future form of government of the State of Vietnam, the nation that was
to become South Vietnam. It was contested by Prime Minister Ngô Đình
Diệm (pictured), who proposed a republic, and former emperor Bảo
Đại, the head of state. Diệm won the election, which was widely
marred by electoral fraud, with 98.2% of the vote. In the capital
Saigon, Diệm was credited with more than 600,000 votes, although only
450,000 people were on the electoral roll. He accumulated tallies in
excess of 90% of the registered voters, even in rural regions where
opposition groups prevented voting. The referendum was the last phase in
the power struggle between Bảo Đại and his prime minister. In the
period leading up to the vote, campaigning for Bảo Đại was banned,
while Diệm's election campaign used personal attacks against him,
including pornographic cartoons and rumours that he was illegitimate.
Bảo Đại was attacked by the government-controlled media, and police
went door-to-door, warning people of the consequences of failing to
vote. After his brother Ngô Đình Nhu successfully rigged the poll,
Diệm proclaimed himself president.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Vietnam_referendum,_1955>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1833:
With the arrival of two British naval ships at the Falkland
Islands, the United Kingdom re-asserted sovereignty there.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reassertion_of_British_sovereignty_over_the_Falkland_Islands_(1833)>
1848:
Joseph Jenkins Roberts began his term as the first President of
Liberia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Jenkins_Roberts>
1946:
Canadian-American jockey George Woolf (pictured), who rode
Seabiscuit to a famous victory over War Admiral in 1938, was fatally
injured when he fell from his horse during a race.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Woolf>
1961:
Twenty-five people died in Finland's worst civilian air
accident when Aero Flight 311 crashed near Kvevlax.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Flight_311>
1973:
American businessman George Steinbrenner and a group of
investors bought the New York Yankees professional baseball team for
US$8.7 million.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees>
1996:
The Motorola StarTAC, the first clamshell mobile phone, was
released and went on to become one of the first mobile phones to gain
widespread consumer adoption.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_StarTAC>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
cacophonous:
Containing, consisting of, or producing harsh, unpleasant or discordant
sounds.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cacophonous>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
We must not say every mistake is a foolish one.
--Cicero
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Cicero>
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