{"id":56564,"date":"2015-04-20T12:00:51","date_gmt":"2015-04-20T11:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=56564"},"modified":"2015-05-05T21:25:50","modified_gmt":"2015-05-05T20:25:50","slug":"this-week-in-history-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2015\/04\/this-week-in-history-20\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in History"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apr 20-26 <\/em><\/p>\n

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should<\/em>.\u201d<\/a> (Quoted from Desiderata<\/a><\/em>) – Max Ehrmann<\/p>\n

APRIL 20<\/strong><\/p>\n

1998\u00a0 <\/strong>German terrorist group the Red Army Faction<\/a> announces their dissolution after 28 years.<\/p>\n

1986\u00a0 <\/strong>Pianist Vladimir Horowitz<\/a> performs in his native Russia for the first time in 61 years.<\/p>\n

1986<\/strong>\u00a0 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.<\/p>\n

1980\u00a0 <\/strong>Climax of Berber Spring<\/a> in Algeria<\/a> as hundreds of Berber<\/a> political activists are arrested.<\/p>\n

1978\u00a0 <\/strong>Korean Air Lines Flight 902<\/a> is shot down by the Soviet Union<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1967\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1961\u00a0 <\/strong>Failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion<\/a> of US-backed Cuban exiles against Cuba<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1951\u00a0 <\/strong>US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enwetak.<\/p>\n

1951\u00a0 <\/strong>Dan Gavriliu<\/a> performs the first surgical replacement of a human organ.<\/p>\n

1946\u00a0 <\/strong>The League of Nations<\/a> officially dissolves, giving most of its power to the United Nations<\/a>. Visit the following websites, for instance,<\/p>\n

– League of Nations<\/a><\/p>\n

– <\/strong>League of Nations: International organization<\/a><\/p>\n

– Infoplease.com: League of Nations<\/a><\/p>\n

– Teaching Eleanor Roosevelt Glossary: League of Nations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>Twenty Jewish children used in medical experiments at Neuengamme<\/a> are killed in the basement of the Bullenhuser Damm<\/a> school.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II: F\u00fchrerbunker<\/a>: Adolf Hitler<\/a> makes his last trip to the surface to award Iron Crosses<\/a> to boy soldiers of the Hitler Youth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II<\/a>: US troops capture Leipzig<\/a>, Germany, only to later cede the city to the Soviet Union<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1939\u00a0 <\/strong>Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday<\/a> is celebrated as a national holiday in Nazi Germany.<\/p>\n

1922\u00a0 <\/strong>The Soviet<\/a> government creates South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast<\/a> within Georgian SSR<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1918\u00a0 <\/strong>Manfred von Richthofen<\/a>, a.k.a. The Red Baron, shoots down his 79th and 80th victims, his final victories before his death the following day.<\/p>\n

1902\u00a0 <\/strong>Pierre<\/a> and Marie Curie<\/a> refine radium<\/a> chloride<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1884\u00a0 <\/strong>Pope Leo XIII<\/a> publishes the encyclical<\/a> Humanum genus<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

1876\u00a0 <\/strong>The April Uprising<\/a>, a key point in modern Bulgarian history, leading to the Russo-Turkish War<\/a> and the liberation of Bulgaria from domination as an independent part of the Ottoman Empire<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1871\u00a0 <\/strong>The Civil Rights Act of 1871<\/a> becomes law.<\/p>\n

1865\u00a0 <\/strong>Astronomer Pietro Angelo Secchi<\/a> demonstrates the Secchi disk<\/a>, which measures water clarity, aboard Pope Pius IX<\/a>‘s yacht, the L’Immaculata Concezion<\/em>.<\/p>\n

1862\u00a0 <\/strong>Louis Pasteur<\/a> and Claude Bernard<\/a> complete the experiment falsifying the theory of spontaneous generation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

APRIL 21<\/strong><\/p>\n

2010\u00a0 <\/strong>The controversial Kharkiv Pact<\/a> (Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas Treaty) is signed in Kharkiv<\/a>, Ukraine, by Ukrainian President<\/a> Viktor Yanukovych<\/a> and Russian President<\/a> Dimitry Medvedev<\/a>; it will be unilaterally terminated by Russia on March 31, 2014.<\/p>\n

1992\u00a0 <\/strong>The first discoveries of extrasolar planets<\/a> are announced by astronomers<\/a> Alexander Wolszczan<\/a> and Dale Frail<\/a>. They discovered two planets orbiting the pulsar PSR 1257+12.<\/p>\n

