Today in History, October 1st
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China. Plus the first Model T, Walt Disney World's opening and Maris's 61st.
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October 1 is best known for 1949, when Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. The date also saw the first Ford Model T completed in 1908, Walt Disney World open in Florida in 1971 and Roger Maris hit his 61st home run in 1961.
The big story: Mao proclaims the People’s Republic of China (1949)
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong stood up in Beijing and declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China, with himself as head of state and Zhou Enlai as premier. The announcement capped years of civil war between Mao’s Communist forces and the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek, which the United States had backed with money and weapons. Washington had more or less seen it coming. A State Department white paper that August called Chiang’s regime corrupt, inefficient and unpopular, and said no amount of U.S. aid would rescue it. Chiang’s Republic of China relocated to Taiwan, where the U.S. kept supporting it. Coming just a month after a Soviet nuclear test, the news jolted Americans. The U.S. refused to recognize the new government or let it take China’s seat at the United Nations, and Chinese and American troops fought in Korea the following year. Relations thawed only slowly: Richard Nixon visited China in February 1972, and formal U.S. recognition came in 1979.
More events on October 1
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 331 B.C. | Alexander the Great defeated Persia’s Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela, bringing down the Persian Empire. |
| 1800 | Napoleon persuaded King Charles IV of Spain to hand Louisiana back to France. |
| 1890 | Congress created Yosemite National Park. |
| 1903 | The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Americans 7-3 in Boston in the first World Series game. Boston went on to win the series. |
| 1908 | Ford completed its first production Model T in Detroit. |
| 1946 | The international tribunal at Nuremberg delivered verdicts on 22 of the original 24 Nazi defendants, sentencing 12 to death. |
| 1960 | Nigeria became independent from Britain while staying in the Commonwealth. |
| 1961 | Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the season, breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season record. |
| 1971 | Walt Disney World Resort opened near Orlando, Florida. |
| 1975 | Muhammad Ali beat Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila,” their third and final fight, when Frazier’s corner stopped the bout. |
| 2017 | A gunman firing from a hotel room killed 58 people at a country music festival in Las Vegas. |
| 2024 | Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as president of Mexico, the first woman elected to the office. |
Born on October 1
- 1920: Walter Matthau, actor known for his rumpled face and sharp comic timing, born in New York City.
- 1924: Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. president and winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, born in Plains, Georgia.
- 1935: Julie Andrews, stage and screen star famed for her four-octave voice, born in Walton-on-Thames, England.
Sources
- Mao Zedong proclaims People’s Republic of China, History.com
- This Day in History: October 1, History.com
- On This Day: October 1, Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Walter Matthau, Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Jimmy Carter, Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Julie Andrews, Encyclopaedia Britannica
