On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
In 1968, the world population was approximately 3,545,187,251 people[†]
1968Bas Haring, Dutch philosopher, writer, television presenter and professor.[†]
Sebastiaan (Bas) Haring is a Dutch writer of popular science and children's literature, television presenter and professor. He is a full professor at Leiden University, where he has held a chair in "public understanding of science" since 2007. He also hosted his own philosophical TV program for Dutch public broadcasting.
1968Ken McRae, Canadian ice hockey player and coach[†]
Kenneth Duncan McRae is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. McRae is the former head coach of the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League. McRae is also a former right wing who played 137 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Quebec Nordiques and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was drafted by the Nordiques in the first round, 18th overall, in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.
1968Timothy McVeigh, American terrorist, Oklahoma City bombing co-perpetrator (died 2001)[†]
Timothy James McVeigh was an American domestic terrorist who masterminded and perpetrated the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The bombing itself killed 167 people, injured 684 people, and destroyed one-third of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. A rescue worker was killed after the bombing when debris struck her head, bringing the total to 168 killed. It remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
1968Vietnam War: Student protesters at Columbia University in New York City take over administration buildings and shut down the university.[†]
The Vietnam War was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam and their allies. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and China, while South Vietnam was supported by the United States and other anti-communist nations. The conflict was the second of the Indochina wars and a proxy war of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and US. The Vietnam War was one of the postcolonial wars of national liberation, a theater in the Cold War, and a civil war, with civil warfare a defining feature from the outset. Direct US military involvement escalated from 1965 until its withdrawal in 1973. The fighting spilled into the Laotian and Cambodian Civil Wars, which ended with all three countries becoming communist in 1975.
Sec Clifford says US accelerates delivery of modern weapons to S Vietnamese Army, s, NYC
Comr Fraiman links stricter policy on apptmts to higher-paying jobs to case
ICC examiner J S Messer urges comm require rrs to follow minimum standards to improve quality of service; upholds Calif, Ariz, other states complaint charging that Southern Pacific deliberately downgraded Sunset Ltd service; holds rr violated Interstate Commerce Act by failing to provide sleeping-car facilities and dining and lounge car accommodations for 1st-class passengers; holds rrs are quasi-pub corps, having been chartered to serve pub convenience and necessity; recommended service standards listed
Vice Pres Humphrey urges concentrating on 'arts of peace,' s, Overseas Press Club, discussing foreign policy in gen; does not pull away from Johnson Adm record but appears to be starting to rebuild own identity in foreign affairs following Johnson announcement he will not seek re-election; says he thinks he will seek Dem nomination for Pres; replies to Fulbright charge of abuse of natl power
Hughes proposes graduated income tax of 1 to 5% or 1¢ sales tax rise coupled with 5¢-a-pack cigarette tax rise to finance urban aid program, meetings with Dem legislators and Repub legis leaders; sees income tax raising $134-million for 1st half of '69-70 fiscal yr if enacted by Jan '69 and $268-million for 1st full yr; sees sales and cigarette tax measure yielding $120-million
Illus
newspaper Sztandar Mlodych officially confirms students have been drafted into army in retribution for taking part in protests
US Army will draft 346,900 men this fiscal yr, rather than 285,000 originally planned, in part because of miscalculation of number of men who would be discharged upon returning from Vietnam because they had 90 days or less remaining in service; USMC will draft 5,900 in April and May because of man-power strain that war places on corps; Lt Gen Hershcy cautions in Cong testimony that if war continues, total draft calls for fiscal yr '69 could exceed planned 240,000 by 100,000
B-52s continue raids against Ashau Valley; US armed helicopters kill 50 enemy in scattered actions; other details; map
Mayor Lindsay proposes ban on possession of rifles or shotguns in pub places, NYC, during emergencies created by riots and other disorders; would prohibit sale of gasoline except by direct delivery to vehicle's tank and forbid anyone to possess, in a pub place, any portable container holding gasoline; proposal sent to City Council in form of bill; previous proposals detailed; Council's Com on City Affairs holds pub hearing on proposals; is surprised by small attendance; G Green, on behalf of Communist party, opposes bill; Citizens Union and ACLU NY chap criticize some features
US Sup Ct, 8-1, strikes down Dallas, Tex, ordinance aimed at barring children from seeing films classified 'unsuitable,' suit brought by theater owners against classification of film Viva Maria; cites ordinance's vague wording