1989\u00a0 <\/strong>Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989<\/a>: In Beijing<\/a>, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square<\/a> to commemorate Chinese<\/a> reform leader Hu Yaobang<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1981\u00a0 <\/strong>US furnish $1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia. Visit the following websites, for instance:<\/p>\n

– The AWACS Sale: Prospects for US Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Saudi Arabia \u2013 United States relations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– U.S. Exports Arms to the World<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1976\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1975\u00a0 <\/strong>Vietnam War<\/a>: President<\/a> of South Vietnam<\/a> Nguyen Van Thieu<\/a> flees Saigon<\/a>, as Xuan Loc<\/a>, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese<\/a> assault on Saigon, falls.<\/p>\n

1967\u00a0 <\/strong>Greek military junta of 1967\u201374<\/a>: A few days before the general election<\/a> in Greece<\/a>, Colonel<\/a> George Papadopoulos<\/a> leads a coup d’\u00e9tat<\/a>, establishing a military regime<\/a> that lasts for seven years.<\/p>\n

1966\u00a0 <\/strong>Rastafari movement<\/a>: Haile Selassie<\/a> of Ethiopia<\/a> visits Jamaica<\/a>, an event now celebrated as Grounation Day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1960\u00a0 <\/strong>Bras\u00edlia<\/a>, Brazil<\/a>‘s capital<\/a>, is officially inaugurated. At 09:30, the Three Powers of the Republic are simultaneously transferred from the old capital, Rio de Janeiro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II: Soviet<\/a> forces south of Berlin<\/a> at Zossen<\/a> attack the German<\/a> High Command<\/a> headquarters.<\/p>\n

1925\u00a0 <\/strong>The Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals<\/a> is published in Il Mondo<\/em>, establishing the political and ideological foundations of Italian Fascism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1918\u00a0 <\/strong>World War I<\/a>: German<\/a> fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen<\/a>, better known as “The Red Baron<\/a>“, is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme<\/a> in France<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1914\u00a0 <\/strong>Ypiranga incident<\/a>: A German arms shipment to Mexico is intercepted by the U.S. Navy near Veracruz, Veracruz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1898\u00a0 <\/strong>Spanish\u2013American War<\/a>: The United States Navy<\/a> begins a blockade<\/a> of Cuban<\/a> ports. When the U.S. Congress<\/a> issued a declaration of war<\/a> on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.<\/p>\n

1894\u00a0 <\/strong>Norway<\/a> formally adopts the Krag-J\u00f8rgensen<\/a> bolt-action rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.<\/p>\n

1863\u00a0 <\/strong>Bah\u00e1’u’ll\u00e1h<\/a>, the founder of the Bah\u00e1’\u00ed Faith<\/a>, declares his mission as “He whom God shall make manifest<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

1836\u00a0 <\/strong>Texas Revolution<\/a>: The Battle of San Jacinto<\/a>: Republic of Texas<\/a> forces under Sam Houston<\/a> defeat troops under Mexican<\/a> General<\/a> Antonio L\u00f3pez de Santa Anna<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1821\u00a0 <\/strong>Benderli Ali Pasha<\/a> arrives in Constantinople as the new Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire<\/a>; he remains in power for only nine days before being sent into exile.<\/p>\n

1809\u00a0 <\/strong>Two Austrian<\/a> army corps are driven from Landshut<\/a> by a First French Empire<\/a> army led by Napoleon I of France<\/a> as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the Battle of Eckm\u00fchl<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1806\u00a0 <\/strong>Action of 21 April 1806<\/a>: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast of South Africa.<\/p>\n

1792\u00a0 <\/strong>Tiradentes<\/a>, a revolutionary<\/a> leading a movement for Brazil’s independence<\/a>, is hanged, drawn and quartered<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1782\u00a0 <\/strong>The city of Rattanakosin, now known internationally as Bangkok<\/a>, is founded<\/a> on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

APRIL 22<\/strong><\/p>\n

1997\u00a0 <\/strong>Haouch Khemisti massacre<\/a> in Algeria<\/a> \u2013 93 villagers killed.<\/p>\n

1981\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1972\u00a0 <\/strong>Vietnam War<\/a>: Increased American bombing in Vietnam<\/a> prompts anti-war protests<\/a> in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco.<\/p>\n

