What happened This day in History on February 1st

For Those With Birthdays 1st February looking for specific year these years are Included on this date 1898, 1920, 1929, 1932, 1933, 1937, 1940, 1943, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, Born This Day,
U.S. / Soviet Union
1992 U.S.A. / Soviet Union Cold War Ends 1st February, 1992 : George W Bush and Russian Leader Boris Yeltsin proclaim an end to the cold war in a joint statement following new arms limitations agreements.


Germany
1957 Germany Wankel engine 1st February, 1957 : The first working prototype of the Wankel engine runs at the NSU research and development department Versuchsabteilung TX in Germany. The best known current production car fitted with a Wankel engine is the Mazda RX-8, a sports car powered by a Wankel engine.


U.S. 1898 U.S.A. First Auto Insurance Policy 1st February, 1898 : The Travelers Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, issue the first automobile insurance policy to an individual.

Canada 1920 Canada Royal Canadian Mounted Police 1st February, 1920 : The Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the federal and national police force in Canada is established when Royal North West Mounted Police and the Dominion Police are combined as a single force .

U.S. 1929 U.S.A. Wool Grower’s Convention 1st February, 1929 : It was reported on this day that the Wool Grower’s Association had chosen San Angelo, Texas as the location for the next Wool Grower’s Convention. This convention was sought for by other U.S. cities, such as Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Los Angeles.

U.S. 1932 U.S.A. Unemployment In Depression Years 1st February, 1932 : The Magnolia Petroleum Company had pledged to contribute money towards the emergency unemployment plan. The amount of money that this company planned to donate equaled to about $40 to $45 dollars monthly in 1932 money.

U.S. 1933 U.S.A. Groundhog Day 1st February, 1933 : Normally if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day six more weeks of winter is predicted to take place. However, weather forecasters had warned people that even if the groundhog does not see his shadow tomorrow (February 2, 1933) there still could be six more weeks of winter.

U.S. 1937 U.S.A. Flood 1st February, 1937 : The National Guard and police forces were called to help flood victims. The role of these enforcement agencies was to help control the streets of Memphis as flood refugees made way from one place to another.
Another role of law enforcement-along with health personnel-was to provide services to certain unregistered Memphis residents. Unfortunately, it was reported that taking care of these unregistered residents was a “nuisance”.
The 20,000 people of Memphis, Tennessee who were not registered had not been immunized before, and they also have not been examined previously. Therefore, guards have been stationed in various places, such as on the Harahan Bridge, which runs across the Mississippi River to the state of Arkansas.

U.S. 1940 U.S.A. Frank Sinatra 1st February, 1940 : Frank Sinatra sings the hits "Too Romantic" and "The Sky Fell Down" during his debut recording session with the popular Tommy Dorsey Band. This was his first recording with the band since replacing its previous singer - Jack Leonard.

Japan 1943 Japan Guadalcanal 1st February, 1943 : The Japanese had evacuated Guadalcanal on this day. Before the Japanese withdrew they were defeated by U.S. Marine troops. Likewise, they (the Japanese) hung on for as long they possibly could, and for as long as the emperor required them to fight.

UK 1952 England TV Detector Vans Friday, 1st February, 1952 : In the UK the BBC is funded via TV Licences issued by the British Government keeping the BBC free of commercial advertising, in 1952 following a report that showed large numbers of people were not paying for the licence the government bought in TV Detector Vans to track down users of unlicensed television sets in the UK.

Netherlands 1953 Netherlands Dikes Breached 1st February, 1953 : A powerful storm breached sea dikes in the provinces of Zeeland, Zuid-Holland and Noord-Brabant due to the combination of spring tide and a northwesterly storm. The resulting flood accounted for more than 1,835 deaths in the Netherlands.

UK 1953 England Storms 1st February, 1953 : Gale force winds on the east coast of Britain are some of the strongest storms ever recorded breaking through flood defences from Yorkshire down to Kent, up to 150 lives are lost and thousands are forced to leave homes including all residents of Canvey Island when the area becomes flooded. Passengers on the Princess Victoria ferry, from Scotland to Ireland, are forced to abandon ship in the Irish Sea due to high sees.

