November 18

This Day in History

Also on This Day

Lead Story
Terry Waite released, 1991
American Revolution
Fort Washington becomes Fort Knyphausen, 1776
Automotive
Volkswagen's "Dream Factory" opens in Resende, Brazil, 1996
Civil War
President Lincoln travels to Gettysburg, 1863
Cold War
Congress issues final report on Iran-Contra scandal, 1987
Crime
High-profile expert on exotic birds is sentenced for smuggling parrots, 1996
Disaster
Commuters die in subway fire, 1987
General Interest
Haig ends Battle of Somme, 1916
Mass suicide at Jonestown, 1978
Hollywood
Tom Cruise weds, again, 2006
Literary
Alice McDermott wins the National Book Award, 1998
Music
Billy Joel earns his first #1 album when 52nd Street tops the Billboard pop chart, 1978
Old West
Railroads create the first time zones, 1883
Presidential
Chester Arthur dies in New York, 1886
Sports
Sandy Koufax retires, 1966
Vietnam War
South Vietnamese conduct largest air assault to date, 1964
South Vietnamese fight first major battle after U.S. troops are withdrawn, 1969
Nixon appeals to Congress for funds for Cambodia, 1970
World War I
Battle of the Somme ends , 1916
World War II
Hitler furious over Italy's debacle in Greece, 1940

Cold War

Nov 18, 1987:

Congress issues final report on Iran-Contra scandal

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After nearly a year of hearings into the Iran-Contra scandal, the joint Congressional investigating committee issues its final report. It concluded that the scandal, involving a complicated plan whereby some of the funds from secret weapons sales to Iran were used to finance the Contra war against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua, was one in which the administration of Ronald Reagan exhibited "secrecy, deception, and disdain for the law." Naming several members of the Reagan administration as having been directly involved in the scheme (including National Security Advisor John Poindexter and deceased CIA Director William Casey), the report stated that Reagan must bear "ultimate responsibility." A number of government officials were charged and convicted of various crimes associated with the scandal.A minority opinion by some of the Republican members of the committee contained in the report argued that the hearings had been politically motivated. They also suggested that while Reagan administration officials might have used poor judgment, the ultimate end-continuing the fight against the leftist regime in Nicaragua-was a worthy goal.The differences in opinion, while partially reflective of partisan biases, were also evidence of a question that had plagued U.S. policy makers since the early days of the Cold War: in the battle against communism, were the ends more important than the means?

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This Week in History, Nov 18 - Nov 24

Nov 18, 1987
Congress issues final report on Iran-Contra scandal
Nov 19, 1985
Reagan and Gorbachev hold their first summit meeting
Nov 20, 1948
American consul in China held "hostage" by communists
Nov 21, 1975
Congressional report charges U.S. involvement in assassination plots
Nov 22, 1963
Kennedy assassinated
Nov 23, 1981
Reagan gives CIA authority to establish the Contras
Nov 24, 1947
"Hollywood 10" cited for contempt of Congress

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