Important Events From This day in History December 7

 

 1941 Hawaii -- Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor

1941 : Japan launches a surprise dawn attack using midget submarines, 350 bombers and torpedo carrying planes targeting warships, aircraft and military installations on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and has declared war on Britain and the United States. The attack destroyed two battleships, one minelayer, two destroyers with the loss of more than 2,300 US servicemen The US president, Franklin D Roosevelt, has mobilized all forces and is poised to declare war on Japan. The next day when the president addressed Congress and the nation he swore that America would never forget December 7, 1941, as a "date that would live in infamy." Find More What happened in 1941

1931 U.S.A. -- Ford Model A

Ford produces the last Ford Model A and discontinues production and closes the factory to retool ready for the Ford V8 which is planned for production starting in April 1932

1960 Great Britain -- Coronation Street

1960 : The first episode of "Coronation Street" based in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester is broadcast. Coronation Street is the longest running TV soap opera in the world, made by Granada Television.

1987 U.S.A -- Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev arrives in the United States for an arms control summit with Ronald Reagan. The summit resulted in one of the most significant arms control agreements of the Cold War. Reagan and Gorbachev signed off on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty, which called for the elimination of all ground cruise and ballistic missiles and launchers in Europe with ranges of 320 to 3,400 miles.

1911 India -- King George

King George and Queen Mary rode through Delhi amidst a military salute and the singing of the national anthem. The royal couple met with 150 Rajahs, Maharajahs, and Sultans and other classes of the rich and powerful of India. Elephants were banned from the parade for fear of them charging

1926 Africa -- Heikum Bushmen

1926 : The British government was interested in saving the Heikum Bushmen who were referred to as pygmies. The pygmies centuries ago had made up the majority of Africa, but their tribe had dwindled into such small numbers that they were believed to be extinct. Recently, an explorer had discovered some of the Bushmen and others went armed with sugar, tobacco, and a gramophone to gain their trust and persuade them to come to safety. Great Britain Col Josiah Wedgewood of the Labor Party suggested that the Duke of Windsor should be brought back to England and made governor general of either Canada or Australia if one of the countries would have him. Wedgewwood felt that persecution of the duke and duchess was ridiculous and was willing to start a movement to bring Edward back to England.

1948 Canada -- 87 degrees Below Zero

1948 : In the Yukon a weather record was set when it dipped down to 87 degree below zero (Fahrenheit).

1955 UK -- Clement Attlee

Clement Attlee resigns as leader of the British labour Party who were beaten in general elections in 1951 by the Conservative party led by Sir Anthony Eden. Clement Attlee and the labour party came to power at the end of World War II in 1945 and implemented many of the recommendations of the report for social reform which became known as the 'cradle to grave' welfare state. The changes included the nationalisation of major industries and public utilities which by 1951 included 20% of the workforce who were then working for the government in Britain. The creation of the National Health Service which provided free healthcare for all. They implemented the National Insurance Act 1946 which deducted a flat rate of national insurance tax. These deductions in turn provided flat-rate pensions, sickness benefit, unemployment benefit, and funeral benefit.

1959 Antarctica -- Dogs

In McMurdo Sound the overabundance of dogs became a problem, since they were not being used as much. A female dog could potentially produce up to sixteen pups a year. With 11 male dogs and 10 females their capacity to breed could get astronomical. New homes were sought for the dogs outside of Antarctica.

1962 Israel -- Gentiles

Jews who have converted to another religion cannot enter Israel under the "law of return" as Brother Daniel (Oswald Rufeisen) found out. While hiding from the Nazis Brother Daniel stayed in a convent and became Catholic, however, he considers Israel to be his home. In the end he said he would try to enter the county by applying as a gentile.

1977 Egypt -- Soviets Thrown Out

All Soviet consulates and educational centers were ordered to be shut down by Egypt's Prime Minister, Mamdouth Salem. The Soviets and four other ousted European nations were accused of interfering with Egyptian-Israeli peace negotiations.

1979 Rhodesia -- Independence

Following the agreement to grant Rhodesia independence British cabinet minister Lord Soames has been named transitional governor of Rhodesia to oversee its progress towards independence.

1986 U.S.A -- Arms To Iran

Under great political pressure, President Reagan admitted that there were mistakes made in the diversion of arms to Iran. He claimed that he had no knowledge that Iran got armaments from the U.S. . However, the majority of the American public did not believe Reagan. The president claimed that he was trying to encourage moderate Iranians, get the release of hostages in Lebanon, and stop the Iran-Iraq war.

1988 Soviet Union -- Earthquake

An 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Soviet Union completely destroyed the city of Spitak in Armenia with an estimated 50,000 people killed

1993 U.S.A -- Commuter Train Shooting

Colin Ferguson opened fire on a Long Island Rail Road commuter train, killing six people and wounding 17, before other passengers stopped him by tackling and holding him down. He was later convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 200 years in prison.

1995 Jupiter -- Galileo spacecraft

The unmanned Galileo spacecraft arrives at the planet Jupiter on it's mission to study the planet and its moons. It had been launched on October 18, 1989 6 years earlier by the Space Shuttle Atlantis.