The 1960s

1961 65 years ago

Typhoon Nancy, which possibly had the strongest winds ever measured in a tropical cyclone, made landfall in Muroto,…

Super Typhoon Nancy, also known as the 2nd Muroto Typhoon , was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone of the 1961 Pacific typhoon season, produced the highest accumulated cyclone …

Typhoon Nancy, which possibly had the strongest winds ever measured in a tropical cyclone, made landfall in Muroto,…

1961 65 years ago

The U.S. National Hurricane Research Project sought to weaken Hurricane Esther by seeding it with silver iodide,…

The National Hurricane Research Project (NHRP) was initiated in 1955 by the United States Weather Bureau in response to the devastating 1954 hurricane season, which saw hurricanes …

The U.S. National Hurricane Research Project sought to weaken Hurricane Esther by seeding it with silver iodide,…

1961 65 years ago

An aircraft crashed near Ndola in Northern Rhodesia, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including United Nations…

On 18 September 1961, a DC-6 passenger aircraft of Transair Sweden operating for the United Nations (UN) crashed near Ndola, Northern Rhodesia. The crash resulted in the deaths of …

An aircraft crashed near Ndola in Northern Rhodesia, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including United Nations…

1961 65 years ago

Typhoon Nancy (pictured), which possibly had the strongest winds ever measured in a tropical cyclone, made landfall in…

Super Typhoon Nancy, also known as the 2nd Muroto Typhoon , was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone of the 1961 Pacific typhoon season, produced the highest accumulated cyclone …

Typhoon Nancy (pictured), which possibly had the strongest winds ever measured in a tropical cyclone, made landfall in…

1960

Students in South Korea hold a nationwide pro-democracy protest against president Syngman Rhee, eventually forcing him t

The April Revolution, also called the April 19 Revolution or April 19 Movement, were mass protests in South Korea against President Syngman Rhee and the First Republic from April 1…

Students in South Korea hold a nationwide pro-democracy protest against president Syngman Rhee, eventually forcing him t

1960

Brasília, Brazil's capital, is officially inaugurated

Brasília is the capital city of Brazil and the Federal District. Located in the Brazilian Highlands in the country's Central-West region, it was founded by President Juscelino Kubi…

Brasília, Brazil's capital, is officially inaugurated

1960

The United States Navy submarine USS Triton completes the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe

USS Triton (SSRN/SSN-586), the only member of her class, was a nuclear powered radar picket submarine in the United States Navy. She was the only Western submarine powered by two n…

The United States Navy submarine USS Triton completes the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe

1960

Forced out by the April Revolution, President of South Korea Syngman Rhee resigns after 12 years of dictatorial rule

The April Revolution, also called the April 19 Revolution or April 19 Movement, were mass protests in South Korea against President Syngman Rhee and the First Republic from April 1…

Forced out by the April Revolution, President of South Korea Syngman Rhee resigns after 12 years of dictatorial rule

1960

Cold War: U-2 incident: Francis Gary Powers, in a Lockheed U-2 spyplane, is shot down over the Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet

The Cold War was a period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc …

Cold War: U-2 incident: Francis Gary Powers, in a Lockheed U-2 spyplane, is shot down over the Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet

1960

The Lake Bodom murders occur in Finland

The Lake Bodom murders is an unsolved 1960 homicide case in which three teenage campers were killed and another seriously injured in Finland. The case is one of the most notorious …

The Lake Bodom murders occur in Finland

1960

Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538 crashes near Mackay Airport in Mackay, Queensland, Australia, killing 29

On 10 June 1960, a Fokker Friendship passenger aircraft operated by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) was on approach at night to land at Mackay, Queensland, Australia when it crashed…

Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538 crashes near Mackay Airport in Mackay, Queensland, Australia, killing 29

1960

The Nez Perce tribe is awarded $4 million for 7 million acres (28,000 km2) of land undervalued at four cents/acre in the

The Nez Perce are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who still live on a fraction of the lands on the southeastern Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest. This region has…

The Nez Perce tribe is awarded $4 million for 7 million acres (28,000 km2) of land undervalued at four cents/acre in the

1960

The former British Protectorate of British Somaliland gains its independence as Somaliland

British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate, was a protectorate of the United Kingdom in the territory of modern Somaliland. It was bordered by Italian Somalia, Fren…

The former British Protectorate of British Somaliland gains its independence as Somaliland

1960

More than 20 million viewers watch the first televised royal wedding when Princess Margaret marries Antony Armstrong-Jon

The wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones took place on Friday, 6 May 1960 at Westminster Abbey in London. Princess Margaret was the younger sister of Queen Eliza…

More than 20 million viewers watch the first televised royal wedding when Princess Margaret marries Antony Armstrong-Jon

1960

Cold War: U-2 Crisis of 1960: Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that his nation is holding American U-2 pilot Ga

The Cold War was a period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc …

Cold War: U-2 Crisis of 1960: Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that his nation is holding American U-2 pilot Ga

1960

The Food and Drug Administration announces it will approve birth control as an additional indication for Searle's Enovid

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting p…

The Food and Drug Administration announces it will approve birth control as an additional indication for Searle's Enovid

1960

Hundreds of University of California, Berkeley students congregate for the first day of protest against a visit by the H

The University of California, Berkeley is a public land-grant research university in the Southside and Northside neighborhoods of Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 18…

Hundreds of University of California, Berkeley students congregate for the first day of protest against a visit by the H

1960

Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser (a ruby laser), at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California

Theodore Harold Maiman was an American engineer and physicist who is widely credited with the invention of the laser. Maiman's laser led to the subsequent development of many other…

Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser (a ruby laser), at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California

1960

Madagascar gains its independence from France

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country in the Indian Ocean that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying of…

Madagascar gains its independence from France

1960

Belgian Congo gains independence as Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)

The Belgian Congo was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. It is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Belgian Congo gains independence as Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)

1960

France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina Faso) and Niger.

The Republic of Dahomey, simply known as Dahomey, was established on 4 December 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Prior to attaining autonomy, it had be…

France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina Faso) and Niger.

1960

The Great Chilean earthquake, measuring 9

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake and tsunami or the Great Chilean earthquake occurred on 22 May 1960. Most studies have placed it at 9.4–9.6 on the moment magnitude scale, making it th…

The Great Chilean earthquake, measuring 9

1960

A tsunami caused by an earthquake in Chile the previous day kills 61 people in Hilo, Hawaii

A tsunami is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and und…

A tsunami caused by an earthquake in Chile the previous day kills 61 people in Hilo, Hawaii

1960

Following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the largest ever recorded earthquake, Cordón Caulle begins to erupt

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake and tsunami or the Great Chilean earthquake occurred on 22 May 1960. Most studies have placed it at 9.4–9.6 on the moment magnitude scale, making it th…

Following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the largest ever recorded earthquake, Cordón Caulle begins to erupt