Paracultural Calendar for March 16

[Mark Thibodeau]

On this day in *597 BC*, Babylonians capture Jerusalem, and replace
*Jehoiachin* with *Zedekiah *as king.

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On this day in *1190*, massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.

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On this day in *1244*, over 200 Cathars are burned after the Fall of
Montségur.

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On this day in *1621*, *Samoset*, a Mohegan, visited the settlers of
Plymouth Colony and greets them, "Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset."

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On this day in *1861*, *Edward Clark* becomes Governor of Texas, replacing *Sam
Houston*, who has been evicted from the office for refusing to take an oath
of loyalty to the Confederacy.

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On this day in *1926*, *Robert Goddard* launches the first liquid-fueled
rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts.

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On this day in *1935*, *Adolf Hitler* orders Germany to rearm herself in
violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Conscription is reintroduced to form
the Wehrmacht.

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On this day in *1939*, Germany occupies Czechoslovakia. Chaos ensues.
Seriously.

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On this day in *1942*, the first *V-2* rocket test launch. It exploded at
lift-off.

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On this day in *1945*, ninety percent of Würzburg, Germany is destroyed in
only 20 minutes by British bombers. 5,000 are killed.

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On this day in *1958*, the *Ford Motor Company* produces its 50 millionth
automobile, the Thunderbird, averaging almost a million cars a year since
the company's founding. Ten years later, on this day in *1968*, *General
Motors* produces its 100 millionth automobile, the Oldsmobile Toronado.

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On this day in *1968*, *Robert Kennedy* announces the launch of his
Presidential campaign. Assassination ensues. On the very same day: HAPPY *MY
LAI DAY*
<http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mylai/Myl_intro.html>,
everybody!

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On this day in *1976*, British Prime Minister *Harold Wilson* resigns,
citing personal reasons.

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On this day in *1984* *William Buckley*, the CIA station chief in Beirut,
Lebanon, is kidnapped by Islamic fundamentalists and later dies in
captivity. One year later, on this day in *1985*, Associated Press
newsman *Terry
Anderson* is taken hostage in Beirut. He is released on December 4, 1991.

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On this day in *1988*, a federal Grand Jury indicts Marine Lt. Col. *Oliver
North* and Navy Vice Admiral *John Poindexter* in the Iran-Contra
drugs-for-money-for-weapons-for-treason scandal. Today, after both men were
pardoned by outgoing president *George Herbert "Poppy" Walker Bush*, North
hosts his very own syndicated right-wing radio talk show and Poindexter is
an integral part of the Secret Fascist Shadow Government. Who says crime
doesn't pay?

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On this day in *1988*, in the Kurdish town of Halabjah in Iraq is attacked
with a mix of poison gas and nerve agents on the orders of *Saddam Hussein*,
killing 5000 people and injuring about 10000 people.

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On this day in *2003*, *Rachel Corrie*, a 23-year-old American woman
involved with the International Solidarity Movement, is killed trying to
prevent a Palestinian home from being destroyed by a bulldozer in Rafah.
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