today’s birthday: Meyer Lansky (1902)

Meyer Lansky (1902)

Lansky was a Russian-born US gangster. After partnering with Bugsy Siegel as a young man, he joined Lucky Luciano in forming a national crime syndicate. By 1936, he ran gambling operations in Cuba and the US, and by 1970, he had amassed a fortune estimated at $300 million. In 1979, a government investigation linked Lansky with Jack Ruby, the nightclub owner who killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy. In what wartime effort did Lansky partner with the US government? More… Discuss

this day in the yesteryear: Kennedy Confirms Missile Presence in Cuba (1962)

 

English: Medium Range Ballistic Missile Launch Site 1, San Cristobal, Cuba 25 October 1962 (MRBM Launch Site 1) – Cuban missile crisis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Kennedy Confirms Missile Presence in Cuba (1962)

 

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a major Cold War confrontation that began when US reconnaissance flights uncovered Soviet missile sites in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy denounced the Soviet actions, imposed a naval blockade on Cuba, and vowed that the US would retaliate against any missile launched from Cuba. After hovering on the brink of war for several days, the two superpowers were able to reach a compromise. From which countries did the Soviets demand the withdrawal of American missiles? More… Discuss

This high-quality version of President Kennedy’s 10/22/62 Cuban Missile Crisis speech is somewhat rare, because it is complete and unedited. Usually only small bits and pieces of the speech are presented on television and in documentaries. But this is the entire 18-minute address from start to finish.

VIDEO SOURCE (NARA):
http://Amazon.com/dp/B000UWKJ0E

DOWNLOAD LINKS:
http://Archive.org/details/gov.archiv…

RELATED PROGRAM:
http://DVP-Potpourri.blogspot.com/201…

 

Related articles

• Kennedy Confirms Missile Presence in Cuba (1962)
• Air Force pilot discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba, briefed JFK, raised funds for football stadium in Hoover

This Day in the Yesteryear: “ICH BIN EIN BERLINER” (1963)

“Ich bin ein Berliner” (1963)

In 1963, US President John F. Kennedy traveled to West Berlin to show support for those living behind the Berlin Wall, hemmed in by Soviet-controlled East Germany. Considered a key moment in the Cold War, Kennedy’s speech boosted morale for West Germans, who feared Communist occupation. Kennedy was apparently coached on the pronunciation of the famous line “Ich bin ein Berliner”—”I am a Berliner”—just before taking the stage. Why has it been reported that he in fact said “I am a jelly doughnut”? More…Discuss

 

This Day in the Yesteryear: PEACE CORPS ESTABLISHED (1961)

Peace Corps Established (1961)

In his inaugural address, US President John F. Kennedy famously tasked Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Months later, he gave them the opportunity. Kennedy created the Peace Corps to promote diplomacy and counter foreign stereotypes of Americans by sending skilled volunteers to serve abroad, and since 1961, more than 200,000 people have served in nearly 140 countries. What postcard sparked a controversy in the program’s first year? More… Discuss

Related articles

• Joe Kennedy III introduces first bill in Congress (wickedlocal.com)