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>
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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>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
indigent:
Poor; destitute; in need.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/indigent>
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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>