Canadian soldier and physician (died 1939)

Norman Bethune

Henry Norman Bethune was a Canadian thoracic surgeon, early advocate of universal health care, and member of the Communist Party of Canada. Bethune came to international prominence first for his service as a frontline trauma surgeon supporting the Republican government during the Spanish Civil War, and later supporting the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) Eighth Route Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Bethune helped bring modern medicine to rural China, treating both sick villagers and wounded soldiers.

Born

1890

March 4

Died

1939

Era

1890s

Country

—

About

Norman, in brief

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Life timeline

Key dates

1890 Born
1939 Died

Also on March 4

What else happened on this day, through history

51 Nero, later to become Roman emperor, is given the title princeps iuventutis (head of the youth).
306 Martyrdom of Saint Adrian of Nicomedia.
581 Yang Jian declares himself Emperor Wen of Sui, ending the Northern Zhou and beginning the Sui dynasty.
852 Croatian Knez Trpimir I issues a statute, a document with the first known written mention of the Croats name in Croatian sources.

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The world in 1939

When Norman departed

april 1 Spanish Civil War: Generalísimo Francisco Franco of the Spanish State announces the end of the Spanish Civil War, when the last of the Republican forces surrender.
april 18 Robert Menzies, who became Australia's longest-serving prime minister, is elected as leader of the United Australia Party after the death of Prime Minister Joseph Lyons.
april 30 The 1939–40 New York World's Fair opens.
april 30 NBC inaugurates its regularly scheduled television service in New York City, broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt's N.Y. World's Fair opening day ceremonial address.

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Same-day contemporaries

Also born on March 4

Bernard Haitink 1929–2021 Dutch violinist and conductor (died 2021) Bob Johnson 1931–1991 American ice hockey player and coach (died 1991) Casimir Pulaski 1745–1779 Polish-American general (died 1779) Charles Dibdin 1745– English actor, playwright, and composer (died 1814) Crowbar 1974– American wrestler Hans Krebs 1898– German general (died 1945) Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo 1901– Malagasy-French author, poet, and playwright (died 1937) John Henry Wigmore 1863– American academic and jurist (died 1943) Kenny Dalglish 1951– Scottish footballer and manager

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Same-year contemporaries

Also born in 1890

Agnes Macphail 1890–1954 Canadian educator and politician (born 1890) Aimee Semple McPherson 1890–1944 Canadian-American evangelist, founded the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (died 1944) Charles de Gaulle 1890–1970 French general and politician, President of France (died 1970) Conrad Richter 1890–1968 American journalist and novelist (died 1968) Harry Pollitt 1890–1960 British politician and Secretary General of the Communist Party of Great Britain (born 1890) Marjorie Main 1890–1975 American actress (born 1890) Marjory Stoneman Douglas 1890–1998 American journalist and activist (died 1998) Max Immelmann 1890–1916 German lieutenant and pilot (born 1890) Ronald Fisher 1890–1962 English-Australian statistician, biologist, and geneticist (died 1962)

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More to explore

Norman's birthday March 4 Norman's zodiac Pisces When Norman departed 1939