1970\u00a0 <\/strong>The first Earth Day<\/a> is celebrated.<\/p>\n

1966<\/strong>\u00a0 USSR performs underground nuclear test.<\/p>\n

1954\u00a0 <\/strong>Red Scare<\/a>: Witnesses begin testifying and live television coverage of the Army\u2013McCarthy hearings<\/a> begins.<\/p>\n

1951\u00a0 <\/strong>Korean War<\/a>: The Chinese People’s Volunteer Army<\/a> begin assaulting positions defended by the Royal Australian Regiment<\/a> and the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry<\/a> at the Battle of Kapyong<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1948\u00a0 <\/strong>1948 Arab\u2013Israeli War<\/a>: Haifa<\/a>, a major port of Israel<\/a>, is captured from Arab forces<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II: F\u00fchrerbunker<\/a>: After learning that Soviet<\/a> forces have taken Eberswalde<\/a> without a fight, Adolf Hitler<\/a> admits defeat in his underground bunker and states that suicide<\/a> is his only recourse.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II: Prisoners at the Jasenovac concentration camp<\/a> revolt. Five hundred twenty are killed and 80 escape.<\/p>\n

For the Jasenovac [pronounced \u201cyah-say-noh-vah-ts\u201d] camp, visit the following websites, for instance:<\/p>\n

– Holocaust Encyclopedia: Jasenovac<\/a><\/p>\n

– The Jasenovac Extermination Camp: \u201cTerror in Croatia\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

– Concentration Camps: Jasenovac<\/a><\/p>\n

– What was Jasenovac?<\/a><\/p>\n

1944\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II<\/a>: Operation Persecution<\/a> is initiated \u2013 Allied<\/a> forces land in the Hollandia<\/a> (currently known as Jayapura) area of New Guinea<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1944\u00a0 <\/strong>The 1st Air Commando Group<\/a> using Sikorsky R-4<\/a> helicopters stage the first use of helicopters in combat<\/a> with combat search and rescue<\/a> operations in the China-Burma-India theater<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1930\u00a0 <\/strong>The United Kingdom, Japan and the United States sign the London Naval Treaty<\/a> regulating submarine<\/a> warfare and limiting shipbuilding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1915\u00a0 <\/strong>The use of poison gas in World War I<\/a> escalates when chlorine gas<\/a> is released as a chemical weapon<\/a> in the Second Battle of Ypres<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1912\u00a0 <\/strong>Pravda<\/a><\/em>, the “voice” of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union<\/a>, begins publication in Saint Petersburg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1911<\/strong>\u00a0 Tsinghua University<\/a>, one of mainland China<\/a>‘s leading universities, is founded.<\/p>\n

1898\u00a0 <\/strong>Spanish\u2013American War<\/a>: The USS\u00a0Nashville<\/em><\/a> captures a Spanish merchant ship.<\/p>\n

1864\u00a0 <\/strong>The U.S. Congress<\/a> passes the Coinage Act of 1864<\/a> that mandates that the inscription In God We Trust<\/em> be placed on all coins minted as United States currency<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

APRIL 23<\/strong><\/p>\n

1997\u00a0 <\/strong>Omaria massacre<\/a> in Algeria<\/a>: Forty-two villagers are killed.<\/p>\n

1993\u00a0 <\/strong>Sri Lankan<\/a> politician Lalith Athulathmudali<\/a> is assassinated<\/a> while addressing a gathering, approximately four weeks ahead of the Provincial Council elections for the Western Province<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1993\u00a0 <\/strong>Eritreans<\/a> vote overwhelmingly for independence from Ethiopia<\/a> in a United Nations<\/a>-monitored referendum.<\/p>\n

1990\u00a0 <\/strong>Namibia<\/a> becomes the 160th member of the United Nations<\/a> and the 50th member of the Commonwealth of Nations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1978\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1974\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR.<\/p>\n

1971\u00a0 <\/strong>Bangladesh Liberation War<\/a>: The Pakistan Army<\/a> and Razakars<\/a> massacre<\/a> approximately 3,000 Hindu<\/a> emigrants in the Jathibhanga area of East Pakistan<\/a> (now Bangladesh<\/a>).<\/p>\n

1968\u00a0 <\/strong>Vietnam War<\/a>: Student protesters at Columbia University<\/a> in New York City<\/a> take over administration buildings and shut down the university<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1961\u00a0 <\/strong>Algiers putsch<\/a> by French generals.<\/p>\n

