On This Day in History

On This Day July 17, 1958

     July 17, 1958 was an exciting day in history. Dannie Ray Gray was born at 5:45 am in Norfolk Naval Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia. Ok, so maybe my birth was not the most news worthy event of the day. However, there were a plethora of events that were news worthy. There were three important foreign affair events that occurred on July 17, 1958; Americans landed in Lebanon, Coup in Iraq, and Britain weighing action in Jordan.

     Amidst civil unrest in Lebanon President Eisenhower of the United States sent military troops to protect American lives and assist the troubled Beirut regime. The marines landed on the beaches of Lebanon without resistance and proceeded to the city of Beirut. The Beirut airport was used as a staging area for all of the military equipment. The intent of the invasion was to protect the pro-Western Lebanese government of President Camille Chamoun against threats from internal opposition and threats from Syria and Egypt.      

     While the United States military was landing in Beirut, Iraqi troops returned to their barracks after successfully overthrowing the prior regime last Monday. The Iraqi people and foreigners returned to the streets and shops in Baghdad. Immediately after his installation as Premier, General Abdul Karim el-Kassem issued the following order to the population: “Keep the revolt against the monarchy clean. I ask you to be most friendly and cordial to foreigners, the living guests of our country. Arabs are known to look after their guests and respect them.”

     With all of this activity going on in the Middle East, King Hussein of Jordan was requesting military assistance from Britain. With the recent coup in Iraq and Iraq’s withdrawal from the Arab Union, Jordan believed they would need assistance in its efforts to restore the sovereignty of the Arab Union in Iraq. The British Prime Minister met with the House of Commons to discuss Britain’s duty to come to the aide of the Jordanians if needed. He compared Britain’s involvement to that of the assistance the United States was providing in Lebanon. It was also pointed out that both nations, the United States and Britain, had a right to respond to such requests in accordance with the spirit of the United Nations Charter and the rules of international law.

     These are just several news worthy events that occurred on July 17, 1958. The three foreign events discussed involved turmoil in the Middle East. Hopefully, I did not cause my family too much turmoil when I was born. What events took place on the day you were born?             

         

 

Works Cited

Middleton, Drew Special to the New York Times. "BRITISH WEIGHING ACTION IN JORDAN." New York Times (1923-Current file): 1. Jul 17 1958. ProQuest. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

By Reuters. "Baghdad is Returning to Normal; 3 Ex-Leaders' Deaths Confirmed." New York Times (1923-Current file): 1. Jul 17 1958. ProQuest. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

By United, Press I. "MORE AMERICAN TROOPS FLYING TO MIDEAST;" New York Times (1923-Current file): 1. Jul 17 1958. ProQuest. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.