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Milestones

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Fifty years ago, on April 2nd 1974, French president Georges Pompidou died while in office, from blood cancer, 61 years old. Former prime minister under, and successor of Charles de Gaulle, his term, although short (1969-1974), is characterized by modernization of France. He promoted such projects as Concorde, and initiated the successful development of France’s high speed railroad network, a strong participation of France in the also successful Airbus project and initiation of the Ariane space project. Under his term, Paris was also modernized, although some ‘blame’ him for the skyscrapers that then started to appear in Paris, like Montparnasse Tower. His foreign policy loosened somewhat the isolation from the de Gaulle era, like rapprochement to both the US and the USSR, but also giving up the French veto against British membership of the European Union.
 
Loxuru said:
Fifty years ago, on April 2nd 1974, French president Georges Pompidou died while in office, from blood cancer, 61 years old. Former prime minister under, and successor of Charles de Gaulle, his term, although short (1969-1974), is characterized by modernization of France. He promoted such projects as Concorde, and initiated the successful development of France’s high speed railroad network, a strong participation of France in the also successful Airbus project and initiation of the Ariane space project. Under his term, Paris was also modernized, although some ‘blame’ him for the skyscrapers that then started to appear in Paris, like Montparnasse Tower. His foreign policy loosened somewhat the isolation from the de Gaulle era, like rapprochement to both the US and the USSR, but also giving up the French veto against British membership of the European Union.
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Best known over here for his Centre! :)
 
Loxuru said:
Fifty years ago, on April 2nd 1974, French president Georges Pompidou died while in office, from blood cancer, 61 years old. Former prime minister under, and successor of Charles de Gaulle, his term, although short (1969-1974), is characterized by modernization of France. He promoted such projects as Concorde, and initiated the successful development of France’s high speed railroad network, a strong participation of France in the also successful Airbus project and initiation of the Ariane space project. Under his term, Paris was also modernized, although some ‘blame’ him for the skyscrapers that then started to appear in Paris, like Montparnasse Tower. His foreign policy loosened somewhat the isolation from the de Gaulle era, like rapprochement to both the US and the USSR, but also giving up the French veto against British membership of the European Union.
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We might also add that, as Prime Minister, he succeeded in overcoming the crisis of May 1968, when De Gaulle seemed rather out of his depth.
 
On April 6, 1917, the USA declared war on the German Empire. Until then, the United States stays out of the war, but supports the Entente powers (France, England, Russia) with economic aid and arms deliveries. In February 1917, the German Reich declared unrestricted submarine warfare. This caused the USA to break off all diplomatic relations and enter the war a few months later. In order to attract soldiers to the US professional army, "Uncle Sam" is used to advertise for them to join the army. By the end of the war in 1918, around two million US soldiers were fighting in Europe. The entry of the USA into the war is seen as decisive for the victory of the Entente powers.
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On April 6, 1926, Deutsche Luft Hansa Aktiengesellschaft, founded in January 1926, began flight operations with its first scheduled flight. The Fokker-Grulich high-wing aircraft takes off from Berlin-Tempelhof Airport to fly to Zurich via Halle, Erfurt and Stuttgart. “Luft Hansa” adopts the logo of the predecessor company “Deutsche Luftreederei”, the blue and yellow stylized crane. A few months later, a flight connection to Moscow and Paris, as well as to the North and Baltic Seas, was established. In 1926 over 55,000 passengers were counted. At the end of the Second World War in 1945, air traffic was stopped.
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On April 6, 1941, the German Wehrmacht attacked Yugoslavia and Greece without declaring war as part of the Balkan campaign. After a coup in Belgrade in March 1941, Hitler called for the punishment and destruction of the former ally Yugoslavia. This begins on April 6th and 7th with a bombing raid by over 500 fighter planes on the capital Belgrade.
Within a few weeks both countries were occupied. The battles are the last victorious German “blitzkriegs” and at the same time the beginning of the partisan wars. The total surrender is signed on April 17th.
 
Hugin&Munin said:
On April 6, 1941, the German Wehrmacht attacked Yugoslavia and Greece without declaring war as part of the Balkan campaign. After a coup in Belgrade in March 1941, Hitler called for the punishment and destruction of the former ally Yugoslavia. This begins on April 6th and 7th with a bombing raid by over 500 fighter planes on the capital Belgrade.
Within a few weeks both countries were occupied. The battles are the last victorious German “blitzkriegs” and at the same time the beginning of the partisan wars. The total surrender is signed on April 17th.
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The coup in Belgrade was staged by Britain. Yugoslavia was indeed initially an ally of Germany, but changed sides after the coup. Hitler's reaction was exactly what Britain had hoped for, and allowed the British to gain time in rebuilding its army. Hitler's invasion in Greece was to help Italy out of trouble, since their invasion had completely failed. Hitler's intervention in the Balkans forced him to postpone the invasion of the Soviet Union with about a month. This delay is considered crucial in the failure of Operation Barbarossa to make its targets before winter.

