April 1949 Explained
The following events occurred in April 1949:
April 1, 1949 (Friday)
- Soldiers of the Chinese Nationalist government injured 101 students who were protesting outside the office of Acting President Li Zongren in Nanjing.[1]
- Joey Smallwood took office as 1st Premier of Newfoundland.
- Born: Sheck Exley, American cave diver (d. 1994); Paul Manafort, American lobbyist, political consultant, lawyer, and convicted felon, in New Britain, Connecticut; Gérard Mestrallet, businessman, in Paris, France; Gil Scott-Heron, jazz poet and author, in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2011)
- Died: Evelyn Owen, 44, Australian designer of the Owen Gun (cardiac syncope)
April 2, 1949 (Saturday)
April 3, 1949 (Sunday)
- Israel and Transjordan signed a general armistice agreement, leaving Syria as the last Arab country with which Israel had yet to make peace.[3]
- Government forces in Costa Rica put down a coup attempt.[4]
April 4, 1949 (Monday)
- The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
- A court judge in Paris ruled that Victor Kravchenko had been libeled by the Communist weekly Les Lettres Françaises when it published a series of articles claiming that his best-selling book about life in the Soviet Union, I Chose Freedom, had been ghostwritten by American agents and was full of lies. Kravchenko was awarded 150,000 francs (about $500 US) in damages although this would later be drastically reduced on appeal.[6]
- Born: Parveen Babi, actress, in Junagadh, India (d. 2005)
April 5, 1949 (Tuesday)
April 6, 1949 (Wednesday)
- On Budget Day in the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Stafford Cripps surprisingly increased taxes by £35 million instead of cutting them as was widely expected.[9] Despite a projected net invisible income of £100 million in 1948, Cripps said that it was "quite impossible to reduce taxation as long as the defence and social services were produced on the present scale."[10]
- Born: Horst Ludwig Störmer, physicist and Nobel laureate, in Frankfurt, Germany
- Died: Seymour Hicks, 78, British actor
April 7, 1949 (Thursday)
April 8, 1949 (Friday)
- The Soviet Union vetoed South Korea's application for admission to the United Nations.[13]
- Three-year old Kathy Fiscus died after falling into a well in San Marino, California. The attempted rescue was broadcast live on KTLA, marking a watershed event in live television coverage.
- Born: Fanie de Jager, singer, in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Brenda Russell, singer-songwriter and keyboardist, in Brooklyn, New York
- Died: Wilhelm Adam, 71, German general; Santiago Alba y Bonifaz, 76, Spanish politician and lawyer
April 9, 1949 (Saturday)
- The Soviet Union agreed to give Albania equipment and materials on credit to compensate for the loss of trade with Yugoslavia.[20]
- Pravda accused the West of sending intelligence agents to Mount Ararat near the Turkish-Soviet border posing as archaeologists hunting for Noah's Ark.[21]
April 13, 1949 (Wednesday)
- The Olympia earthquake centered between Olympia and Tacoma, Washington killed 8 people and did $25 million damage.
- Israel signed a ceasefire with Syria, the last opposing Arab state in Palestine.
- The Minneapolis Lakers beat the Washington Capitols 77-56 to win the 3rd Basketball Association of America Finals, four games to two.
- Born: Christopher Hitchens, writer, journalist and social critic, in Portsmouth, England (d. 2011)
- Died: Bernardo Ortiz de Montellano, 50, Mexican poet, literary critic and editor
April 14, 1949 (Thursday)
- The Ministries Trial ended in Nuremberg fifteen months after it began, making it the longest of the subsequent Nuremberg Trials and the last one to end. Two defendants were acquitted but the other nineteen were found guilty of at least one charge and given prison sentences ranging from three years including time served to 25 years' imprisonment.[22]
- By a vote of 43-6, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution asking the Big Five powers not to use their veto in cases involving requests for UN membership, peaceful settlement of international disputes or appointment of inquiry commissions.[23]
- Born: John Shea, actor, producer and director, in North Conway, New Hampshire
- Died: Reginald Hine, 65, English solicitor and historian (suicide by jumping in front of a train)
April 16, 1949 (Saturday)
- The Chinese Communists gave the Nationalist government until April 20 to sign surrender terms. The consequences of refusal were not stated, but it was obviously a threat to invade southern China.[26]
- The Nationalist Chinese government turned down the Chinese peace ultimatum as tantamount to unconditional surrender, but asked for a ceasefire and further negotiations.
