The Stasi were the official state security service of East Germany established in 1950. It is considered to be one of the most effective and repressive intelligence and secret police agencies of all time. The Stasi were headquartered in East Berlin, and they were responsible for spying on the population. … Continue reading
The Orangeburg massacre took place on February 8, 1968, when a group of about 150 protestors from South Carolina State University had gathered to protest racial segregation at the local bowling alley. South Carolina Highway Patrol Officers responded to the scene and opened fire on protestors, killing three and wounding … Continue reading
On February 8, 1942, Japan invaded Singapore, capturing the city-state on February 15, 1942. Singapore was the major British military base in South-East Asia. The capture of Singapore by the Japanese led to the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history, making 80,000 troops prisoners of war. In this … Continue reading
Rudolf Abel was an intelligence officer with the KGB who was arrested on charges of conspiracy by the FBI in 1957. Abel was sent to the United States after World War II as part of a spy ring operating out of New York City. Although Abel was sentenced to 45 … Continue reading
Patricia Hearst, granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped from her home in Berkely, California on February 4, 1974 by the Symbionese Liberation Army. One condition the SLA gave for Patty Hearst’s release was that her family distribute $70 worth of food to every needy Californian. Hearst’s father … Continue reading
On February 3, 1969, Yasser Arafat became the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). This video is a clip from Arafat’s first address to the United Nations on November 13, 1974, in which he tells them: “I come to you bearing an olive branch in one hand and a … Continue reading
On February 4, 1999, four plain-clothed New York City police officers shot and killed 23-year old Amadou Diallo, an immigrant from Guinea. Diallo was standing outside of his apartment in The Bronx when the officers fired a total of 41 shots, striking Diallo 19 times. Diallo was unarmed at the … Continue reading
District Six was named in 1867 and refers to the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town. The district was made up of former slaves, artisans, immigrants and Malay people who were brought to South Africa by the Dutch East India Company. District Six was the residence of approximately one tenth … Continue reading
Mahatma Gandhi lead the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India by employing techniques of nonviolent civil disobedience. His methods were eventually successful, and they went on to inspire civil rights movements across the world. In his first television interview on April 30, 1931, Gandhi spoke with Fox Movietone News about … Continue reading
On January 27, 2011, over 16,000 protestors met in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, to protest the Yemeni government. These protests followed protests in Tunisia and Egypt, and was part of the Arab Spring. Yemeni President Saleh then announced on February 2 that he would not seek reelection in 2013 … Continue reading
