YOU’RE FIRED

April 11th in history:

Famous pink slips on April 11th …

In 1951, President Harry Truman relieved Gen. Douglas MacArthur of all his commands in the Far East, after MacArthur objected to policies of the U.S. and the United Nations.

Uganda’s “President for Life,” Idi Amin, fled the country after eight years in power on this date in 1979.

The Treaty of Fountainbleau, Napoleon’s pink slip, was signed on April 11th, 1814. Under the treaty, several European countries required Napoleon to step down as emperor of France, which led to his exile to Elba.

And the last emperor of China, Puyi, was fired by Chinese Communists.  His story was told in the movie called “The Last Emperor,” which won Best Picture at the Oscars on April 11th, 1988.

PRESIDENTS AND STRUCTURES

February 21st in history:

Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit China on February 21st, 1972. Nixon’s historic week-long visit included a stop at the Great Wall of China.

A different kind of structure was discovered on this date in 1953. February 21st was the date James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of a DNA molecule.

The Washington Monument was the world’s tallest structure when it was dedicated on February 21st, 1885, one day before George Washington’s birthday.  The monument is about 40 feet taller than the previous record-holder, the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.

George Washington was once played by Kelsey Grammer in a TV movie about Benedict Arnold. Grammer is best known as Frasier Crane on Frasier and Cheers, and Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons. He was born February 21st, 1955.