- US President Harry S. Truman signed a bill extending the Marshall Plan for another 15 months.[27]
- New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey vetoed a controversial bill designed to outlaw the sale of comic books with objectionable content, saying the language of the legislation was overly vague and sweeping to the point of being unenforceable.[28] [29]
- Gösta Leandersson won the 53rd Boston Marathon.[30]
- During pregame ceremonies at the New York Yankees season opener against the Washington Senators, a plaque for the late Babe Ruth was unveiled alongside the other center field monuments.[31]
- Born: Sergey Volkov, figure skater, in Moscow, USSR (d. 1990)
- Died: Guillermo Buitrago, 29, Colombian composer and songwriter; Ulrich Salchow, 71, Swedish figure skater
April 20, 1949 (Wednesday)
- Amethyst Incident: Two British warships were shelled as Chinese communists opened a new offensive along the Yangtze River.
- US Defense Secretary Louis A. Johnson ordered the military to assign qualified Negroes "to any type of position vacancy in organizations or overhead installations without regard to race."[32]
- Born: Veronica Cartwright, actress, in Bristol, England; Massimo D'Alema, 53rd Prime Minister of Italy, in Rome; Jessica Lange, actress, in Cloquet, Minnesota; Alexander Maltsev, ice hockey player, in Kirovo-Chepetsk, USSR
April 21, 1949 (Thursday)
- President Truman accepted the resignation of Army Secretary Kenneth Claiborne Royall and named David K. E. Bruce as the new American ambassador to France.
- A few minutes before midnight, the US Senate voted 57-13 in favor of a housing and slum clearance bill that planned to erect 810,000 public housing units by 1955.[33]
- Born: Patti LuPone, actress and singer, in Northport, New York
April 23, 1949 (Saturday)
- By a vote of 39-6, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution holding that the USSR's refusal to allow Russian wives to join their husbands abroad was a violation of the UN charter.[41]
April 27, 1949 (Wednesday)
- The Lausanne Conference of 1949 opened in Switzerland with the goal of resolving disputes arising from the recently concluded Arab-Israeli War.
- Chinese Communist forces captured Suzhou.[47]
- The United States Air Force released an official report on flying saucers to the public, reviewing in detail many reports of unidentified flying objects. The report considered several possibilities, including Martian visitors, but discounted that theory because it was "hard to believe that any technically established race would come here, flaunt its ability in mysterious ways over the years, but each time simply go away without ever establishing contact." The report concluded: "The 'saucers' are not a joke. Neither are they a cause for alarm to the population. Many of the incidents already have answers, Meteors, Balloons, Falling stars. Birds in flight. Testing devices, etc. Some of them still end in question marks. It is the mission of the AMC Technical Intelligence Division's Project 'Saucer' to supply the periods."[48] [49]
- The first Canadian Film Awards ceremony was held in Ottawa. The Loon's Necklace won the first award for Film of the Year.
- The adventure drama film We Were Strangers starring Jennifer Jones and John Garfield was released.
- Died: Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar, 55, Welsh poet and author
April 28, 1949 (Thursday)
April 30, 1949 (Saturday)
Notes and References
- Lieberman . Henry R. . April 2, 1949 . Nanking Soldiers Beat 100 Students . . 7 .
- Welles . Benjamin . April 3, 1949 . Lights of Britain On After 10 Years As Adults Revel, Children Marvel . . 1, 17 .
- News: Brewer . Sam Pope . April 4, 1949 . Transjordan Signs Pact With Israel; Syria Confers Next . . 1.
- News: April 4, 1949 . Costa Rica Quells Revolt In Capital . The New York Times . 1.
- Web site: NASA Glenn's Historical Timeline . NASA History . 1 March 2021 . . Sands . Kelly . 28 January 2023.
- James . Michael . April 5, 1949 . Kravchenko Wins Paris Libel Suit; Held to Be Author of Soviet Expose . . 1 .
- April 6, 1949 . Toll In Hospital Fire May Reach 69 . . 1 .
- April 7, 1949 . Town Begins Burying 69 Fire Victims . . 1 .
- April 7, 1949 . 'Courageous' Budget; Cripps Increases Tax . . 6 .
- April 7, 1949 . No Tax Relief At End of Britain's 'Year Of Great Achievement' . . 1 .
- April 8, 1949 . Labor Fears Effect On Council Elections . . Adelaide . 1 .
- April 10, 1949 . U.K. Labour's First Real Setback . . 3 .
- Barrett . George . April 9, 1949 . Russia's 30th Veto In The U. N. Blocks Korea As Member . . 1 .
- Anderson . David . April 9, 1949 . World Court Finds Albania Responsible In Corfu Mining of 2 British Ships . . 1 .
- April 9, 1949 . Arms Budget Increased by House Group . . 1 .
- Book: McNeil, Alex . 1996 . Total Television, 4th Edition . Penguin Books . 945 . 0-14-024916-8 .
