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Sunday, December 8, 2013

JFK CONGRATULATES TANGANYIKA

December 8, 2013

JFK CONGRATULATES TANGANYIKA

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy sent a message of congratulations 51 years ago today, December 8, 1962, to President Julius K. Nyerere on the establishment of the Republic of Tanganyika.*



                 Embassy of Tanzania
                      1232 22nd St. NW
                      Washington, D.C.
                          Sept 27, 2011
                 Photo by John White

*The Republic of Tanganyika, which had gained independence from the UK in 1961, joined with the islands of Zanzibar to become the Republic of Tanzania on April 26, 1964.

Tanzania is located in East Africa on the Indian Ocean.  It is home to the continent's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tanzania had a population of nearly 45 million in 2012 and her largest city is Dar es Salaam with 4.4 million people.

The national language is Swahili.




President Julius Nyerere**
with President and Mrs. Carter
August 4, 1977
NARA Photo

**Julius Nyerere (1922-1999) served as president of Tanganyika and Tanzania from 1961 to 1985.  He graduated from Makerere University in Kampala and the University of Edinburg.


HONEY FITZ'S WILL FILED 

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) The former mayor of the city of Boston, John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, left an estate of $76,000 according to his will filed in Suffolk probate court 63 years ago today, December 8, 1950.

The Fitzgerald estate was to be divided between his widow, Mary Fitzgerald, and sons John Jr. and Tom.

The mayor's daughter, Rose Kennedy, was designated as the executrix.

Rose, however, was left "no part of the estate" for reasons "best known" to her father.

Mr. Fitzgerald passed away at the age of 87 on October 2, 1950.  He lived to see his grandson Jack, who he predicted would one day be president of the United States, elected to Congress.





SOURCE

"The Kennedys: A Chronological History" by Harvey Rachlin, World Almanac, 1986.


USA DECLARES WAR 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress 72 years ago today, December 8, 1941, following the previous day's attack  on the Hawaiian Islands by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.



               FDR's Address to Congress
                       December 8, 1941

FDR concluded his address by saying...

"No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

With confidence in our armed forces- with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God."*

The Congress overwhelmingly approved a war declaration on Japan.  The United States of America officially entered the Second World War.

Americans rallied behind the President and sang...


Let's remember Pearl Harbor
As we go to meet the foe
Let's remember Pearl Harbor
As we did the Alamo

We will always remember
How they died for liberty
Let's remember Pearl Harbor
And go on to victory.

Lyrics by Don Reid and Sammy Kaye (1941)