On November 11, 1960, a failed coup attempt against President Ngo Dinh
Diem of South Vietnam was led by Lieutenant Colonel Vuong Van Dong and
Colonel Nguyen Chanh Thi of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The
rebels launched the coup in response to Diem's autocratic rule and the
negative political influence of his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu and his
sister-in-law Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu. After initially being trapped inside
the Independence Palace, Diem stalled the coup by holding negotiations
and promising reforms. However, his real aim was to buy time for
loyalist forces to enter Saigon and relieve him. The coup failed when
the Fifth and Seventh Divisions of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam
entered Saigon and defeated the rebels. More than four hundred
people—many of whom were spectating civilians—were killed in the
ensuing battle. Dong and Thi fled to Cambodia, while Diem excoriated
the United States for a perceived lack of support during the crisis.
Afterwards, Diem ordered a crackdown, imprisoning numerous
anti-government critics and former cabinet ministers. A trial for those
implicated in the plot was held in 1963. Seven officers and two
civilians were sentenced to death in absentia, while 14 officers and 34
civilians were jailed.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_South_Vietnamese_coup_attempt>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1958:
Vanguard 1 , the first solar-powered satellite, was launched. It is the
oldest human-launched object still in Earth orbit today.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_1>
1969:
Golda Meir of the Labor Party became the first female Prime Minister of
Israel.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golda_Meir>
2004:
Unrest in Kosovo broke out, resulting in more than 20 killed, 200
wounded, and the destruction of several Serb Orthodox churches and
shrines.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_unrest_in_Kosovo>
45 BC:
Caesar's civil war: Julius Caesar scored his final military victory at
the Battle of Munda, defeating the Optimate forces of Titus Labienus
and Pompey the Younger.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Munda>
624:
History of Islam: The Muslims of Medina defeated the Quraysh of Mecca
in Badr, present-day Saudi Arabia, a victory that has been attributed
to divine intervention or the genius of Muhammad.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Badr>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
shamrock (n):
1. The trefoil leaf of any small clover, especially Trifolium repens,
or of any clover-like plant.
2. Any of several small forms of clover with trefoil leaves,
especially Trifolium repens
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/shamrock>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Let anyone laugh and taunt if he so wishes. I am not keeping silent,
nor am I hiding the signs and wonders that were shown to me by the Lord
many years before they happened, who knew everything, even before the
beginning of time.
--Saint Patrick
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick>