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22nd October

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1962: Cuban Missile Crisis


President John F. Kennedy announces on national television that military spy planes had discovered the existence of Soviet missile sites in Cuba. He ordered a naval blockade of Cuba and demanded the removal of the missiles. During the next six days, the crisis escalated to a breaking point as the world tottered on the brink of nuclear war. Finally, on October 28, in exchange for a secret U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announced his country's willingness to remove the weapons. The crisis ended as suddenly as it began, and the world breathed a sigh of relief. In November, Kennedy called off the naval blockade, and the missiles were removed from Cuba by the end of the year.

1987

The First Volume of the Gutenberg Bible is sold in New York for £3.26 million making it the most expensive printed book to be sold at auction.

1966

KGB masterspy George Blake escapes from Wormwood Scrubs in London where he was serving a 40 year sentence for spying against the British Government.

1962

The beginning of the 'Cuban Missile Crisis' when US President John Kennedy announces that Soviet missile bases have been installed on Cuba off the Florida coast with the agreement of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

1952

In Kenya, British troops arrest the leader of the 'Mau Mau' rebels, Jomo Kenyatta.

1937

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor arrive in Berlin to meet German leader Adolf Hitler, study housing conditions and hear a concert.

1910

American-born Doctor Hawley Crippen is convicted at the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court in London of poisoning his wife Cora. Crippen is hanged on November 23rd at Pentonville prison.

1909

Elise Deroche (who uses the self-created title of Baronne de la Roche) becomes the first woman pilot to fly 'solo'.

1883

The opening of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York with a performance of Gounod's 'Faust'.

1862

A rebellion by Greek troops garrisoned in Athens forces King Otto I to resign.

1797

Frenchman Andre-Jacques Garnerin makes the world's first parachute jump - launching himself from a balloon over the Parc Monceau in Paris.

1917

Actress Joan Fontaine born in Tokyo, Japan. Among her list of film credits: 'Gunga Din'; 'Ivanhoe' and 'Rebecca'.

1905

American radio engineer Karl Jansky. In 1931, while working for the Bell Telephone Laboratories, he claims to discover radio waves originating from extra-terrestrial sources. Dies in 1950

1844

French actress Sarah Bernhardt, is born in Paris

1811

Composer Franz Liszt, creator of the symphonic poem, is born at Raiding in Hungary. First plays in public aged 9 before touring Europe as a pianist. From 1848, conducts, composes and performs in Weimar making it the musical and cultural centre of Germany. Works include 12 symphonic poems and two symphonies as well as many compositions for the piano.