The
House Un-American Activities Committee announced that it had "definite proof of one of the most extensive espionage rings in the history of the United States" – microfilms of secret prewar State Department papers submitted by
Whittaker Chambers that he'd hidden in a hollowed-out
pumpkin on his
Maryland farm.[4]
The Chinese steamship
SS Kiangya sank near the mouth of the
Huangpu River, likely after striking a mine. As many as 3,920 are thought to have perished.
The
House Un-American Activities Committee issued a pamphlet titled 100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Education, claiming that an estimated 800 American Communists trained in Moscow constituted a "secret army" seeking to subvert the US government and gain "new recruits" from the
Progressive Party.[5][6]
The Japanese Diet formally rebuked Emperor
Hirohito for communicating directly with President
Truman. Hirohito's message merely wished cordial relations between Japan and the United States, but the Diet expressed resentment that Hirohito independently sent a diplomatic message to a foreign power when the new Japanese Constitution made him simply a "national symbol."[7]
The West Berlin City Assembly unanimously elected
Ernst Reuter to serve as acting mayor until the first session of the newly elected Assembly in January 1949.[8]
At a ceremony in
Ottawa, terms of union were signed between
Canada and the
Dominion of Newfoundland by which Newfoundland would become a province of Canada pending ratification.[11]
Italy and the
Soviet Union signed a series of trade and reparations agreements in Moscow. Italy conceded all assets in
Romania,
Hungary and
Bulgaria as reparations. The three-year trade agreement was worth 30 billion lire.[13]
Michigan State was admitted to the Western Collegiate Athletic Conference, restoring the classic "
Big Ten". The conference had been down to nine members since 1946 when the
University of Chicago withdrew.[14]
An 11-million peso fraud scandal broke in
Argentina. Fourteen men were ordered arrested for involvement in a plot to obtain a government loan for transfer of a non-existent aluminum plant from Italy to Argentina in exchange for bribes. Three members of President
Juan Perón's inner circle were among those implicated.[15]
A nationwide ban on music recording in the United States ended after eleven and a half months when
American Federation of Musicians President
James Petrillo signed a government-approved agreement with the record industry to create a new trust fund plan compatible with the provisions of the
Taft-Hartley Act.[16]
Former US State Department official
Alger Hiss was indicted by federal grand jury on two counts of
perjury for denying that he or his wife had ever turned over confidential papers to
Whittaker Chambers.[18]
On the 45th anniversary of the first powered flight, the original
Wright Flyer was donated to the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The Flyer had been in Britain for many years because of a dispute between the
Wright brothers and the Smithsonian.[22]
Born:Alan Parsons, musician and record producer, in London, England
Died:Laurence Duggan, 43, American economist (fell to his death from his office window, possible suicide);
C. Aubrey Smith, 85, English test cricketer and actor
Speaking before the UN Security Council, Dutch delegate
Jan Herman van Roijen called the invasion of the Indonesian Republic a "police action" over which the UN had no jurisdiction.[25]
The US State Department suspended $14.1 million in Marshall Plan aid to the Dutch East Indies pending "clarification" of the situation there.[26]
The Israeli-Egyptian truce ended as Israeli forces launched
Operation Horev in the Western
Negev with the objective of trapping the Egyptian Army in the
Gaza Strip. The
Battle of Hill 86 began as part of the operation.
KPIX-TV went on the air in
San Francisco, the first television station in northern California.
The
Battle of Hill 86 ended in Egyptian tactical victory after Israeli forces retreated.
Yugoslavia and Britain signed a one-year trade agreement worth $120 million US after Yugoslavia promised to compensate British owners of Yugoslavian factories that had been nationalized.[25]
The UN Security Council ordered an immediate ceasefire in Indonesia and called on the Dutch government to release
Sukarno and other political prisoners.[27]
The Hungarian government arrested Cardinal
József Mindszenty, an outspoken opponent of the Communist regime, on charges of plotting against the government, spying, treason and black market dealings.[31][32]
Marshal
Tito threatened to divert Yugoslavia's resources toward the capitalist West if the Soviet bloc countries persisted in violating their agreements to deliver heavy equipment to help industrialize the country.[33]
The UN Security Council passed a British resolution demanding another ceasefire in the
Negev desert and the establishment of a neutral zone between Israeli and Egyptian forces.[34]
The first
United States Secretary of Defense,
James V. Forrestal, in his initial report to President Harry Truman, included a brief item indicating that the earth
satellite program, which was being carried out independently by the military services, was assigned to the Committee on Guided Missiles for coordination.[35]
Born:Peter Robinson, First Minister of Northern Ireland 2008–2016, in
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Chinese Nationalist leader
Chiang Kai-shek gave an address clearly indicating that he would be willing to step down and perhaps leave the country if a peace settlement could be reached with the Communists in the
Civil War.[37]
The
House Un-American Activities Committee announced that it had "definite proof of one of the most extensive espionage rings in the history of the United States" – microfilms of secret prewar State Department papers submitted by
Whittaker Chambers that he'd hidden in a hollowed-out
pumpkin on his
Maryland farm.[4]
The Chinese steamship
SS Kiangya sank near the mouth of the
Huangpu River, likely after striking a mine. As many as 3,920 are thought to have perished.
