March 2nd News and Events

U.S.

1949 U.S.A. The Lucky Lady II 2nd March, 1949: The First nonstop world flight is made by a B-50 Super fortress "The Lucky Lady II " led by Captain James Gallagher.

U.S. 1965 U.S.A. The Sound of Music 2nd March, 1965: The movie version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music" starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in the lead roles has its world premiere in New York.
A few of the most well known songs from the Musical / Movie
"Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
"Do-Re-Mi"
"Edelweiss"
"My Favorite Things"
"Sixteen Going on Seventeen"
"The Lonely Goatherd"

Russia 1917 Russia Czar Nicholas II Abdicates 2nd March, 1917: After 300 years of rule by the Romanov Dynasty Czar Nicholas II is forced to abdicate following declining popularity due to the "Bloody Sunday" massacre when palace guards shot and killed defenseless demonstrators marching on the Winter Palace.

Puerto Rico 1917 Puerto Rico US Citizenship 2nd March, 1917: The Jones-Shafroth Act granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans - a status they still hold today

U.S. 1920 U.S.A. Grape Vines 2nd March, 1920: On this day, it was recommended that farmers take good care of the grape vines they have. Grape prices were rising. However, if farmers already have a lively crop growing they will not need a new supply. One of the tips give to farmers was that stock for new vines could be taken from cuttings off of the farm. Farmers were also advised how to tell the last year’s vines from the older vines, which were a brighter color. The cuttings for the new vines were to be stored away for awhile in a semi-warm place. Then, when the time is right, those vine cuttings would be stored in trenches, and then when the weather warms up (some time in the month of May) the cuttings would be placed in an appropriate place for growth.

U.S. 1921 U.S.A. Robbery 2nd March, 1921: William Dalton, a bank clerk who had stolen $772,000 in Liberty Bonds was captured. All but $500.00 of the money was recovered. John Draper, the village constable of Heyworth, Illinois was the one who had arrested Dalton. A reward sum of $26,000 was set aside for Draper for the arrest made, provided it is proved he is entitled to receive this award.

U.S. 1925 U.S.A. Formal Highway Numbering System 2nd March, 1925: It was on this day that the first formal highway system was implemented. This is the time when state and federal highway officials had officially established a highway numbering system. This was done in order to maintain order on the highway, this was Following a period when each state created it's own style road signs The new sign featured the shield shaped highway number markers .

U.S. 1933 U.S.A. King Kong 2nd March, 1933 : The Original King Kong movie has its world premiere in New York

U.S. 1939 Vatican Pope Pius XII 2nd March, 1939: Pope Pius XII was elected as the pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

U.S. 1944 U.S.A. Academy Awards 2nd March, 1944: The Academy Awards are presented as part of a televised variety show with Jack Benny as master of ceremonies for the event.

Italy 1944 Italy 500 Suffocate 2nd March, 1944: A train stops in a tunnel near Salerno in the Apennine Mountains, and more than 500 people on board suffocate and die due to toxic carbon monoxide fumes.

U.S. 1949 U.S.A. Automatic Street Lights 2nd March, 1949: The first automatic street lights are installed in New Milford, Connecticut, Up to that point a man would have to go to each streetlight every night at dusk and physically turn them on and at sunrise turn them off.

World 1958 South Pole Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 2nd March, 1958 : The overland Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition led by British explorer Dr Vivian Fuchs, completes the first overland crossing of Antarctica, via the South Pole having completed the historic crossing of 3,473 km (2,158 miles) of previously unexplored snow and ice in 99 days.

Burma 1962 Burma Prime Minister Arrested 2nd March, 1962: General Ne Win of Burma had arrested Prime Minister U Nu and ex-president Sao Swe Thaik. In the process, Thaik’s son was wounded by a bullet as guards had escaped. This mini-seizure was announced on the state radio by Ne Win. He was succeeded by Nu (1960) after heading a “non-elected” government for 18 months.

Vietnam 1965 Vietnam Operation Rolling Thunder 2nd March, 1965: Operation Rolling Thunder begins with more than 100 United States Air Force jet bombers striking an ammunition depot at Xom Bang, 10 miles inside North Vietnam.

France 1969 France Concorde 2nd March, 1969: The supersonic airliner an British and French joint project, Concorde, has it's maiden flight reaching 10,000ft and 300mph . It would be 7 years before Concorde started commercial flights on 21 January 1976 and flew commercial Trans-Atlantic flights until 23 October 2003 when it was retired from service
Concord Fly Past with Red Arrows over Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002

China 1969 USSR China 2nd March, 1969: On this date, the two greatest communist powers of the world opened fire against each other. The climax of this “clash” occurred in the eastern portion of the U.S.S.R., on the Ussuri River between Soviet and Chinese Troops.

Rhodesia / Zimbabwe 1970 Rhodesia Declares A Republic 2nd March, 1970: The Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Ian Smith, has declared Rhodesia a republic

Space 1972 Space Pioneer 10 2nd March, 1972: Pioneer 10, is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission to Jupiter, the solar system's largest planet. The first photos were sent back on this trip, revealing the first up-close images of this gassy planet. This mission lasted for quite awhile, officially ending on March 31, 1997.

