1st

2nd

In 1957, the fanatical anti-communist, right wing US politician Joseph McCarthy died and went on to accuse the devil of being a secret red.

3rd

Golda Meir Russian-born Israeli prime minister was born on this day in 1998

4th

Josip Broz Tito died today in 1980 leaving behind him a country soon to be engulfed in ethnic hatred.

5th

1751: Portuguese foreign secretary Sebastia Pombal curbed the power of the Inquisition in Pertugal by decreeing that no auto da fé should take place without government approval.

6th

Maxamilen francois Robespierre French revolutionary leader and main istigator of what became known as 'The Terror' was  born today in 1758.

7th

Nelson Mandela Signs New S. Africa Constitution in 1996 outlawing discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sex, age, and religion, and outlawing capital punishment and abortion.

8th

In 1892; A ban was imposed on natives of the Congo, prohibiting them from collecting rubber and ivory other than for the state. For more info look up What Happened All Those Years Ago  

9th

Freya Stark, English traveler, mountaineer, and writer dies in 1993:   Read about this extraordinary woman @ 'The Footsteps of Freya Stark' website.

10th

ANC's Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa today in 1994: 

11th

Edgar the Peaceful was crowned at Bath as King of all England today in 973; he then went to Chester, where eight Scottish and Welsh kings rowed him on the Dee. 

12th

in 1965; West Germany established diplomatic relations with Israel; Arab states then broke off relations with Bonn.

13th

It's 1643 and the English Civil war is beginning to turn against the monarchy and the Royalists when Oliver Cromwell defeated them at Grantham, England.

14th

Born today in 1771, one of the truly great social reformers.  Robert Owen.  Every social movement, every real advance in England on behalf of the workers links itself on to the name of this great Welshman.

15th

1990:  Home-produced beef was banned in UK schools and hospitals as a result of concern over 'mad-cow disease' (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE)

16th

1949: Chinese Nationalists organized a Supreme Council under Chiang Kai-shek., which began to remove forces to Formosa.

17th

1885: Germany annexed Northern Papua New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago in the southwest Pacific. 

18th

A group of scientists in a specially convened Royal Society meeting in 1999 maintained that the experiments of Hungarian-born doctor Arpad Pusztai on genetically modified foods were flawed. (Pusztai had dared to say in August, 1998, that experiments showed Genetically Modified potatoes stunted the growth of laboratory rats, sparking off a furore in the UK against genetically modified foods, and upsetting the commercial sponsors).

19th

TE Lawrence better known as; Lawrence of Arabia, English soldier, poet, writer and adventurer died in a motorcycle accident today in 1935:

20th

In 1191; King Richard the Lion Heart, conquered Cyprus from its independent Greek ruler, then joined the Crusaders at Acre in N W Israel.

21st

1991: Former Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a Tamil suicide bomber during India's general elections campaign.

22nd

1859: Arthur Conan Doyle, Scottish novelist born.  His works can be found at The Chronicles of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

23rd

1960: Israel announced the arrest (after abduction in Argentina) of Adolf Eichmann, who had been responsible for organizing the Germans' mass extermination of Jews in World War II.

24th

1959: John Dulles, member of the board of I.G. Farben (manufacturer of poison gas for the Nazi's), contributor to the Nazi party, right wing US politician and financier dies; so no loss there!

25th

1521: The Imperial Diet of Worms declared Martin Luther an outlaw

26th

In 1920; The hated British special constables known as the Black and Tans arrived in Ireland.

27th

Harold of Wessex began a unsuccessful campaign to conquer Wales in 1063.

28th

Ian Flemming; English novelist and creator of James Bond was born  today in 1908

29th

1997: The human rights organization Amnesty International criticized the state of Texas for the number of executions it carried out. Texas accounts for one-third of all US executions.

30th

Joan of Arc Center was burnt as a heretic at Rouen, France today in 1431.

31st

Clint Eastwood,US film actor and director, made many a persons day when he was born in 1930.