Egypt 1958 Egypt Egypt and Syria Become United Arab Republic 1st February, 1958 : Between this date and 1961, Egypt and Syria became one. They were called the United Arab Republic. After 1961, Syria withdrew from this newly-formed union during a revolution and military takeover. Egypt continued to use the United Arab Republic name until the year 1971.

U.S. 1960 U.S.A. Protest 1st February, 1960 : Four black college students begin a sit-in protest against racial discrimination after they are refused service at a lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C.,.

U.S. 1962 U.S.A. Lewd Dance 1st February, 1962 : A woman was tried in court after performing a lewd dance at a local Hollywood night club. The reason that this woman went to court was because she had allowed audience members to stuff money into her costume-a practice more common in today’s day.
The woman’s argument regarding the allowing of money to be stuffed into her custom is that it is an old Greek custom. The jury had decided that it is Greek to them too, which implies that the jury probably ruled that she had done nothing wrong.

U.S. 1962 U.S.A. Welfare Reform 1st February, 1962 : President John F. Kennedy addressed Congress on the issue of welfare. He wanted to see to it that laws were changed in order to provide an incentive for people to return to work. He also wanted to create a way for people to become more independent and to lead productive lives.
Part of the welfare improvement plan proposed by JFK was to increase the amount of money funding rehabilitation. Part of this funding was to help pay social workers who would be in charge of helping people regain independence.

U.S. 1968 U.S.A. Elvis Becomes a Dad 1st February, 1968: Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla Presley became the proud parents of a little girl 6-pound, 15 ounce Lisa Marie Presley

U.S. 1969 U.S.A. John DeLorean 1st February, 1969: John DeLorean becomes general manager of Chevrolet, he went on to create the ill fated Delorean when he was provided major funding by the British Government to set up a factory in Northern Ireland. Although the car never took off the Delorean's are highly sought after by collectors today


U.S. 1974 U.S.A. Ted Bundy 1st February, 1974: Lynda Ann Healy becomes the second victim murdered by Ted Bundy. During that summer Bundy attacked and murdered at least seven young women in Washington. He was eventually caught and confessed to the murder of 36 murders and was executed on January 24, 1989

France 1978 France Roman Polanski 1st February, 1978 : Roman Polanski skips bail and flees to France after pleading guilty to charges of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old girl.

U.S. 1979 U.S.A. Patty Hearst 1st February, 1979 : American newspaper heiress Patty Hearst was released from prison after joining SLA members in a bank robbery on April 15, 1974. ending a five-year drama during which the world saw her as a kidnap victim, A Bank Robber, an urban guerrilla and finally a convict.

Iran 1979 Iran Ayatollah Khomeini 1st February, 1979 : Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 14 years in exile, five million people turned out to welcome him in the nation's capital, Tehran, over the next two weeks he built an army of revolutionary forces who took over power in the country forcing the army to step aside. Ayatollah Khomeini was the start of the Islamic Fundamentalist regime that now controls Iran.

U.S. 1982 U.S.A. Late Night With David Letterman 1st February, 1982 : This was the first day that Late Night with David Letterman was aired. It became a favorite show for quite a few college students, and contended with what used to be the Tonight Show after Johnny Carson had retired.

UK 1984 England Half Penny Coin Ends 1st February, 1984 : The half penny coin ceases to be legal tender. Many believe this will lead to inflationary pressure as even government sales like stamps ( 12 1/2 p will increase to 13p )

Pakistan 1991 Pakistan Earthquake 1st February, 1991 : An earthquake, measuring around 6.8 on the Richter scale, occurred near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan

U.S. 1999 U.S.A. Monica Lewinsky 1st February, 1999 : Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky gives deposition via interview on videotape during impeachment hearings against President Bill Clinton with Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist was the presiding judge. ( Clinton was Impeached, but he was not Removed by the Senate. )

U.S. 2004 U.S.A. Janet Jackson 1st February, 2004 : Janet Jackson's breast is briefly exposed by Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl half time show. Timberlake later referred to the incident as a "wardrobe malfunction."

Saudi Arabia 2004 Saudi Arabia Hajj Pilgrimage Stampede 1st February, 2004 : During the annual Hajj pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia 251 people are trampled to death during a stampede. This brings the total who have died during similar incidents since 1990 to over 2,000 during the Hajj Pilgrimage.