1949\u00a0 <\/strong>Chinese Civil War<\/a>: Establishment of the People’s Liberation Army Navy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II: Adolf Hitler<\/a>‘s designated successor Hermann G\u00f6ring<\/a> sends him a telegram<\/a> asking permission to take leadership of the Third Reich<\/a>, which causes Hitler to replace him with Joseph Goebbels<\/a> and Karl D\u00f6nitz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Hermann G\u00f6ring quotes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Hermann G\u00f6ring wikiquotes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– History: Joseph Goebbels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Jewish Virtual Library: Joseph Goebbels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– World War II: Grand Admiral Karl D\u00f6nitz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Jewish Virtual Library: Karl D\u00f6nitz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1942<\/strong>\u00a0 World War II: Baedeker Blitz<\/a> \u2013 German<\/a> bombers hit Exeter<\/a>, Bath<\/a> and York<\/a> in retaliation for the British raid on L\u00fcbeck<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1941\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II<\/a>: The Greek government and King George II<\/a> evacuate Athens<\/a> before the invading Wehrmacht<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1920\u00a0 <\/strong>The Grand National Assembly of Turkey<\/a> (TBMM) is founded in Ankara<\/a>, Turkey<\/a>. It denounces the government of Sultan<\/a> Mehmed VI<\/a> and announces the preparation of a temporary constitution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1918\u00a0 <\/strong>World War I<\/a>: The British Royal Navy<\/a> makes a raid<\/a> in an attempt to neutralise the Belgian<\/a> port of Bruges-Zeebrugge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1910<\/strong>\u00a0 American President<\/a> Theodore Roosevelt<\/a> makes his “The Man in the Arena<\/a>” speech.<\/p>\n

1815\u00a0 <\/strong>The Second Serbian Uprising<\/a>: A second phase of the national revolution of the Serbs against the Ottoman Empire<\/a>, erupts shortly after the annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

APRIL 24<\/strong><\/p>\n

2004\u00a0 <\/strong>The United States lifts economic sanctions<\/a> imposed on Libya<\/a> 18 years previously, as a reward for its cooperation in eliminating weapons of mass destruction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1996\u00a0 <\/strong>In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996<\/a> is passed into law. For this issue, visit the following websites, for instance.<\/p>\n

–<\/strong> Articles: terrorism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Punishment for terrorism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Execute Terrorists at Our Own Risks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

– Death penalty: the wrong answer for terrorism. Executing people for terrorism can make them martyrs and embolden their followers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1993\u00a0 <\/strong>An IRA<\/a> bomb devastates the Bishopsgate area<\/a> of London.<\/p>\n

1990\u00a0 <\/strong>Gruinard Island<\/a>, Scotland<\/a>, is officially declared free of the anthrax disease<\/a> after 48 years of quarantine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1990\u00a0 <\/strong>STS-31<\/a>: The Hubble Space Telescope<\/a> is launched from the Space Shuttle<\/a> Discovery<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

1980\u00a0 <\/strong>Eight U.S. servicemen die in Operation Eagle Claw<\/a> as they attempt to end the Iran hostage crisis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1975\u00a0 <\/strong>US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.<\/p>\n

1970\u00a0 <\/strong>The Gambia<\/a> becomes a republic<\/a> within the Commonwealth of Nations<\/a>, with Dawda Jawara<\/a> as the first President<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1970\u00a0 <\/strong>The first Chinese<\/a> satellite<\/a>, Dong Fang Hong I<\/a>, is launched.<\/p>\n

1968\u00a0 <\/strong>Mauritius<\/a> becomes a member state of the United Nations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1968\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1967\u00a0 <\/strong>Vietnam War<\/a>: American General<\/a> William Westmoreland<\/a> says in a news conference that the enemy had “gained support in the United States that gives him hope that he can win politically that which he cannot win militarily.”<\/p>\n

1965\u00a0 <\/strong>Civil war breaks out in the Dominican Republic<\/a> when Colonel Francisco Caama\u00f1o<\/a>, overthrows the triumvirate<\/a> that had been in power since the coup d’\u00e9tat<\/a> against Juan Bosch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1963\u00a0 <\/strong>US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.<\/p>\n

1957\u00a0 <\/strong>Suez Crisis<\/a>: The Suez Canal<\/a> is reopened following the introduction of UNEF<\/a> peacekeepers to the region.<\/p>\n

