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 Tuesday, 13 December 1960, 1960 Ethiopian coup attempt: While Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Brazil, his Kebur Zabagna (Imperial Bodyguard) leads a military coup against his rule, proclaiming that the emperor’s son, Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen Taffari, is the new emperor.
On Tuesday, 13 December 1960, The countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua announce the formation of the Central American Common Market.
On Tuesday, 13 December 1960, The U.S. Navy’s Commander Leroy Heath (pilot) and Lieutenant Larry Monroe (bombardier/navigator) establish a world flight-altitude record of 91,450 feet (27,874 m), with payload, in an A-5 Vigilante bomber carrying 2,200 lb (1,000 kg), and better the previous world record by over four miles (6 km).
On Sunday, 13 December 1970, The government of Poland announces food price increases. Riots and looting lead to a bloody confrontation between the rioters and the government on December 15.
On Saturday, 13 December 1980, The Illawarra Steelers are accepted as the 13th team in the NSWRL premiership for 1982, making them the first team from outside the Sydney metropolitan area to compete in the competition since Newcastle in 1909.
On Sunday, 13 December 2015, Illness prevents Cardinal George Pell from leaving Rome to make a third appearance at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Images Citations in Composite: ID 17208541 © Anhong | Dreamstime.com; ID 35001957 © DiversityStudio1 | Dreamstime.com; ID 156394527 © Gerd Zahn | Dreamstime.com
Neville Buch