Hugin&Munin said:
On April 6, 1917, the USA declared war on the German Empire. Until then, the United States stays out of the war, but supports the Entente powers (France, England, Russia) with economic aid and arms deliveries. In February 1917, the German Reich declared unrestricted submarine warfare. This caused the USA to break off all diplomatic relations and enter the war a few months later. In order to attract soldiers to the US professional army, "Uncle Sam" is used to advertise for them to join the army. By the end of the war in 1918, around two million US soldiers were fighting in Europe. The entry of the USA into the war is seen as decisive for the victory of the Entente powers.
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Important in the US decision was the 'Zimmerman Telegram', intercepted by the US, in which Germany urged Mexico to invade the US, with the promise to reconquer the territories it had lost to the US during 19th century wars. Germany thought, such a conflict would absorb all possible war effort of the US (actualy underestimating its economical strenghth and its determination to fight).
 
Loxuru said:
Important in the US decision was the 'Zimmerman Telegram', intercepted by the US, in which Germany urged Mexico to invade the US, with the promise to reconquer the territories it had lost to the US during 19th century wars. Germany thought, such a conflict would absorb all possible war effort of the US (actualy underestimating its economical strenghth and its determination to fight).
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And over estimating Mexican stupidity. Mexico was still dealing with a civil war, was no match for the US militarily and the Mexicans knew that the Germans wouldn't be able to deliver on their vague promise of aid.
The telegram was actually intercepted and decrypted by the British then passed on to the Americans.
 
On April 9, 1991, the then Soviet republic of Georgia declared itself independent after a referendum on April 1. With 90 percent participation, at least 95 percent of the rights vote in favor of the step. At that time, Georgia was called the “Switzerland of the Caucasus” and was considered one of the richest Union republics. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia's economy collapsed and conditions similar to civil war arose. The war and fighting in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia deterred many tourists. Where previously up to four million guests came to the country every year, by the end of the 1990s there were only just over 300,000. To date, the territorial conflict over Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot be resolved.
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On April 9, 1945, the battle for Königsberg, today's Kaliningrad, ended with the surrender of the German troops under the fortress commander General Otto Lasch. The East Prussian capital Königsberg was spared from the Second World War for a long time and was only destroyed by British bombers in August 1944. On January 31, 1945, the Red Army encircled Königsberg and attacked the city from April 6 to 9, 1945. The number of soldiers killed and civilian victims is unknown. After the surrender, the fortress commander Lasch was sentenced to death by Hitler in absentia. By becoming a prisoner of war he escaped the death sentence.
 
Hugin&Munin said:
Where previously up to four million guests came to the country every year, by the end of the 1990s there were only just over 300,000.
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My neighbours - keen on birdwatching, wild flowers etc. - had a wonderful time there a couple of years ago.
 
On April 12, 1981, the American space shuttle “Columbia” started its maiden flight. With the STS-1 (Space Transportation System) mission, a reusable space shuttle flies into space for the first time. NASA's space shuttle was scheduled to launch into space on April 10, 1981, but due to an error in the on-board computer, the flight was delayed by two days. On April 12th, the two astronauts John Watts Young and Robert Crippen will launch into space with the “Columbia”. The flight lasts two days, and on April 14th the two land at the American air force base “Edwards Air Force Base” in California. In July 2011, the USA ended its national space shuttle program after 135 missions.
 
Hugin&Munin said:
On April 12, 1981, the American space shuttle “Columbia” started its maiden flight. With the STS-1 (Space Transportation System) mission, a reusable space shuttle flies into space for the first time. NASA's space shuttle was scheduled to launch into space on April 10, 1981, but due to an error in the on-board computer, the flight was delayed by two days. On April 12th, the two astronauts John Watts Young and Robert Crippen will launch into space with the “Columbia”. The flight lasts two days, and on April 14th the two land at the American air force base “Edwards Air Force Base” in California. In July 2011, the USA ended its national space shuttle program after 135 missions.
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After years of delay and running high over the original budget. The designers had strongly underestimated the complexity of their project. for instance, it was thought that a shuttle could be launched once a week, only requiring a brief "servicing". Just changing oil at the dealer's service station, so to say!

shuttle.jpg In reality, it took weeks or months to prepare a shuttle for its next flight, obviously entailing much higher operational costs.

Another design problem was the heat shield, for which was ultimately made use of expensive ceramic tiles, about 24300 unique(!) pieces, to be glued manually!

During the test flight in 1981, a few of these tiles had detached during launch. It was feared that these gaps in the thermal shield could endanger the shuttle during reentry, but it landed safely.
 
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