Ayub Khan is born

Mohammad Ayub Khan is born on May 14, 1907 in the Hazara District of North West Frontier Province, British India.

A graduate of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, he joined the British Indian Army in 1929 and served at a variety of posts. During World War II, he was posted on the Burma Front and was later posted to South Wazristan as a Brigadier in 1947. He declared his allegiance to the newly independent Pakistan after partition and served at a number of posts as part of the Pakistan Army, eventually being promoted to the post of Commander in Chief in 1951 – the first native to hold such a post.
Ayub deposed Iskander Mirza in 1958 and declared himself the President of Pakistan after a referendum in 1960.

Agrarian, Industrial, legal and constitutional reforms were passed under his leadership. The 1960 Indus Water Treaty with India and the 1965 war also occurred when Ayub was at the helm of affairs.

However, widespread riots, protests and ailing health forced him to resign from power in 1969.

Ayub Khan died on April 19, 1974.

Israeli Declaration of Independence

Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel is proclaimed on May 14, 1948 by David Ben Gurion, the founder and first Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Within a day of the declaration, the armies of Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan engaged Israeli troops sparking the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Israel emerged victorious and successfully increased its land area by a significant margin. In total, the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and the 1948 Arab-Israeli war caused an exodus of over 700,000 Palestinians in what is now referred to by Palestinians as al-Nakba (Catastrophe).

Israel would emerge victorious again during the 1967 Six-Day war and again in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Conflict between Israelis and the Palestinians continues to this day.

Warsaw Pact formed

Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Albania and the Soviet Union sign the Warsaw Pact on May 14, 1955 in response to increasing tensions with NATO countries in Europe.

The Warsaw pact ended in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Heinz Guderian dies

The Nazi General, considered the ‘father’, a major advocate and pioneer of Blitzkreig (Lightning warfare) Heinz Guderian dies on May 14, 1954 at the age of 65.

“The moral and intellectual condition of a nation may certainly prove of decisive importance on its own account, but all due attention must also be paid to material considerations. When a nation has to reckon with a struggle against superior forces on several fronts, it must neglect nothing that may conduce to the betterment of its situation.”

His command of German Armoured Divisions during World War II rapidly led to the fall of France and the capture of Poland. Highly respected by his foes, Guderian revolutionised armoured warfare with his emphasis on rapid mobility and radio communication between armoured units and crews within a tank.

“To imitate the ostrich in political matters has never been a satisfactory method of avoiding danger; yet this is what Hitler, as well as his more important political, economic and even military advisers, chose to do over and over again.”

“We have severely underestimated the Russians, the extent of the country and the treachery of the climate. This is the revenge of reality.”

Mir Gul Khan Naseer is born

Mir Gul Khan Nasir is born on May 14, 1914 in Noshki, Balochistan. A prominent poet and journalist, he became active in politics during the latter years of his career and was imprisoned on several occasions.

“Had Mir Gul Khan Nasir been born in Punjab he would’ve become Faiz Ahmed Faiz and if Faiz had been brought up in Balochistan, he would’ve become Gul Khan Nasir.”
-Habib Jalib

The progressive Baloch wrote predominantly in Balochi language after Pakistan’s independence and his poetry was infused with revolutionary zeal. He died on December 6, 1983 at the age of 69 and was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Imtaiz in 2001.

“When the world starts to constrict around the poor man 
His mutilated naked form is left to fend for his hungry gut 
Then it’s better from this life of misery and torture 
If war ensues, heads roll & lavish palaces are burnt to the ground.”

Frank Sinatra passes away

American singer and actor Frank Sinatra passes away on May 14, 1998.

Considered as one of the most influential musical personality of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra became a global cultural icon over the course of his career. Sinatra’s life was also marredby allegations of involvement with the Mafia. Songs for Swingin’ Lovers, Only the Lonely and She Shot Me Down are among his most renowned albums.

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