The Great Smog of London, lethal smog that covered the city of London for five days (December 5–9) in 1952, caused by a combination of industrial pollution and high-pressure weather conditions. This combination of smoke and fog brought the city to a near standstill and resulted in thousands of deaths.
The phenomenon of “London fog” long predated the crisis of the early 1950s. Known as “pea-soupers” for their dense, yellow appearance, such all-encompassing fogs had became a hallmark of London by the 19th century. These hazes were not natural formations of the atmosphere: water vapour would stick to particulates released by coal-burning factories, producing dark and heavy clouds that impaired visibility.
The Great Smog of 1952 was a pea-souper of unprecedented severity, induced by both weather and pollution. The result was the worst pollution-based fog in the city’s history.
Visibility was so impaired in some parts of London that pedestrians were unable to see their own feet. Aside from the Underground, transportation was severely restricted. Ambulance services suffered, leaving people to find their own way to hospitals in the smog. Many people simply abandoned their cars on the road. Indoor plays and concerts were cancelled as audiences were unable to see the stage, and crime on the streets increased. There was a spike in deaths and hospitalizations relating to pneumonia and bronchitis, and herds of cattle in Smithfield reportedly choked to death. Though the fog lasted five days, finally lifting on December 9, its severity was not fully appreciated until the registrar general published the number of fatalities a few weeks later, which amounted to about 4,000. The effects of the smog were long-lasting, however, and present-day estimates rank the number of deaths to have been about 12,000.
The phenomenon of “London fog” long predated the crisis of the early 1950s. Known as “pea-soupers” for their dense, yellow appearance, such all-encompassing fogs had became a hallmark of London by the 19th century. These hazes were not natural formations of the atmosphere: water vapour would stick to particulates released by coal-burning factories, producing dark and heavy clouds that impaired visibility.
The Great Smog of 1952 was a pea-souper of unprecedented severity, induced by both weather and pollution. The result was the worst pollution-based fog in the city’s history.
Visibility was so impaired in some parts of London that pedestrians were unable to see their own feet. Aside from the Underground, transportation was severely restricted. Ambulance services suffered, leaving people to find their own way to hospitals in the smog. Many people simply abandoned their cars on the road. Indoor plays and concerts were cancelled as audiences were unable to see the stage, and crime on the streets increased. There was a spike in deaths and hospitalizations relating to pneumonia and bronchitis, and herds of cattle in Smithfield reportedly choked to death. Though the fog lasted five days, finally lifting on December 9, its severity was not fully appreciated until the registrar general published the number of fatalities a few weeks later, which amounted to about 4,000. The effects of the smog were long-lasting, however, and present-day estimates rank the number of deaths to have been about 12,000.
Between 1968 and 1972, NASA successfully sent 24 men 👨🚀 where no human beings had been before or since 🚀 🌕. The final mission, Apollo 17, flew in December 7, 1972 and closed the final chapter in NASA's triumphant Apollo Program @facethenation
The flag deployed during Apollo 17 has a unique history. It traveled to the Moon and back on Apollo 11, and hung on the wall of Mission Control afterwards. On the first day of the mission, Gene Cernan erected it in Taurus-Littrow lunar valley. As he deployed it, Cernan said, "This was one of the proudest moments of my life. I guarantee it." @facethenation
The city of Berkeley has always been a hotbed of civil unrest ✊
National Guardsmen faced off with Anti-Vietnam war demonstrators in Berkeley on May 22, 1969 — two days after helicopters sprayed tear gas on the University of California campus
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National Guardsmen faced off with Anti-Vietnam war demonstrators in Berkeley on May 22, 1969 — two days after helicopters sprayed tear gas on the University of California campus
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🛸 Navy's "Flying Platform" on April 9, 1955. The device is the first aircraft using a ducted fan for left and propulsion. The pilot controls horizontal flight by merely shifting his weight
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Crew of London fireboat Massey Shaw, 1935. The Massey Shaw Fireboat protected London during the WWII and also rescued troops from Dunkirk @facethenation
Earthrise is a first photo of Earth and some of the Moon's surface that was taken from lunar orbit on December 24, 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission.
Under the Lunar Orbiter Program, satellites took photographs of the Moon’s surface to identify suitable landing sites for the Apollo Program. The actual resolution was presumably kept secret because the imaging technology was also used in US Cold War spy satellites.
Comparison of the original Earthrise image as seen by the public in 1966 and the restored image released in 2008 @facethenation
We wrote about Apollo 8: Story of Christmas Around the Moon 🚀🌖
Under the Lunar Orbiter Program, satellites took photographs of the Moon’s surface to identify suitable landing sites for the Apollo Program. The actual resolution was presumably kept secret because the imaging technology was also used in US Cold War spy satellites.
Comparison of the original Earthrise image as seen by the public in 1966 and the restored image released in 2008 @facethenation
We wrote about Apollo 8: Story of Christmas Around the Moon 🚀🌖
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland in 1939-1940. It began with the Soviet invasion of Finland on November 30, 1939.
The Shelling of Mainila was a military incident on November 26, 1939, where the Soviet Union's Red Army shelled the Russian village of Mainila, declared that the fire originated from Finland across a nearby border and claimed to have had losses in personnel. Finland proposed a neutral investigation of the incident, but the Soviet Union refused and broke diplomatic relations with Finland on November 29.
On November 30, the Soviets invaded Finland with over 160,000 troops. Although severely outnumbered, the Finns were well led and prepared. Stalin had purged his officer corps in 1937 and executed thousands of his officers. The result was he had politically loyal but tactically inept leaders. And they would pay the price in Finland.
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The Shelling of Mainila was a military incident on November 26, 1939, where the Soviet Union's Red Army shelled the Russian village of Mainila, declared that the fire originated from Finland across a nearby border and claimed to have had losses in personnel. Finland proposed a neutral investigation of the incident, but the Soviet Union refused and broke diplomatic relations with Finland on November 29.
On November 30, the Soviets invaded Finland with over 160,000 troops. Although severely outnumbered, the Finns were well led and prepared. Stalin had purged his officer corps in 1937 and executed thousands of his officers. The result was he had politically loyal but tactically inept leaders. And they would pay the price in Finland.
@facethenation
During the Soviet-Finnish Winter War, Simo Häyhä, a Finnish sniper and competitive shooter, racked up 505 confirmed kills in just 100 days of combat.
The Finnish 🇫🇮 soldiers called him “The Magical Shooter”, the Soviet soldiers had a more apt nickname for him. They called him the “White Death” @facethenation
The Finnish 🇫🇮 soldiers called him “The Magical Shooter”, the Soviet soldiers had a more apt nickname for him. They called him the “White Death” @facethenation
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❄️🏉❄️❄️ Start of a rugby match between England ⚪️ and Ireland ⚫️ at Twickenham, Greater London, 1955
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Young East Berliners shout for joy 🙌 as they run into West Berlin through an opening in the Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate, December 23, 1989.
The new East German government had promised to fully open the gate by Christmas 🎄. The fall of the Berlin Wall, on November 9, 1989, was a pivotal event in world history which marked the falling of the Iron Curtain. For many people in Germany 🇩🇪, especially for those with family 👨👩👧👦 and friends in the other part, this was one of the best days in their lives @facethenation
The new East German government had promised to fully open the gate by Christmas 🎄. The fall of the Berlin Wall, on November 9, 1989, was a pivotal event in world history which marked the falling of the Iron Curtain. For many people in Germany 🇩🇪, especially for those with family 👨👩👧👦 and friends in the other part, this was one of the best days in their lives @facethenation