1955\u00a0 <\/strong>The Bandung Conference<\/a> ends: Twenty-nine non-aligned nations of Asia<\/a> and Africa<\/a> finish a meeting that condemns colonialism<\/a>, racism<\/a>, and the Cold War<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1933\u00a0 <\/strong>Nazi Germany<\/a> begins its persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses<\/a> by shutting down the Watch Tower Society<\/a> office in Magdeburg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1926\u00a0 <\/strong>The Treaty of Berlin<\/a> is signed. Germany and the Soviet Union<\/a> each pledge neutrality in the event of an attack on the other by a third party for the next five years.<\/p>\n

1923\u00a0 <\/strong>In Vienna, the paper Das Ich und das Es<\/em> (The Ego and the Id<\/a>) by Sigmund Freud<\/a> is published, which outlines Freud’s theories of the id, ego, and super-ego<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1922\u00a0 <\/strong>The first segment of the Imperial Wireless Chain<\/a> providing wireless telegraphy<\/a> between Leafield<\/a> in Oxfordshire<\/a>, England<\/a>, and Cairo<\/a>, Egypt<\/a>, comes into operation.<\/p>\n

1918\u00a0 <\/strong>First tank-to-tank combat, at Villers-Bretonneux<\/a>, France<\/a>, when three British Mark IVs<\/a> meet three German<\/a> A7Vs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1916\u00a0 <\/strong>Ernest Shackleton<\/a> and five men of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition<\/a> launch a lifeboat from uninhabited Elephant Island<\/a> in the Southern Ocean<\/a> to organise a rescue for the ice-trapped ship Endurance<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

1916\u00a0 <\/strong>Easter Rising<\/a>: The Irish Republican Brotherhood<\/a> led by nationalists<\/a> Patrick Pearse<\/a>, James Connolly<\/a>, and Joseph Plunkett<\/a> starts a rebellion in Ireland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1915\u00a0 <\/strong>The arrest of 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders<\/a> in Istanbul<\/a> marks the beginning of the Armenian Genocide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1914\u00a0 <\/strong>The Franck\u2013Hertz experiment<\/a>, a pillar of quantum mechanics<\/a>, is presented to the German Physical Society<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1904\u00a0 <\/strong>The Lithuanian press ban<\/a> is lifted after almost 40 years.<\/p>\n

1877\u00a0 <\/strong>Russo-Turkish War<\/a>: Russian Empire<\/a> declares war on Ottoman Empire<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

APRIL 25<\/strong><\/p>\n

2005\u00a0 <\/strong>Bulgaria<\/a> and Romania<\/a> sign accession treaties to join the European Union<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1990\u00a0 <\/strong>Violeta Chamorro<\/a> takes office as the President of Nicaragua<\/a>, the first woman to hold the position.<\/p>\n

1988\u00a0 <\/strong>In Israel<\/a>, John Demjanuk<\/a> is sentenced to death for war crimes<\/a> committed in World War II.<\/p>\n

1984\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1983\u00a0 <\/strong>American schoolgirl<\/a> Samantha Smith<\/a> is invited to visit the Soviet Union<\/a> by its leader Yuri Andropov<\/a> after he read her letter in which she expressed fears about nuclear war<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1982\u00a0 <\/strong>Israel<\/a> completes its withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula<\/a> per the Camp David Accords<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1982\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1981\u00a0 <\/strong>More than 100 workers are exposed to radiation during repairs of a nuclear power plant<\/a> in Tsuruga<\/a>, Japan.<\/p>\n

For exposure of people to radioactivity, visit the following websites, for instance:<\/p>\n

How Fracking Is Exposing People to Radioactive Waste<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Radioactive Iodine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Radiation Exposure: Medline Plus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Health Effects: Radiation Protection<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1980\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1977\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1975\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs underground nuclear test.<\/p>\n

1975\u00a0 <\/strong>As North Vietnamese<\/a> forces close in on the South Vietnamese<\/a> capital<\/a> Saigon<\/a>, the Australian Embassy<\/a> is closed and evacuated, almost ten years to the day since the first Australian troop commitment to South Vietnam<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1974\u00a0 <\/strong>Carnation Revolution<\/a>: A leftist military coup<\/a> in Portugal overthrows the fascist Estado Novo<\/a><\/em> regime and establishes a democratic government.<\/p>\n