South Africa 1990 South Africa Nelson Mandela 2nd March, 1990: Nelson Mandela is elected deputy President of the ANC

Sri Lanka 1991 Sri Lanka Car Bomb 2nd March, 1991: 19 are killed including Sri Lanka's Deputy Defence Minister, Ranjan Wijeratne, when a car bomb is exploded in the capital Colombo.

Iraq 2004 Iraq Ashoura Massacre 2nd March, 2004 : Al-Qaeda terrorists carry out a series of explosions that killed at least 178 and injured at least 500 Iraqi Shi'a Muslims commemorating the Day of Ashura.

U.S. 2005 U.S.A. Boston Red Sox 2nd March, 2005 : The Boston Red Sox baseball team was congratulated by President George W. Bush on this day. This was the first time that the Red Sox had won the World Series since 1918.

Iraq 2005 Iraq Death Toll Reaches 1500 2nd March, 2005 : The death toll for US Military fighting in Iraq reaches 1,500, the current toll on November 28th 2007 is 3878

Venezuela 2006 Venezuela South American pipeline announced 2nd March, 2006 : Representatives of Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela have met in Caracas to start planning for a jointly-financed gas pipeline. The five thousand mile long pipeline will provide Venezuelan gas to most of South America, and will be cutting through the Amazon rainforest on its way to the southern tip of the continent. It has been priced at $20 billion.

India 2006 India The U.S. seals its nuclear accord with India 2nd March, 2006 : The U.S. and India have finalized their nuclear deal in Delhi. President Bush and Manmohan Singh have given India an access to U.S. civil nuclear technology, and will be opening its nuclear facilities to inspection. Whilst the agreement has been made, it still has to be confirmed by Congress.

Italy 2006 Italy Speculation That Soviet Union that ordered the Pope shot 2nd March, 2006 : An Italian parliamentary commission has reached the conclusion that the Soviet Union was behind the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. The commission's director has said it has no doubt that the Soviet leaders ordered the shooting. The Turkish national Mehmet Ali Agca, shot the Pope in St. Peter's Square on May 13th, 1981, and hit him four times.

United States 2007 United States The Secretary of the Army resigns 2nd March, 2007 : The Secretary of the Army, Francis Harvey, has resigned from the revelations that had be reported on the poor conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It is possible that Harvey, who has been Army secretary since November, 2004 was pushed out as a direct result of the problems at Walter Reed. Robert Gates has said that Pete Geren, the under secretary of the Army, would be the acting secretary until a replacement was found.

Iraq 2008 Iraq Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits Iraq 2nd March, 2008 : The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in Iraq for a two-day visit. This is the first such trip by an Iranian president. Many Sunni Arabs are opposed to the visit, and state that Iran's financing and arming of Shi'ite militia groups has led to many deaths in Iraq. One of the Sunni tribal leaders says that the Iranians are still trying to organize terrorist operations there.

Russia 2008 Russia Dmitry Medvedev wins the Russian presidential election 2nd March, 2008 : Officials have said that there has been a 70.23% turnout for the Russian presidential election, and that the First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is expected to win. The Kremlin is said to have wanted a good turnout in order to counter the criticism it has received on how accurate the voting process is. Medvedev will be following the processes that Vladimir Putin started on winning his election. Medvedev has said he will be working in tandem with Putin as his prime minister.

Guinea-Bissau 2009 Guinea-Bissau President Assassinated 2nd March, 2009 : Armed group of soldiers attack the The President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo Vieira, residence in Bissau and the President is assassinated. Guinea-Bissau Army officials have claimed responsibility for Vieira's death following the assassination of Army Chief of Staff Batista Tagme Na Waie who was a key rival of Vieira.
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United States 2009 United States Flights grounded in the eastern states 2nd March, 2009 : Heavy snow has fallen on the eastern coast of the United States, and resulted in the closing schools and disruption of national and international flights. Snow ploughs are trying to keep the major roads open, but some people have been killed in the blizzard conditions that have occurred in the northeastern states. Hundreds of homes have been left without power, and up to one foot of snow has fallen in some cities.

United Kingdom 2010 United Kingdom Britain rejects Hillary Clinton’s offer of help 2nd March, 2010 : Downing Street has rejected Hillary Clinton's offer to help Britain and Argentina resolve their dispute over the Falkland Islands. The Secretary of State has made an offer because of the tensions that have been triggered by the U.K.'s decision to drill for oil there. A governmental spokesman has said that Britain welcomed her comments, but did not think her involvement was necessary. Argentina claims sovereignty over the Falklands, even though they were settled by French and British in the late 18th Century. It became sovereign British territory in 1833 (after leaving a plaque on its settlement in 1776). Argentina did not become a nation in 1810.

United States 2011 United States Eastern Cougar Declared Extinct 2nd March, 2011 : Researchers from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared that the Eastern Cougar was officially extinct as there were no breeding populations left in that part of the country. The declaration was made in hopes that the subspecies would be taken off the endangered species list that it was put on in 1973, researchers even went as far as saying they suspect it had been extinct since the 1930s.