- Book: Castleman . Harry . Podrazik . Walter J. . 2003 . Watching TV: Six Decades of American Television . Syracuse University Press . 43 . 9780815629887 .
- April 11, 1949 . Return Colonies, Italians Ask UN . . 1 .
- April 12, 1949 . South-West Africa Bill Passed . . 19 .
- Book: 1950 . Yust . Walter . 1950 Britannica Book of the Year . Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. . 5 .
- April 12, 1949 . Hunt for Relics of Noah's Ark Is Called 'Spying' by Pravda . . 2 .
- April 14, 1949 . 19 Top Nazis Jailed As U.S. War Trials End . . Brooklyn . 1 .
- Rosenthal . A. M. . April 15, 1949 . U. N. Assembly, 43-6, Urges Voluntary Curb on the Veto . . 1, 5 .
- Middleton . Drew . April 17, 1949 . 12,941 Tons Flown Into Berlin In Day For Airlift Record . . 1 .
- April 17, 1949 . Czechs, Hungarians Sign Mutual Aid Pact . . 1 .
- April 18, 1949 . Reds Give China 3 Days to Surrender . . Chicago . 1 .
- April 14, 1949 . 15-Mo. Marshall Plan Renewal . . Brooklyn . 1 .
- Book: Wright, Bradford W. . 2001 . Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America . registration . Johns Hopkins University Press . 105 . 9780801874505 .
- April 20, 1949 . Dewey Vetoes Ban on Sordid Comics . . Brooklyn . 1 .
- Web site: Boston Marathon Yearly Synopses (1897 - 2013) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160612111620/http://www.johnhancock.com/bostonmarathon/mediaguide/5-racesynopsis.php . . June 12, 2016 . June 4, 2018 .
- Book: Frommer, Harvey . 2016 . Remembering Yankee Stadium . Rowman & Littlefield . 50 . 9781630761561 .
- April 21, 1949 . Cut Jim Crow for Military . . 1 .
- April 22, 1949 . Senate Approved Housing Bill to Erect 810,000 Unites by '55 . . 1 .
- Lawrence . W. H. . April 23, 1949 . U. N. Unit Concerned Over Trials Of Clerics but Bars Inquiry Body . . 1 .
- April 23, 1949 . Reds Capture China's Capital . . 1 .
- Waggoner . Walter H. . April 24, 1949 . Carrier Is Halted; Air Force Triumphs In Strategy Fight . . 1 .
- Seigel . Kalman. Kalman Seigel . April 24, 1949 . Weizmann Pledges Safety Of Jerusalem's Holy Places . . 1 .
- Book: Nelson, Michael . 1997 . War of the Black Heavens: The Battles of Western Broadcasting in the Cold War . registration . Syracuse University Press . 21–22 . 9780815604792 .
- February 22, 1949 . Candy Rationing to End in Britain on April 24 . . 2 .
- News: 1953: Sweet rationing ends in Britain . . 5 February 1953 . June 4, 2018 .
- Hamilton . Thomas J. . April 26, 1949 . U. N. Finds Russians Violating Charter By Curb On Wives . . 1 .
- April 26, 1949 . Reds Offer Blockade Lift Terms . . 1 .
- April 27, 1949 . Western Allies Virtually Accept Russians' Offer . . 1 .
- Waggoner . Walter H. . April 27, 1949 . Sullivan Quits as Head of Navy In Protest on Halting Carrier . . 1 .
- Book: Patai, Raphael . 1958 . The Kingdom of Jordan . registration . Princeton University Press . 48 . 9781400877997 .
- Web site: The Sunkist Lady . CityofFullerton.com . June 4, 2018 . September 9, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160909053322/http://www.cityoffullerton.com/gov/departments/public_works/airport/the_sunkist_lady.asp . dead .
- April 28, 1949 . Communists Gain In Shanghai Drive . . 3 .
- April 28, 1949 . Flying Saucers Are Not a Joke . . 1 .
- Web site: Project 'Saucer' . Project 1947 . June 4, 2018 .
- April 29, 1949 . Melbourne Gets 1956 Olympics; Winter Games Go to Italian Resort . . 31 .
- Book: Haine, Edgar A. . 1993 . Railroad Wrecks . Cornwall Books . 185 . 9780845348444 .
- April 30, 1949 . Solid Canadian Vote Ratifies Atlantic Tie . . 3 .
- April 30, 1949 . West Germany, Italy Sign Pact . . 3 .
- April 30, 1949 . Durocher Barred By Chandler Edict . . 1 .
- Philip . P. J. . May 1, 1949 . Ottawa Dissolves Federal Assembly . . 33 .