1972\u00a0 <\/strong>Vietnam War<\/a>: Nguyen Hue Offensive \u2013 The North Vietnamese<\/a> 320th Division forces 5,000 South Vietnamese<\/a> troops to retreat and traps about 2,500 others northwest of Kontum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1971\u00a0 <\/strong>USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh\/Semipalitinsk, USSR.<\/p>\n

1962\u00a0 <\/strong>US resumes above ground nuclear testing, at Christmas Island.<\/p>\n

1960\u00a0 <\/strong>The U.S. Navy<\/a> submarine USS\u00a0Triton<\/em><\/a> completes the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1954\u00a0 <\/strong>The first practical solar cell<\/a> is publicly demonstrated by Bell Telephone Laboratories<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1954\u00a0 <\/strong>US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Bikini Island atmosphere. Visit United States Nuclear Tests by Date<\/a> and List of nuclear weapons tests<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1953\u00a0 <\/strong>Francis Crick<\/a> and James D. Watson<\/a> publish “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid<\/a>” describing the double helix<\/a> structure of DNA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1951\u00a0 <\/strong>Korean War<\/a>: Assaulting Chinese forces are forced to withdraw after heavy fighting with UN forces, primarily made up of Australian and Canadian troops, at the Battle of Kapyong<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>The last German troops retreat from Finland’s soil in Lapland, ending the Lapland War<\/a>. Military acts of Second World War end in Finland.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>Fifty nations gather in San Francisco, California<\/a> to begin the United Nations Conference on International Organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>Liberation Day (Italy)<\/a>: The Nazi<\/a> occupation army surrenders and leaves Northern Italy after a general partisan insurrection by the Italian resistance movement<\/a>; the puppet fascist regime<\/a> dissolves and Benito Mussolini<\/a> is captured after trying to escape. This day was set as a public holiday<\/a> to celebrate the Liberation of Italy.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>Elbe Day<\/a>: United States<\/a> and Soviet<\/a> troops meet in Torgau<\/a> along the River Elbe<\/a>, cutting the Wehrmacht<\/a><\/em> of Nazi Germany<\/a> in two, a milestone in the approaching end of World War II in Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1944\u00a0 <\/strong>The United Negro College Fund<\/a> is incorporated.<\/p>\n

1943\u00a0 <\/strong>The Demyansk Shield<\/a> for German troops in commemoration of Demyansk Pocket<\/a> is instituted.<\/p>\n

1920\u00a0 <\/strong>At the San Remo conference<\/a>, the principal Allied Powers of World War I<\/a> adopt a resolution to determine the allocation of Class “A” League of Nations mandates<\/a> for administration of the former Ottoman<\/a>-ruled lands of the Middle East.<\/p>\n

1916\u00a0 <\/strong>Anzac Day<\/a> is commemorated for the first time on the first anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove.<\/p>\n

1916\u00a0 <\/strong>Easter Rebellion<\/a>: The United Kingdom declares martial law<\/a> in Ireland.<\/p>\n

1915\u00a0 <\/strong>World War I<\/a>: The Battle of Gallipoli<\/a> begins\u2014The invasion of the Turkish Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian, British, French and New Zealand troops begins with landings at Anzac Cove<\/a> and Cape Helles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1898<\/strong>\u00a0 Spanish\u2013American War<\/a>: The United States declares war on Spain.<\/p>\n

1882\u00a0 <\/strong>Tonkin Campaign<\/a>: French<\/a> and Vietnamese<\/a> troops clashed in Tonkin<\/a>, when Commandant Henri Rivi\u00e8re<\/a> seized<\/a> the citadel of Hanoi<\/a> with a small force of marine infantry.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

APRIL 26<\/strong><\/p>\n

2005\u00a0 <\/strong>Under international pressure, Syria<\/a> withdraws the last of its 14,000 troop military garrison in Lebanon<\/a>, ending its 29-year military domination of that country (Syrian occupation of Lebanon<\/a>).<\/p>\n

1989\u00a0 <\/strong>People’s Daily<\/a><\/em> publishes the People’s Daily editorial of April 26<\/a> which inflames the nascent Tiananmen Square protests<\/a><\/p>\n

1986\u00a0 <\/strong>A nuclear reactor accident occurs at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant<\/a> in the Soviet Union<\/a> (now Ukraine<\/a>), creating the world’s worst nuclear disaster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Visit the following pertinent websites, among many others.<\/p>\n

