Today in history

April 19
1775
The American Revolution Begins

1943
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began when Nazi forces attempted to clear out the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, Poland, and were met by unexpected gunfire from Jewish resistance fighters.

These two women, soon to be executed, were members of the Jewish resistance. “…Jews and Jewesses shot from two pistols at the same time… The Jewesses carried loaded pistols in their clothing with the safety catches off…At the last moment, they would pull hand grenades out…and throw them at the soldiers….”

Brief Background on the Uprising:
The Warsaw Ghetto,the largest ghetto established by Nazi Germany and in existence for three years, was the site of one of the first mass uprisings in Nazi-occupied Europe. The Nazis sealed the ghetto in 1940. Through disease, Nazi-created starvation diets and deportations to concentration camps and extermination camps, the population diminished from 450,000 to 37,000.
The Nazis conducted mass deportations from July to September 1942. An underground resistance movement rose up in response. Then came the second wave of deportations, resulting in hand-to-hand resistance. The deportations continued for a few more days, then ended, after which resisters, weakened from disastrous conditions, united for the ultimate uprising, which was a pivotal event in the history of Jewish resistance to Nazi tyranny.
The Nazis began the final liquidation of the ghetto the eve of Passover, April 19, 1943. Resisters held off the Nazis for three weeks, using precious few and largely ineffectual weapons, but they were determined to go out fighting, decrease the number of Nazis, and hopefully serve to let the whole world know of the plight of the Jews.

1948
Costa Rica abolished its army, choosing to spend the public funds that would normally be used for military purposes on education and medical services. This is judged to be a factor in the nation’s never having fallen prey to corruption, dictatorships, or the bloodshed that has marred the history of much of the region.

1971
As a prelude to a massive anti-war protest, Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) began a five-day demonstration in Washington, D.C. The generally peaceful protest, called Dewey Canyon III in honor of the operation of the same name conducted in Laos. They lobbied their congressmen, laid wreaths in Arlington National Cemetery, and staged mock “search and destroy” missions.

1997
Two Swedish Plowshares peace activists, Cecelia Redner, a priest in the Church of Sweden, and Marija Fischer, a student, entered the Bufors Arms factory in Karlskoga, Sweden, planted an apple tree and attempted to disarm a naval canon being exported to Indonesia.
“When my country is arming a dictator I am not allowed to be passive and obedient,

since it would make me guilty to the crime of genocide in East Timor…”
– Cecelia Redner
Redner was sentenced to fines and three years of correctional education. Fischer was sentenced to fines and two years’ suspended sentence.
Both the prosecutor and defendants appealed the case. No jail sentences were imposed.