France 2006 France France-Soir newspaper reprints the Mohammed cartoon 1st February, 2006 : The France-Soir reproduces a Danish newspaper's caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. France-Soir says that it is publishing the cartoons in order to show that 'religious dogma' had no place in a secular society. Their publication in Denmark has led to protests in several Arab nations, and in Europe. The French government says that it supports press freedom.

U.S.A. 2006 U.S.A. President Bush says that a renewable energy source will be possible within six years 1st February, 2006 : George Bush says that scientists are close to a breakthrough on making ethanol from biodegradable materials. Speaking in Nashville, he says that this sort of technology will help the U.S. 'reduce if not end' his country's reliance on Middle Eastern oil. He had been critical of the U.S. addiction to oil in his State of the Union address. He told the Nashville audience that America was close to a breakthrough in making ethanol from materials like grass or wood, and explains that the substances can be converted into energy. 'We're told that if we continue to focus on research, we'll be able to within six years have a competitive fuel to gasoline,' he concluded.

U.S.A. 2007 World J.K. Rowling announces the publication date of the last Harry Potter book 1st February, 2007 : J.K. Rowling's Web site has announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be published on Saturday July 21st, 2007 at 00:01 B.S.T. in the U.K. and at 00:01 in America. It will also be released at 00:01 B.S.T. on Saturday 21st July in other English speaking countries around the world.

France 2007 France The French ban smoking in public 1st February, 2007 : A ban on smoking in workplaces has come in to force in France. Anyone smoking in airports, railway stations, hospitals, schools, shops or offices will be fined. Restaurants and bars will have until December 2007 to comply. 70% of people in France are said they favour the ban, as do half of all smokers. France is the latest country to introduce a complete or partial ban on smoking in public.

Iraq 2008 Iraq Bagdad Attack 1st February, 2008 : A coordinated attack on two pet bazaars in Baghdad by two women wearing explosives under traditional black Islamic robes which were detonated remotely kill 90 people in the al-Ghazl pet market and a bird market in southeastern Baghdad making it the deadliest attack since the US surge of an additional 30,000 extra troops sent to the capital last year.

Germany 2008 Germany Germany will not be sending anymore troops to Afghanistan 1st February, 2008 : Germany has rejected a U.S. appeal for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan, despite manpower being named as one of the biggest problems in NATO operations there. The German defense minister had already ruled out any German combat troops being sent into southern Afganistan, and Robert Gates has asked for them to change their mandate on this.
This Day In History For Tomorrow February 2nd Day After February 3rd Or You Can Use Our Calendar at the top of the page to find the day or month you are looking for

United States 2010 United States Obama shuts down the moon project 1st February, 2010 : Barack Obama has canceled NASA's plans for taking men to the Moon. The Constellation program had been looking at new rockets and a crewship to put astronauts on the lunar surface by 2020. In the 2011 budget request that was issued on Monday, February 1st, Obama has said that the project is too costly, 'behind schedule, and lacking in innovation.'

Iraq 2010 Iraq Suicide Bomber Kills 41 pilgrims walking to a religious festival in Iraq 1st February, 2010 : A female suicide bomber has killed 41 pilgrims travelling to the holy Shia city of Karbala. Those dead included women and children,

France   2011 France Milorad Momic Arrested in France 1st February, 2011 :  Milorad Momic was arrested in France for suspected involvement in war crimes during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. Momic was lively in France and using false documents to work, but was found by authorities and arrested under an international arrest warrant for his crimes in Serbia.    
 

United States 2012 United States American Airlines to Cut 13,000 Jobs 1st February, 2012 : American Airlines announced that it will cut 13,000 jobs in order to save money and raise revenue. The cuts would result in almost 15% of their workforce being fired. Most of the cuts will hit maintenance workers and baggage handler but it will also effect some 400 pilots.

United States
2013 United States Former New York Mayor Dies

1st February, 2013 : Former New York City mayor Ed Koch died at the age of eighty-eight. Koch was known for bringing the city into an economic boom after spending years in decline from 1978 to 1989. Koch had also been a US congressman.