April 15th What Happened on the day you were born on This day in History
1942 Malta George Cross
15th April 1942 : The people from the tiny Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea ( 121 sq miles ) are awarded The George Cross by King George VI. Malta played a crucial role in World War II owing to its proximity to Axis shipping lanes and the Germans and Italians bombed the Island on daily basis and sunk any ships trying to supply food and medical supplies to the Island. In the first 200 days of 1942 there was only one 24 hour period when no bombs fell and the Maltese people spent so much time in their underground shelters that health standards declined, malnutrition spread and scabies was rife. The Island continued under siege with little food arriving right until May 1943 when the siege of Malta was finally lifted.
15th April 1942 : The people from the tiny Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea ( 121 sq miles ) are awarded The George Cross by King George VI. Malta played a crucial role in World War II owing to its proximity to Axis shipping lanes and the Germans and Italians bombed the Island on daily basis and sunk any ships trying to supply food and medical supplies to the Island. In the first 200 days of 1942 there was only one 24 hour period when no bombs fell and the Maltese people spent so much time in their underground shelters that health standards declined, malnutrition spread and scabies was rife. The Island continued under siege with little food arriving right until May 1943 when the siege of Malta was finally lifted.
1912 Titanic Sinks
14th April 1912 : The RMS Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on 14th April. The Ship with 2,200 passengers and crew on board on it's maiden voyage was thought to be unsinkable but it sank after 2 1/2 hours when the ship breaks in two in the Atlantic Ocean, With More than 1,500 people on the ship lost to the sea.
14th April 1912 : The RMS Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on 14th April. The Ship with 2,200 passengers and crew on board on it's maiden voyage was thought to be unsinkable but it sank after 2 1/2 hours when the ship breaks in two in the Atlantic Ocean, With More than 1,500 people on the ship lost to the sea.
1926 France French Franc
15th April 1926 : The French Franc dropped again today against the US Dollar to an all time low of 29.73 to the Dollar
15th April 1926 : The French Franc dropped again today against the US Dollar to an all time low of 29.73 to the Dollar
1937 Spain Spanish Civil War
15th April 1937 : Countries around the world are seeking to intervene in the Spanish Civil War and to ask all parties to join peace talks
15th April 1937 : Countries around the world are seeking to intervene in the Spanish Civil War and to ask all parties to join peace talks
1945 Germany Belsen Concentration Camp
15th April 1945 : British troops liberate the German Bergen / Belsen Concentration camp finding thousands of dead and rotting corpses and many more thousands of sick and starving prisoners kept in severely overcrowded and dirty compounds. The prisoners were suffering from acute typhus, typhoid and tuberculosis due to no running water in the camp . Over 30,000 had died in the previous months many from typhus but even more from starvation
15th April 1945 : British troops liberate the German Bergen / Belsen Concentration camp finding thousands of dead and rotting corpses and many more thousands of sick and starving prisoners kept in severely overcrowded and dirty compounds. The prisoners were suffering from acute typhus, typhoid and tuberculosis due to no running water in the camp . Over 30,000 had died in the previous months many from typhus but even more from starvation
1946 China 30 Million Starving
15th April 1946 : Nearly 30 million people are close to dying of starvation and the countries of the world are trying to send food to help those starving including the US the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation department is co-ordinating efforts
15th April 1946 : Nearly 30 million people are close to dying of starvation and the countries of the world are trying to send food to help those starving including the US the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation department is co-ordinating efforts
1947 U.S.A. Jackie Robinson
15th April 1947 : Jackie Robinson, becomes the first African American player in Major League Baseball when he steps onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers
15th April 1947 : Jackie Robinson, becomes the first African American player in Major League Baseball when he steps onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers
1959 Cuba Fidel Castro
15th April 1959 : Fidel Castro , Prime Minister of Cuba, flew to Washington for an 11-day visit to promote Cuba to Americans.
15th April 1959 : Fidel Castro , Prime Minister of Cuba, flew to Washington for an 11-day visit to promote Cuba to Americans.
1967 U.S.A. Vietnam War Protestors
15th April 1967 : 180,000 Protesters were in New York and San Francisco to protest against the Vietnam War with a number of protesters burning draft cards
15th April 1967 : 180,000 Protesters were in New York and San Francisco to protest against the Vietnam War with a number of protesters burning draft cards
1977 U.S.A. Roman Polanski
15th April 1977 : Roman Polanski the director of China Town and Rosemary's baby pleads innocence to charge of drug rape of 13 yr old girl
15th April 1977 : Roman Polanski the director of China Town and Rosemary's baby pleads innocence to charge of drug rape of 13 yr old girl
1981 U.S.A. Janet Cooke
15th April 1981 : Washington Post reporter Janet Cooke relinquished the Pulitzer Prize she had received two days earlier for her feature "Jimmy's World published in The Washington Post on September 29, 1980" about an 8-year-old heroin addict after admitting she had fabricated the story.
