out more about the history of Mormonism? Click here to find out more.

 

April 5 - Death of Kurt Cobain

This Day in History: 5 April 2020

 

5 April 1994

 

26 years ago, today, rock icon Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, died by suicide. His body was found inside his home three days later by Gary Smith, an electrician, who was installing a security system. His downward spiral had begun to take shape the previous month, in Italy, as he went into a coma and almost died after mixing champagne with drugs. Despite this, the public were led to believe the coma was caused by an accidental heroin overdose, as Cobain was known for his problems with the drug.

 

The police had also been called before to Cobain and his wife, Courtney Love's home in Seattle when he again threatened to kill himself. They confiscated four guns from his possession, even though Cobain had previously stated in an interview that he did not believe in guns. At the end of March, he was still ignoring his friends' and families' concerns, but did check into a rehabilitation clinic in Los Angeles, even though he did walk away on March 30. Love could not locate him for the next few days, and a private detective was hired. However, in the meantime, Cobain had convinced a friend to buy him a gun, and returned home, having ingested Valium and heroin. Just over a month after Nirvana's last concert, Kurt Cobain committed suicide by gunshot.

 

Want to find out more about Kurt Cobain's death? Click here for more information.

 

April 4 - Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

This Day in History: 4 April 2020

 

4 April 1968

 

52 years ago, today, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at his hotel in Tennessee, by a single shot fired by James Earl Ray from over 200 feet away, at a nearby motel. King unfortunately died an hour later at St. Joseph's Hospital, but his death sparked a wave of rioting in the black communities of several cities in the United States. Ray had escaped from a Missouri prison almost a year earlier, and so had used the aliases Eric Galt and John Willard to register into motels. With his Remington rifle, he shot King from a bathroom window, where King was standing on the balcony of his hotel.

 

Ray fled to Canada, and stayed there for a month, as his name was placed on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List. He travelled to London after buying a passport with a fake name and moved from hotel to hotel until authorities caught him, on June 8, at Heathrow Airport. Ray had no known record of political hatred, although he had been convicted for past small-time robberies, so many suspect he was paid to kill King, as he clearly had significant resources during the time between his capture and assassination. Still, Ray pleaded guilty before his scheduled trial, and was given a sentence of 99 years in prison, but died on April 23, 1998, serving only 29 years of his sentence.

 

Want to find out more about the death of Martin Luther King Jr.? Click here for more information.

 

April 3 - Marshall Plan Enacted

This Day in History: 3 April 2020

 

3 April 1948

 

72 years ago, today, President Harry S. Truman enacted the European Recovery Program, also known as the Marshall Plan, which helped the nations of Europe recover and rebuild due to the devastating aftermath of World War Two. It aimed to stabilise Europe's economy, but from a political point of view, it turned European nations away from the temptation of communism, in response to the spread of Soviet control in Eastern Europe. The continent was the centre of an ideological battle between the US and the Soviet Union, and this programme of Truman's helped increase the tension between the two superpowers.

 

President Truman was concerned with how, due to the war, many countries were left with no money or jobs, so communism was looking attractive to these societies, especially in France and Italy. Those in Eastern Europe had also been liberated by the Soviets from the Nazis in the war, and some even already had communist governments, like Poland and Romania. Truman feared this would happen in other countries, particularly in Greece and Turkey, as they were too poor to resist communist revolutions. So, to combat this, Truman gave $13 million to help rebuild Europe, at the same time hoping to stop communism's appeal by giving people a place in capitalism. 16 countries, including Britain and France accepted the money, but the Soviet Union criticised the programme as an attack on communism.

 

Want to find out more about the Marshall Plan? Click here for more information, or click here for a video explaining the programme. 

 

April 2 - Sverdlovsk Anthrax Incident

This Day in History: 2 April 2020

 

2 April 1979

 

41 years ago, today, the world's first anthrax epidemic begun in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Unfortunately, by the time it ended 6 weeks later, 62 people lost their lives, and another 32 gained the serious illness. The town is now known as Sverdlovsk, but during the Soviet times, it was Ekaterinburg, and it suffered livestock losses due to the disease. Initially, when the first cases were reported, the Soviet government announced that the cause of the illness was tainted meat that the victims has eaten. Since the town was known for its biological weapons plant, most of the world was sceptical of the Soviet's explanation.

 

It was not until 1992 that the epidemic was finally explained. Workers at the weapons plant had failed to replace a crucial filter, which caused the release of anthrax spores. The wind carried these to a farming area, thus infecting livestock and people. Anthrax is a type of bacteria that can enter the body through many routes and is most deadly when inhaled. The production of toxic molecules is prompted, that destroy essential proteins in the body's cells, most commonly in the lymph nodes. In the United States, in 2001, anthrax spores were used as a weapon of terror, as they were mailed to media organisations and members of the US Senate, causing 5 deaths and another 13 infected.

 

Want to find out more about the Sverdlovsk anthrax leak? Click here for more information.

 

April 1 - April Fool's Day

This Day in History: 1 April 1700

 

1 April 2020

 

320 years ago, today, English pranksters begun to popularise the annual tradition of April Fool's Day, as they played practical jokes on one another. Although this date has been celebrated for several years by many cultures, its exact origins are a mystery. 1582 is a speculated date, which was when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. People were slow to get this news or had failed to recognise the new date of new year's, and so continued to celebrate it the event during the last week of March, through April 1, causing it to become the date of jokes and hoaxes.

 

The pranks on this date included having paper fish placed on people's backs, which was referred to as 'poisson d'avril', meaning the April fish. This was also said to symbolise a young, easily hooked fish, or a gullible person. The tradition spread throughout Britain in the 18^th century, and in Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event. On the first day, they would start with 'hunting the gowk', meaning people were sent on misleading errands. Tailie Day would follow, involving pranks played on people's lower reign, such as fake tails being pinned or the popular 'kick me' signs.

 

Want to find out more about April Fool's Day and its history? Click here for more information.