January 7, 1962
President Kennedy meets with Retired US Army General Lucius Clay in the oval office at the White House.
Clay, JFK's adviser on Berlin, gave the order for the "Berlin Airlift" of 1948-1949 which allowed free West Berlin to survive a Soviet blockade of their city. He is known as "the father of the Berlin Airlift".
On May 9, 1962, the General made the statement that if West Berlin should ever be lost to the communists, "it would mean the end of the free world."
General Clay was with JFK in West Berlin in June 1963. JFK said:
"I am proud to come here in the company of my fellow American General Clay who has been in this city during its great moments of crisis."
January 7, 1953
President Truman, in his final State of the Union message, announces the development of the hydrogen bomb.
Mr. Truman ordered development of the weapon in January 1950 after an atomic explosion was detected within the Soviet Union in 1949.
January 7, 1959
The United States recognizes the new government of CUBA just 6 days after the fall of pro-American dictator Fulgencio Batista.
Even so, US officials were suspicious of the new regime & when Fidel Castro was sworn in as premier in February, they decided he should be "removed" because of his nationalization of American owned property & his ties to communists.
January 7, 1989
Showa Tenno Hirohito, Emperor of Japan for 6 decades, dies. He is the longest serving monarch in Japanese history.
After atomic bombs were used on Japan in 1945, the Emperor told his people "the unendurable must be endured".
January 7, 1789
George Washington wins the 1st Presidential Election in U.S. History. The election process was established by the new Federal Constitution which set up an "Electoral College" which exists to this day.
The 1st "electors" in 11 states were chosen by state legislatures. Pennsylvania & Maryland's "electors" were chosen by ballot.
The final vote was: Washington 69*, Adams 34, Jay 9, Hancock 4, others 22.
*At the time, each elector had 2 votes. Washington received 1 vote from each elector & thus was the "unanimous" choice.