15th April 1981 : Washington Post reporter Janet Cooke relinquished the Pulitzer Prize she had received two days earlier for her feature "Jimmy's World published in The Washington Post on September 29, 1980" about an 8-year-old heroin addict after admitting she had fabricated the story.
1986 Libya US Air Strikes
15th April 1986 : The US launches air strikes on Libya in retaliation for Libyan backed terrorism including the bombing of La Belle discotheque in West Berlin 10 days earlier. USA planes bombed targets in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and the Benghazi region. Colonel Muamar Gaddafi residential compound took a direct hit that killed Hanna Gaddafi, the adopted baby daughter of the Libyan leader
15th April 1986 : The US launches air strikes on Libya in retaliation for Libyan backed terrorism including the bombing of La Belle discotheque in West Berlin 10 days earlier. USA planes bombed targets in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and the Benghazi region. Colonel Muamar Gaddafi residential compound took a direct hit that killed Hanna Gaddafi, the adopted baby daughter of the Libyan leader
1989 England Hillsborough Stadium Disaster
15th April 1989 : The FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, turned to tragedy when at least 200 people were injured and 96 crushed to death, many of them teenagers and children. The problems were caused by too many Liverpool fans being allowed in to the back of an already full stand at the Leppings Lane end of the ground, as more fans were allowed in those already there were pushed forward and crushed against the high, wired-topped safety fences.
15th April 1989 : The FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, turned to tragedy when at least 200 people were injured and 96 crushed to death, many of them teenagers and children. The problems were caused by too many Liverpool fans being allowed in to the back of an already full stand at the Leppings Lane end of the ground, as more fans were allowed in those already there were pushed forward and crushed against the high, wired-topped safety fences.
1990 Soviet Union Lithuania Independence
15th April 1990 : Lithuania continues it's goal of Independence but The Soviet Union president threatens to cut off supplies including Oil and Natural Gas unless they rescind request for independence and laws that would mean seizing Soviet buildings and facilities.
15th April 1990 : Lithuania continues it's goal of Independence but The Soviet Union president threatens to cut off supplies including Oil and Natural Gas unless they rescind request for independence and laws that would mean seizing Soviet buildings and facilities.
1992 U.S.A. Leona Helmsley
15th April 1992 : Leona Helmsley, starts a four-year prison term in Lexington, Kentucky for failing to pay her taxes, she served a total of only 18 months in jail. Her famous quote "Only the little people pay taxes." turned the press and the public against her who never forgave her for the infamous saying.
15th April 1992 : Leona Helmsley, starts a four-year prison term in Lexington, Kentucky for failing to pay her taxes, she served a total of only 18 months in jail. Her famous quote "Only the little people pay taxes." turned the press and the public against her who never forgave her for the infamous saying.
2000 Zimbabwe White Farmer Murdered
15th April 2000 : Approximately 1,000 farms are now occupied by ( squatters ) so-called "war veterans" backed by President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party. And one white farmer "David Stevens" in Zimbabwe was taken from his farm and has been shot dead by (Squatters). In spite of pressure from the international community, President Robert Mugabe pressed on with his plan to remove Zimbabwe's farms from white ownership, and a further 10 white farmers were murdered. Many farmers have given up their farms and left the country but others stayed hoping to keep their farms but in September 2002 Zimbabwe's parliament adopted new legislation making it easier to evict them.
15th April 2000 : Approximately 1,000 farms are now occupied by ( squatters ) so-called "war veterans" backed by President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party. And one white farmer "David Stevens" in Zimbabwe was taken from his farm and has been shot dead by (Squatters). In spite of pressure from the international community, President Robert Mugabe pressed on with his plan to remove Zimbabwe's farms from white ownership, and a further 10 white farmers were murdered. Many farmers have given up their farms and left the country but others stayed hoping to keep their farms but in September 2002 Zimbabwe's parliament adopted new legislation making it easier to evict them.
2008 World Food Prices Problem
15th April 2008 : As food prices continue to increase due to multiple reasons including gas prices, poor harvests and the increased use of ethanol based fuel. The people who are the most affected are the poorest members of the world who spend the highest percentage of income on feeding themselves. The World Bank President Robert Zoellick has appealed to richer nations to increase the food aid to some of the countries worst effected after riots in Haiti, Bangladesh, Egypt and other countries over surging food prices.
15th April 2008 : As food prices continue to increase due to multiple reasons including gas prices, poor harvests and the increased use of ethanol based fuel. The people who are the most affected are the poorest members of the world who spend the highest percentage of income on feeding themselves. The World Bank President Robert Zoellick has appealed to richer nations to increase the food aid to some of the countries worst effected after riots in Haiti, Bangladesh, Egypt and other countries over surging food prices.
