Newest Carrier Laid Down in Marseilles
Thursday, July 1, 1948 - The new aircraft carrier
Tonnant was laid down today in Marseilles. The
Tonnant and her sister ship
Terrible are currently among the largest warships under construction in Europe or abroad.
French Parlementarian and Wife Arrested by Italy
Friday, July 9, 1948 - According to the French consulate in Naples, French member of Parliament Henri Castel and his Italian-born wife Giulia were arrested on the charge of spying yesterday while returning from vacation to the island of Capri. The arresting officers apparently waited until the couple had boarded their plane in the Naples airport before removing them from the aircraft. After six hours in custody, the Italian police released both Castel and his wife, claiming a case of "mistaken identity" had resulted in their arrest. The couple were permitted to board a flight for Rome, where they were again detained for questioning by two agents of SIM (
Servizio Informazioni Militare), Italy's military intelligence organization, who accused them of handling stolen Italian military documents; the couple was again released after several hours. According to the French government, the couple were able to board a plane for Paris and successfully left the country.
Bastille Day
Wednesday, July 14, 1948 - France celebrates its national holiday with the traditional pomp and circumstance appropriate to the occasion.
Carrousel de Saumur
Saturday, July 17, 1948 - At the yearly Carrousel, the French Army showed off the second prototype of the FCM heavy tank, of which a small quantity have been procured. The 64-ton tank has been given the designation FCM-60 Davout. Also on display was the new tracked infantry carrier AMX VCI Voltigeur, which entered service early last year. Other armoured vehicles, both historic and modern, were displayed during the museum's annual show.
Bartali Wins Tour de France
Sunday, July 25, 1948 - Italian cyclist Gino Bartali of Italy wins the Tour de France, demolishing all opposition.
The Eagle with Two Heads
Wednesday, September 22, 1948 - Jean Cocteau's film
L'Aigle à deux têtes ("The Eagle with Two Heads") opens in cinemas, starring Edwige Feuillère as the Queen and Jean Marais as the anarchist Stanislas.
Franco-Bharati Team Summits Chogori [1]
Monday, August 30, 1948 - News has just now reached us that a joint team of French and Bharati climbers has achieved the first ascent over a remote mountain in the Baltistan region of Bharat, a peak believed to be the second-tallest summit in the world. This mountain in the mighty Karakorums, on the high border between Bharat and China, is virtually unknown to the western world, and until last year lacked even a local name, when the Franco-Bharati team informally dubbed it 'Chogori' or 'K2'. [2]
The French climbers, Gustave Remy (of Annecy) and his brother Patrice (Bonneville), were joined by three Bharati climbers of the Bharati Adventurer's Guild: Narendra Dhar Jayal, Amir Mehdi, and Sonam Gyatso. The climbers were supported by Patrice Remy's wife, Corinne Pellissier-Remy (Cluses), who served as the expedition's doctor, and a number of locally-recruited porters.
New Addition to La Défense Skyline
Sunday, September 26, 1948 - The 135m-tall
Tour Franklin and
Tour Richelieu have been completed in the rising Paris district of La Défense. The towers are the tallest skyscrapers in France, and exemplify a new "Mid-Century Modern" architecture style. The two circular towers are topped with a level of exclusive restaurants and businesses.
Guitry Stars in Own Film
Wednesday, September 29, 1948 -
Le Diable boiteux ("The Devil with a Limp") reaches theatres, with Sacha Guitry serving in the dual role of director and lead actor, playing Talleyrand.
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Notes:
- Note [1]: I agreed on this with Rocky some time ago when he was still active. We hadn't finalized all of the details (such as dates or any difficulties the expedition may have encountered) nor the names of the Bharati climbers, but I picked the names of some historical Indian climbers who were active and noteworthy during this period.
- Note [2]: The name 'K2', at least in Wesworld's history, is somewhat problematic, as it was assigned by British surveyors who called it "Karakorum Peak #2". Being so remote, it does not appear to have possessed a native name, although a few locals apparently called it Choggori - literally, Big Mountain - when surveyors asked. I have elected to refer to it primarily as Choggori and secondarily as K2, rather than giving it some ahistoric name like... I dunno, Mounty McMountainface, or Mount Doom, or Big Rock Candy Mountain, or Mount Everest Was Already Taken...