Chernobyl Accident 1986<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Chernobyl: Capping a Catastrophe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Watch: What Chernobyl looks like now \u2013 from a drone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At Chernobyl, Hints of Nature\u2019s Adaptation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Do Animals in Chernobyl\u2019s Fallout Zone Glow?<\/a><\/p>\n

1981\u00a0 <\/strong>Dr. Michael R. Harrison<\/a> of the University of California, San Francisco<\/a> Medical Center performs the world’s first human open fetal surgery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1973\u00a0 <\/strong>US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.<\/p>\n

1970\u00a0 <\/strong>The Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization<\/a> enters into force.<\/p>\n

1968\u00a0 <\/strong>US underground nuclear test, “Boxcar,” 1 megaton device.<\/p>\n

1966\u00a0 <\/strong>A new government is formed in the Republic of Congo<\/a>, led by Ambroise Noumazalaye<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1964\u00a0 <\/strong>Tanganyika<\/a> and Zanzibar<\/a> merge to form Tanzania<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1963\u00a0 <\/strong>In Libya<\/a>, amendments to the constitution transform Libya (United Kingdom of Libya) into one national unity (Kingdom of Libya<\/a>) and allows for female participation in elections.<\/p>\n

1960\u00a0 <\/strong>Forced out by the April Revolution<\/a>, President of South Korea<\/a> Syngman Rhee<\/a> resigns after twelve years of dictatorial rule.<\/p>\n

1954\u00a0 <\/strong>The Geneva Conference<\/a>, an effort to restore peace in Indochina<\/a> and Korea<\/a>, begins.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II: Filipino troops of the 66th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL and the American troops of the 33rd and 37th Infantry Division, United States Army are liberated in Baguio City<\/a> and they fight against the Japanese forces under General Tomoyuki Yamashita<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1945\u00a0 <\/strong>World War II<\/a>: Battle of Bautzen<\/a> \u2013 last successful German tank-offensive of the war and last noteworthy victory of the Wehrmacht<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1944\u00a0 <\/strong>Heinrich Kreipe<\/a> is captured by Allied commandos in occupied Crete<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1944\u00a0 <\/strong>Georgios Papandreou<\/a> becomes head of the Greek government-in-exile based in Egypt<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1943\u00a0 <\/strong>The Easter Riots<\/a> break out in Uppsala<\/a>, Sweden<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1937\u00a0 <\/strong>Spanish Civil War<\/a>: Guernica<\/a> (or Gernika in Basque<\/a>), Spain<\/a> is bombed<\/a> by German<\/a> Luftwaffe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1933\u00a0 <\/strong>The Gestapo<\/a>, the official secret police force<\/a> of Nazi Germany<\/a>, is established.<\/p>\n

1925\u00a0 <\/strong>Paul von Hindenburg<\/a> defeats Wilhelm Marx<\/a> in the second round of the German presidential election<\/a> to become the first directly elected head of state<\/a> of the Weimar Republic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1805\u00a0 <\/strong>First Barbary War<\/a>: United States Marines<\/a> captured<\/a> Derne<\/a> under the command of First Lieutenant<\/a> Presley O’Bannon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1803\u00a0 <\/strong>Thousands of meteor<\/a> fragments fall<\/a> from the skies of L’Aigle<\/a>, France; the event convinces European science that meteors exist.<\/p>\n

1802\u00a0 <\/strong>Napoleon Bonaparte<\/a> signs a general amnesty to allow all but about one thousand of the most notorious \u00e9migr\u00e9s<\/a> of the French Revolution<\/a> to return to France<\/a>, as part of a reconciliary gesture with the factions of the Ancien R\u00e9gime<\/a> and to eventually consolidate his own rule.<\/p>\n

_________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n

Satoshi Ashikaga is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment originally from Japan.<\/em><\/p>\n

(Sources and references:<\/em><\/strong> http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/April_20<\/a> to 26; http:\/\/www.historyorb.com\/events\/april\/20<\/a> to 26; http:\/\/www.brainyhistory.com\/days\/april_20.html<\/a> to 26; and other pertinent websites and documents, mentioned above.) <\/strong>Note that the views expressed in the cited or quoted websites and\/or documents in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the editor\/complier of this article. These websites and\/or documents are cited or quoted for academic or educational purposes.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Apr 20-26 – QUOTE OF THE WEEK: \u201cYou are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.\u201d (Quoted from Desiderata) – Max Ehrmann<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[148],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56564\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}