HOT LINE IS "HOT"
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The telephone "hot line" between the Pentagon & the Kremlin was activated for the 1st time today.
Earlier in June, the hot line agreement was signed by representatives of the United States & USSR.
The agreement came in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 when the world came close to nuclear war.
The White House issued a statement today saying the hotline will "help reduce the risk of war occurring by accident or miscalculation."
The 1st test message sent over the wires today from Washington was: "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back 1234567890."
Kennedy Hotline
August 30, 1965
METS MANAGER CASEY STENGEL RETIRES
New York City (JFK+50) Long-time major league baseball player & manager Casey Stengel announced his retirement today ending a 56 year career.
Stengel, 75 years old, replaced Joe McCarthy as manager of the New York Yankees in 1949. He went on to post a record of 1149 wins & 696 losses over 12 seasons while winning 10 American League pennants & 7 World Series.
Stengel was fired as manager of the Yankees at the age of 70 because they thought he was "too old" to manage.
Stengel, in his classic style, said: "I'll never make the mistake of being 70 again."*
*In 1960 at the Al Smith Dinner in New York, JFK said "The worst news for the Republicans this week was that Casey Stengel had been fired. It just shows past experience doesn't count." (Nixon was saying in the campaign that JFK lacked the experience to be President).
Casey Stengel
New York Yankees Manager (1953)
August 30, 1969
HO CHI MINH RESPONDS TO NIXON'S LETTER
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Ho Chi Minh responded to President Richard M. Nixon's letter of July 15 today.
In the reply, the leader of North Vietnam accuses the United States of fighting "a war of aggression" & is "violating our fundamental national rights."
Ho demands in the letter that the US withdraw its forces from Vietnam & allow his people "self-determination".*
*Nixon does not reveal the contents of the letter until November 3.
Ho Chi Minh (1946)
August 30, 1983
BLUFORD BECOMES FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN IN SPACE
Cape Canaveral, Florida (JFK+50) Lt. Col. Guion S. Bluford of the United States Air Force became the 1st African-American to be launched into outer space today.
Lt. Col Bluford, a mission specialist, was launched with his fellow astronauts aboard the space shuttle Challenger from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 2:32 a.m.
Bluford holds a PhD in the philosophy of Aeronautical Engineering from the US Air Force Institute of Technology.*
Lt. Col. Guion S. Bluford
NASA Photo
August 30, 1918
LENIN SHOT BY SOCIAL REVOLUTIONARY
Moscow, USSR (JFK+50) Leader of the Communist revolution in Russia, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, was shot here in Moscow today after giving a speech at a factory.
The shooter has been identified as Fanya Kaplan, a member of the Social Revolutionary Party.
Lenin is reported to be seriously wounded but is expected to survive.*
*The retaliations for the attack on Lenin will be called "the Red Terror".
Vladimir Llyich Lenin
August 30, 30 B.C.
CLEOPATRA, QUEEN OF EGYPT, DEAD BY SUICIDE
Alexandria, Egypt (JFK+50) Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, committed suicide today following the defeat of her forces against Octavian.*
*It is believed Cleopatra died by the bite of an asp (Egyptian Cobra) & symbol of divine royalty. In 27 BC, Octavian became Augustus, ruling Egypt until his death in 14 A.D.
"Death of Cleopatra"
by Reginald Arthur
