The Lisbon Appointment was the decision in 1965 by Britain's self- governing colony in Rhodesia to open its own diplomatic mission in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, which would operate independently from the British embassy there. Britain objected to the proposal when it was put forward in June 1965, and tried unsuccessfully to block it. The affair came amidst the larger dispute between Whitehall and Salisbury about sovereign independence for the colony. Whitehall insisted that there could be no independence before majority rule, which was opposed by Rhodesia's mostly white government. Rhodesia's staunch opposition to immediate majority rule and its disillusionment regarding Britain propelled it towards Portugal, which governed the neighbouring territories of Angola and Mozambique. Portugal, while insisting it was neutral regarding Rhodesia, officially recognised Harry Reedman as "Chief of the Rhodesian Mission" in September 1965. It was careful to avoid provoking Britain, omitting the word "diplomatic" from the titles given to Reedman and his mission, but the Rhodesians still regarded themselves as victorious. Less than two months later, Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_Appointment
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1781:
American Revolutionary War: American forces won a surprising victory over the British at the Battle of Cowpens, one of the most pivotal battles of the war. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cowpens
1912:
Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition reached the South Pole, only to find that Roald Amundsen's team had beaten them by 33 days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_Expedition
1946:
The United Nations Security Council (chamber pictured), the organ of the United Nations charged with the maintenance of international peace and security, held its first meeting at Church House in London. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council
1957:
USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, launched from Groton, Connecticut, with the message, "Underway on nuclear power." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nautilus_(SSN-571)
1961:
Former Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was murdered in circumstances suggesting the support and complicity of the governments of Belgium and the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Lumumba
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
indigent: Poor; destitute; in need. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/indigent
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Mankind naturally and generally love to be flatter'd: Whatever sooths our Pride, and tends to exalt our Species above the rest of the Creation, we are pleas'd with and easily believe, when ungrateful Truths shall be with the utmost Indignation rejected. "What! bring ourselves down to an Equality with the Beasts of the Field! with the meanest part of the Creation! 'Tis insufferable!" But, (to use a Piece of common Sense) our Geese are but Geese tho' we may think 'em Swans; and Truth will be Truth tho' it sometimes prove mortifying and distasteful. --Benjamin Franklin https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin