Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.
What Time is It? It is flow of a sandstorm that will on each day compress somewhere into a structure – sandstone, selected and only remembered in the longue durée.
On 20 November 1845, Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata 1845. Battle of Vuelta de Obligado: The Argentine Confederation is narrowly defeated by an Anglo–French fleet on the waters of the Paraná River, but the victors suffer serious damage to their ships, and Argentina attracts political support in South America.
On Saturday, 20 November 1920, Prince Arthur of Connaught is appointed the 3rd Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.
On Tuesday, 20 November 1945, The Nuremberg trials begin: Trials against 22 Nazi war criminals of WWII start at the Nuremberg Palace of Justice.
On Friday, 20 November 1970, The Miss World 1970 beauty pageant, hosted by Bob Hope at the Royal Albert Hall, London is disrupted by Women’s Liberation protesters. Earlier on the same evening a bomb is placed under a BBC outside broadcast vehicle by The Angry Brigade, in protest at the entry of separate black and white contestants by South Africa.
On Thursday, 20 November 1980, died John McEwen, 80, 18th Prime Minister of Australia
On Thursday, 20 November 1980, Former Prime Minister Sir John McEwen dies.
On Thursday, 20 November 1980, The Gang of Four trial begins in China.
On Monday, 20 November 1995, South Australian Democrat and former leader Senator John Coulter resigns due to ill health, warning Cheryl Kernot that the party risked losing votes by becoming too mainstream. John Coulter is replaced by former student activist and party worker Natasha Stott Despoja.
On Saturday, 20 November 2010, Participants of the 2010 NATO Lisbon summit issue the Lisbon Summit Declaration.
Images Citations in Composite: ID 17208541 © Anhong | Dreamstime.com; ID 35001957 © DiversityStudio1 | Dreamstime.com; ID 156394527 © Gerd Zahn | Dreamstime.com
Neville Buch