The
House Un-American Activities Committee issued a pamphlet titled 100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Education, claiming that an estimated 800 American Communists trained in Moscow constituted a "secret army" seeking to subvert the US government and gain "new recruits" from the
Progressive Party.[5][6]
The Japanese Diet formally rebuked Emperor
Hirohito for communicating directly with President
Truman. Hirohito's message merely wished cordial relations between Japan and the United States, but the Diet expressed resentment that Hirohito independently sent a diplomatic message to a foreign power when the new Japanese Constitution made him simply a "national symbol."[7]
The West Berlin City Assembly unanimously elected
Ernst Reuter to serve as acting mayor until the first session of the newly elected Assembly in January 1949.[8]
At a ceremony in
Ottawa, terms of union were signed between
Canada and the
Dominion of Newfoundland by which Newfoundland would become a province of Canada pending ratification.[11]
Italy and the
Soviet Union signed a series of trade and reparations agreements in Moscow. Italy conceded all assets in
Romania,
Hungary and
Bulgaria as reparations. The three-year trade agreement was worth 30 billion lire.[13]
Michigan State was admitted to the Western Collegiate Athletic Conference, restoring the classic "
Big Ten". The conference had been down to nine members since 1946 when the
University of Chicago withdrew.[14]
An 11-million peso fraud scandal broke in
Argentina. Fourteen men were ordered arrested for involvement in a plot to obtain a government loan for transfer of a non-existent aluminum plant from Italy to Argentina in exchange for bribes. Three members of President
Juan Perón's inner circle were among those implicated.[15]
A nationwide ban on music recording in the United States ended after eleven and a half months when
American Federation of Musicians President
James Petrillo signed a government-approved agreement with the record industry to create a new trust fund plan compatible with the provisions of the
Taft-Hartley Act.[16]
Former US State Department official
Alger Hiss was indicted by federal grand jury on two counts of
perjury for denying that he or his wife had ever turned over confidential papers to
Whittaker Chambers.[18]
On the 45th anniversary of the first powered flight, the original
Wright Flyer was donated to the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The Flyer had been in Britain for many years because of a dispute between the
Wright brothers and the Smithsonian.[22]
Born:Alan Parsons, musician and record producer, in London, England
Died:Laurence Duggan, 43, American economist (fell to his death from his office window, possible suicide);
C. Aubrey Smith, 85, English test cricketer and actor
Speaking before the UN Security Council, Dutch delegate
Jan Herman van Roijen called the invasion of the Indonesian Republic a "police action" over which the UN had no jurisdiction.[25]
The US State Department suspended $14.1 million in Marshall Plan aid to the Dutch East Indies pending "clarification" of the situation there.[26]
The Israeli-Egyptian truce ended as Israeli forces launched
Operation Horev in the Western
Negev with the objective of trapping the Egyptian Army in the
Gaza Strip. The
Battle of Hill 86 began as part of the operation.
KPIX-TV went on the air in
San Francisco, the first television station in northern California.
The
Battle of Hill 86 ended in Egyptian tactical victory after Israeli forces retreated.
Yugoslavia and Britain signed a one-year trade agreement worth $120 million US after Yugoslavia promised to compensate British owners of Yugoslavian factories that had been nationalized.[25]
The UN Security Council ordered an immediate ceasefire in Indonesia and called on the Dutch government to release
Sukarno and other political prisoners.[27]
The Hungarian government arrested Cardinal
József Mindszenty, an outspoken opponent of the Communist regime, on charges of plotting against the government, spying, treason and black market dealings.[31][32]
Marshal
Tito threatened to divert Yugoslavia's resources toward the capitalist West if the Soviet bloc countries persisted in violating their agreements to deliver heavy equipment to help industrialize the country.[33]
The UN Security Council passed a British resolution demanding another ceasefire in the
Negev desert and the establishment of a neutral zone between Israeli and Egyptian forces.[34]
The first
United States Secretary of Defense,
James V. Forrestal, in his initial report to President Harry Truman, included a brief item indicating that the earth
satellite program, which was being carried out independently by the military services, was assigned to the Committee on Guided Missiles for coordination.[35]
Born:Peter Robinson, First Minister of Northern Ireland 2008–2016, in
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Chinese Nationalist leader
Chiang Kai-shek gave an address clearly indicating that he would be willing to step down and perhaps leave the country if a peace settlement could be reached with the Communists in the
Civil War.[37]