2015 Event The Japanese Diet enacts a defense policy allowing the nation's troops to aid allies in conflicts that also threaten Japan; Prime Minister Shinzo Abe supports the law, but it is opposed by many who wish to maintain the country's pacifist constitution 2015 Event Japanese protesters gather outside the nation's parliament building to oppose changes proposed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to allow Japanese combat defense aid to allied nations for cases in which Japan itself is not under attack 2015 Event U.S. President Barack Obama speaks out in defense of the recent nuclear agreement between Iran and Western nations; the deal removes economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for reductions in its technological research and its nuclear fuel 2015 Event Iran will receive an S-300 air defense system from Russia; though the move won't violate U.N. sanctions against Iran, other nations currently in negotiation with Iran over nuclear issues have expressed concern 2015 Event U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi make progress in the areas of defense and nuclear trade; the countries plan to cooperate on defense issues, military manufacturing initiatives and nuclear power development 2014 Event U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigns; the resignation may be due to disagreements over current U.S. strategy concerning Islamic State militants and the conflict in Syria 2014 Event The U.S. Congress will as for $4.5 billion for additional missile defense spending over the next five years; the funds would partially pay for new radar in Alaska, indicating safety concerns regarding missiles from Iran and North Korea 2013 Event Russia's Defense Ministry reports the Soyuz-2-1v Russian rocket was successfully launched 2013 Event After the People's Republic of China expands its air zone, South Korea responds by expand its air defense zone, causing rising tensions in the region 2013 Event In an effort to improve bilateral relations between China and Inda, the two countries come together to sign a new border defense agreement 2013 Event The 350,000 workers furloughed since the recent government shutdown return to work at the Department of Defense 2013 Event Syria's former defense minister, Ali Habib Mahmud is reported to have defected to Turkey 2013 Event The Pentagon will furlough 650,000 civilian employees without pay for six days this year after receiving warnings that mandatory budget cuts might idle defense workers for a longer period of time 2013 Event The world's first plastic gun, produced by a 3-D printer by Defense Distributed fires successfully in Austin, Texas. Security officials fear plastic weapons would not be detected at airport screenings 2013 Event Saudi Arabia appoints Fahd bin Abdullah as its new deputy defense minister 2013 Event The defense ministry of China accuses the United States of increasing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region by increasing its military presence and supporting Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines in long-term territorial disputes with the country 2013 Event U.S. Senate Republicans filibuster the nomination of Chuck Hagel as U.S. Secretary of Defense, demanding answers to questions about President Obama and Benghazi 2013 Event U.S. Republican Chuck Hagel is nominated to be the country's next Secretary of Defense by President Barack Obama; John O. Brennan is nominated to be the next CIA Director 2012 Event The launch of a space satellite into space by North Korea is disputed by South Korean defense ministry, who claim it was a disguised test of a 10,000 km range missile 2012 Event In 2012, the People's Republic of China will increase its defense spending by 11.2 per cent 2012 Event The U.S. Department of Defense produces new guidelines that remove restrictions on the use of women in combat 2012 Event U.S. President Barack Obama announces plans to dramatically cut defense spending 2011 Event China reports plans to increase its 2011 defense spending by 12.7% 2010 Event China and South Korea plan to hold defense talks in February 2011 concerning growing regional tension on the Korean Peninsula 2010 Event A new long-range unmanned plane named Taranis is unveiled by the U.K. Ministry of Defense 2010 Event Russia announces its plan to sell Iran S-300 ground-to-air missiles, claiming that new U.N. sanctions do not cover stationary air defense weaponry 2006 Event Donald Rumsfeld resigns as U.S. Secretary of Defense 1995 Death Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, Prime Minister of Defense of Spain 1977 - 1981, dies at 83 1995 Death Les Aspin, Representative-D-Wisconsin 1971 - 1993, U.S. Secretary of Defense 1993 - 1995, dies of stroke at 56 1995 Death Oh Jin Woo, Korean minister of defense, dies 1995 Death Andre Frossard, French publicist (Defense of Pope), dies at 80 1994 Event Defense Department announces smoking ban in workplaces 1994 Death Johan J Holst, Norwegian Minister of defense/foreign affairs, dies at 56 1993 Event Lee Aspen resigns as Secretary of Defense 1992 Death Henri J de Koster, Dutch Minister of Defense (1971-73), dies at 78 1992 Death Lyle Alzado, NFL defense linesman (Raiders), dies of cancer at 43 1991 Death JA Mommersteeg, Dutch state sect of Defense (KVP), dies 1991 Event Defense releases docs claiming Noriega is "CIA's man in Panama" 1990 Death Meir Kahane, founder of Jewish defense league, assassinated at 58 1990 Death Charles Hernu, French minister of Defense (1981-85), dies 1990 Death Gerhard Schroder, West German minister of Defense, dies at 79 1989 Event Panamanian Defense Force attempted coup of Manuel Noriega fails 1989 Event Mets' defense does not record a single assist in a 5-1 win over Phils 1989 Event Senate rejects George H. W. Bush's nomination of John Tower as Defense Secretary 1988 Event North subpoenas Reagan and Bush as defense witnesses for upcoming trial 1988 Death Franz Josef Strauss, West German Minister of defense 1956 - 1962, dies at 73 1986 Event British Defense Secretary Michael Heseltine resigns 1983 Event U.S. president Ronald Reagan introduces "Star Wars" missile defense plan (SDI) 1981 Death Moshe Dayan, Israel's general/minister of Defense, dies at 66 1975 Event Otis Francis Tabler is 1st open homosexual to get security clearance to work for the Defense Department 1974 Death Georgi K Zhukov, Russian marshal/minister of Defense, dies at 77 1973 Event Israel announces loss of Bar-Lev defense line in Suez Canal 1973 Birthday Philippe Boucher, born in St. Apollinaire, California, NHL defense, Los Angeles Kings, Olympic Gold 1998 1972 Death Neil H McElroy, soap manufacturer/minister of Defense (1957-59), dies 1971 Death Lin Piau, Chinese minister of Defense, dies at 63 1970 Death Peter Veres, Hungarian minister of defense/writer, dies at 73 1966 Event South Africa government bans Defense and Aid Fund 1960 Event U.S. and Japan sign joint defense treaty 1958 Event National Defense Education Act was signed 1958 Event U.S. and Canada form North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) 1958 Event H Laskow replaces Moshe Dayan on as Israeli minister of Defense 1957 Event U.S.S.R. fires defense minister, Marshal Georgi Zhukov 1957 Event Russian minister of Defense Zjoekov deposed 1957 Event Procter and Gamble-director N McElroy becomes U.S. Minister of Defense 1955 Event Egypt and Saudi-Arabia sign defense treaty 1955 Birthday Bantubonke Holomisa, minister of Defense of Transkei, 1988- 1955 Event South East Asia Collective Defense Treaty goes into effect 1955 Event Baghdad Pact signed, making Turkey and Iraq a defense alliance 1955 Birthday Michael Pollan, born in Long Island, New York, professor of journalism, U of C, Berkeley, author, columnist, activist, wrote, 'The Omnivore's Dilemma', 'The Botany of Desire', 'In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto' 1955 Death Rodolfo Graziani, Italian East-Africa Minister of Defense, dies at 72 1954 Birthday Robert F Kennedy, Jr., attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council 1953 Event U.S. and Spain sign defense treaty (4 U.S. bases in Spain) 1952 Birthday Robert Ainsworth, born in Coventry, England, Robert William Ainsworth, politician, Labor Party, 2009, assumed roles of Secretary of State for Defense, since 1992, serves as a Member of Parliament for Coventry North East 1952 Event European Defense Community forms 1951 Event U.S. and Philippines sign mutual defense pact 1950 Event NFL rule changes open way for 2-platoon system (offense and defense) 1949 Event President Truman signs Mutual Defense Assistance Act (for NATO) 1949 Event National Military Establishment renamed Department of Defense 1947 Event James Forrestal sworn in as 1st U.S. Secretary of Defense 1947 Event U.S. Department of Defense forms 1947 Event Department of Defense forms 1947 Event U.S. Air Force, Navy and War Department form U.S. Department of Defense 1946 Birthday Malcolm Rifkind, British QC MP, Secretary of State for Defense 1946 Birthday John Astor, born in Britain, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever, businessman, Conservative Party, House of Lords, Shadow Minister of Defense 1945 Birthday Joris J C Voorhoeve, Dutch Defense minister, 1994-, VVD 1945 Death Vidkun Quisling, Norwegian Minister of Defense/Prime Minister 1942 - 1945, executed at 58 1944 Birthday Quentin Davies, born in Oxford, England, Member of Parliament for Grantham and Stamford 1987 - 1997, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defense under Prime Minister, Gordon Brown 1944 Event German defense line in Italy collapsed 1944 Birthday Relus ter Beek, Dutch Minister of defense, PvdA 1941 Event Britain leases defense bases in Trinidad to U.S. for 99 years 1941 Birthday Dick Cheney, born in Lincoln Nebraska, Representative-R-Wyoming 1979 - 1989, George H. W. Bush's Secretary of Defense, 1989 - 1993, vice president 2001 - 2009 1940 Event Franklin D. Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister William M. King agree to joint defense commission 1940 Event General De Gaulle becomes under minister of Defense 1940 Event British Local Defense Volunteers (Home Guard) forms 1940 Birthday James Blyth, born in Britain, businessman, head of defense sales for Ministry of Defense, chairman, London Business School, CEO, The Boots Company 1940 Event U.S. Air Defense Command forms at Mitchel Field, LI, New York 1939 Event NAACP organized Legal Defense and Education Fund 1939 Birthday Peter Duffell, Brits Lieutenant-General/minister of Defense 1939 Birthday Marian Wright-Edelman, health care president, Childrens Defense Fund 1938 Birthday Les Aspin, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Representative-D-Wisconsin 1971 - 1993, Secretary of Defense 1993 - 1994 1938 Birthday Anthony Walker, commandant, Royal College of Defense Studies 1937 Birthday Jan van Houwelingen, Dutch undersecretary of Defense, CDA 1937 Birthday Johan J Holst, Norwegian minister of Defense/Foreign affairs 1937 Birthday Michael Simmons, Air Marshal, British Ministry of Defense 1936 Birthday Johnnie Cochran, attorney, O. J. Simpson defense attorney 1936 Event Dutch 2nd Chamber agree to temporarily increase defense budget 1936 Birthday Barry Wilson, deputy chief, British Defense Staff 1936 Birthday Benjamin Bathurst, vice chief of British Defense Staff 1936 Birthday Anthony Mullens, British Lieutenant-General, Deputy chief of defense 1936 Birthday A "Bram" Stemerdink, Dutch minister of Defense, PvdA 1935 Birthday Wynand Breytenbach, South African under minister of Defense, 1986- 1934 Death Louis HG Lyautey, French minister of Defense (1916-17), dies at 79 1934 Birthday Anthony Walker, commandant, Royal College of Defense Studies 1933 Birthday Fritz Bolkestein, Dutch CEO, Shell, and Minister of Defense, VVD 1933 Birthday Michael Heseltine, Welsh/British minister of Defense, 1986, MP 1933 Event Winston Churchill wants to boost air defense 1932 Birthday David Bolton, director, British Royal United Service for Defense 1932 Birthday John Nott, born in Bideford, Devon, Sir John William Frederic Nott, Conservative Party, served as Secretary of State for Defense 1981 - 1983, was Member of Parliament for St. Ives in Cornwall 1966 - 1983 1931 Birthday Richard Vincent, British chief of Defense 1931 Birthday Henricus AFMO "Hans" van Mierlo, Dutch minister of Defense, D66 1931 Birthday Hendrick J "Kobie" Coetsee, South Africa minister of Defense/Justice 1930 Birthday Frank Carlucci, National Security Adviser and Secretary of Defense, 1987 - 1989 1930 Birthday John Watts, chief of defense, Omani Armed Forces 1930 Birthday Magnus Adem Malan, South African minister of Defense, 1980- 1929 Birthday James R. Schlesinger, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1973 - 1975 1925 Birthday Edward Fursdon, British Major-General, defense council 1925 Event General M Froense replaces Trotsky as People's Commissioner of Defense 1924 Birthday Michael Gow, commandant, Royal College of Defense Studies 1924 Birthday Lord Mason of Barnsley, MP, Lab, British defense secretary 1923 Birthday Dmitri T Jazov, Russian minister of defense, 1991 coup 1922 Birthday Melvin R. Laird, born in Omaha, Nebraska, Representative-R-Michigan 1953 - 1969, U.S. Secretary of Defense 1969 - 1973 1920 Birthday Elliot L. Richardson, Attorney General, 1973, Secretary of Defense, 1973 1919 Event Petlyura's Ukrainian Army kills 35 members of a Jewish defense group 1919 Birthday William Kunstler, American Activist,defense attorney, Chicago 8 1917 Birthday Casper Weinberger, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1981 - 1987 1917 Birthday J. A. Mommersteeg, Dutch assistant secretary of Defense, KVP 1916 Birthday Robert S. McNamara, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1961 - 1968, head World Bank 1916 Event National Defense Act establishes ROTC 1915 Birthday Franz Josef Strauss, Germany, nazi/minister of defense, 1956-62 1915 Birthday Moshe Dayan, Israeli general/minister of Defense 1915 Birthday Arthur Gilson, Belgian attorney/minister of Defense, 1958-.. 1914 Birthday Henri J de Koster, Dutch Minister of Defense, 1971-73 1914 Birthday Nicanor Parra, Chilean poet, Defense of Violeta Parra 1911 Birthday Ferdinand J. Kranenburg, Dutch Secretary of Defense, soc dem 1910 Birthday Gerhard Schroder, German minister of Defense 1906 Birthday Clark M. Clifford, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1968 - 1969 1903 Event Homel, 1st Jewish self defense organization founded in Russia 1898 Event Emile Zola publishes his open letter (J'accuse) in defense of Dreyfus 1897 Birthday V K Krishna Menon, India, minister of defense 1897 Birthday Peter Veres, literary/Hungarian minister of defense 1896 Birthday Georgi K Zjukov, Russian minister of Defense, WW II 1890 Birthday Charles Wilson, President of General Motors, 1940 - 1953, Secretary of Defense, 1953 - 1957 1887 Birthday Vidkun Al Quisling, Norwegian minister of Defense/premier, 1942-45 1874 Death Xavier FMG earl Merode, Belgian pontifical defense minister, dies at 54 1865 Event General Pickette moves to 5 Forks, abandoning the defense of Peterburg 1859 Event Dan Sickles is acquitted of murder on grounds of temporary insanity 1st time this defense is successfully used 1857 Birthday Clarence Darrow, defense attorney at Scopes monkey trial 1854 Birthday Louis HG Lyautey, French minister of Defense, 1916-17 1833 Event Russia and Turkey sign defense treaty 1683 Event Turkish troops break through defense of Vienna 1673 Event Netherlands and Denmark signs defense treaty 1628 Event Sweden and Denmark sign defense treaty against Duke of Wallenstein
