There is always much to learn from quotes and their historical significance. Read on for a collection of quotes and general history from June 2nd – 8th.
June 2, 1953
“God save Queen Elizabeth. Long live Queen Elizabeth. May the Queen live forever!”
On June 2, 1953, the coronation of Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey, London. She had become Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father King George VI, while she was traveling abroad in Kenya. Now, she is the world’s longest-serving current head of state and oldest living monarch.
June 3, 1979
“The amount of fish to catch was never the same as before the spill.”
– Pablo Bonastre, veteran fisherman
On June 3, 1979, the Ixtoc I oil well suffered a blowout resulting in one of the largest oil spills in history. Over the next 10 months, approximately 3 million barrels (480,000 cubic meters) of oil leaked into the Gulf of Mexico. After drilling two relief wells, the spill was finally capped on March 23, 1980.
June 4, 1989
“In spring 1989…I saw the buildup of demonstrations from Chengdu to Tiananmen Square. It struck me that fear had been forgotten to such an extent that few of the millions of demonstrators perceived danger. Most seemed to be taken by surprise when the army opened fire.”
– Jung Chang
On June 4, 1989, Chinese troops opened fire on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. Student-led demonstrations had begun in mid-April, following the death of pro-reform Communist leader Hu Yaobang. The students called for democracy, end of corruption, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech. As the protests continued to grow and spread, the State Council eventually declared martial law and decided to end them by force. Death toll estimates vary from several hundred to thousands.
June 5, 1933
“The free circulation of gold coins is unnecessary, leads to hoarding, and tends to a possible weakening of national financial structures in times of emergency.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
The United States Congress enacted a joint resolution nullifying creditors right to demand payment in gold on June 5, 1933. Effectively ending US use of the gold standard, a monetary system where the currency is backed by gold. This allowed the Federal Reserve more power to inflate the money supply and help bring an end to the Great Depression.
June 6, 1944
“Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
– General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”
On June 6, 1944, the Allied invasion of Normandy begins during World War II, commonly referred to as D-Day. Code-named Operation Neptune, D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history. 156,000 Allied troops landed on a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast, with another 24,000 airborne troops landing behind enemy lines. While none of the Allies’ major objectives were captured on the first day, the five Allied beachheads established in Normandy would prove a crucial turning point for WWII. By June 12th, the five beachheads had been linked, allowing the deployment of 875,000 men by the end of June.
This year, 2019, marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day!
June 7, 1962
“The burning of a book is a sad, sad sight, for even though a book is nothing but ink and paper, it feels as if the ideas contained in the book are disappearing as the pages turn to ashes and the cover and binding – which is the term for the stitching and glue that holds the pages together – blacken and curl as the flames do their wicked work.”
– Lemony Snicket, The Penultimate Peril
On June 7, 1962, the University of Algiers library was burned, destroying about 500,000 books. The fire was set by the Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS), a movement of French colonists opposing Algerian independence. Less than a month later, on July 1st, the Algerian independence referendum received approval. The University library has since been rebuilt and currently has more than 800,000 books.
June 8, 1966
“Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness and respect for authority is the price that each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”
– Vince Lombardi
The AFL-NFL merger was announced on the evening of June 8, 1966. This led to the first Super Bowl between the two league champions on January 15, 1967. The leagues maintained separate regular-season schedules for the next four seasons, before officially merging in 1970 to form the AFC and NFC conferences we know today.
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It is baffling to think of how much has changed since D-Day. Just think of the possibilities of the next 75.
On June 6th, 1944 the photo’s name says it all…Into the Jaws of Death as soldiers walk through the tide water to let the enemy know that the U.S. is claiming the beach.
I agree! That is an amazing photo!
I agree, such a powerful photo.