January 13
January 13
Soviets boycott United Nations Security Council
For the second time in a week, Jacob Malik, the Soviet representative to the United Nations, storms out of a meeting of the Security Council, this time in reaction to…
A Year In History: 1950
Also Within This Year in History:
1950
The first year of the 1950s marked the start of the Korean War. In America, Joseph McCarthy ignited Red Scare witch hunts, spreading fear and suspicion about almost anyone’s possible communist ties. In India, Mother Theresa founded her Missionaries of Charity order. President Harry Truman survived an assassination attempt and authorized the development of the hydrogen bomb. Diners Club introduced the first major charge card, Silly Putty bounced into toy stores and Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” cartoon strip made its debut.
January 17
January 17
Boston thieves pull off historic Brink’s robbery
On January 17, 1950, 11 men steal more than $2 million ($29 million today) from the Brink’s Armored Car depot in Boston, Massachusetts. It was the perfect crime—almost—as the culprits weren’t…
January 18
January 18
China recognizes Democratic Republic of Vietnam
The People’s Republic of China formally recognizes the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam and agrees to furnish it military assistance; the Soviet Union extended diplomatic recognition to Hanoi on January…
January 21
January 21
Accused spy Alger Hiss convicted of perjury
In the conclusion to one of the most spectacular trials in U.S. history, former State Department official Alger Hiss is convicted of perjury. He was convicted of having perjured himself…
January 26
January 26
Republic of India born
On January 26, 1950, the Indian constitution takes effect, making the Republic of India the most populous democracy in the world. Mohandas Gandhi struggled through decades of passive resistance before…
January 31
January 31
Truman announces development of H‑bomb
On January 31, 1950, U.S. President Harry S. Truman publicly announces his decision to support the development of the hydrogen bomb, a weapon theorized to be hundreds of times more…
February 2
February 2
Klaus Fuchs arrested for passing atomic bomb information to Soviets
Klaus Fuchs, a German‑born British scientist who helped developed the atomic bomb, is arrested in Great Britain for passing top‑secret information about the bomb to the Soviet Union. The arrest…
February 9
February 9
Senator McCarthy says communists are in State Department
During a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, Senator Joseph McCarthy (Republican‑Wisconsin) claims that he has a list with the names of over 200 members of the Department of State that…
February 14
February 14
USSR and PRC sign mutual defense treaty
The Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China, the two largest communist nations in the world, announce the signing of a mutual defense and assistance treaty. The negotiations for…
February 15
February 15
Disney’s “Cinderella” opens in theaters
On February 15, 1950, Walt Disney’s animated feature Cinderella opens in theaters across the United States. The Chicago‑born Disney began his career as an advertising cartoonist in Kansas City. After…
March 8
March 8
VW bus, icon of counterculture movement, goes into production
Volkswagen, maker of the Beetle automobile, expands its product offerings to include a microbus, which goes into production on March 8, 1950. Known officially as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the…
March 14
March 14
U.S. senator smears actress Ingrid Bergman for extramarital affair
In a burst of caustic, moralistic grandstanding, U.S. Senator Edwin C. “Big Ed” Johnson of Colorado launches a verbal attack on Swedish movie star Ingrid Bergman for her extramarital affair…
March 14
March 14
The FBI debuts “10 Most Wanted Fugitives” list
The Federal Bureau of Investigation institutes the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list in an effort to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives. The creation of the program arose out of a wire…
March 15
March 15
Nationalist Chinese forces invade mainland China
In a surprise raid on the communist People’s Republic of China (PRC), military forces of the Nationalist Chinese government on Taiwan invade the mainland and capture the town of Sungmen.…
March 26
March 26
Public learns Joseph McCarthy named Owen Lattimore as a Soviet spy
During a radio broadcast dealing with a Senate investigation into communists in the U.S. Department of State, news is leaked that Senator Joseph McCarthy has charged Professor Owen Lattimore with…
April 7
April 7
President Truman receives NSC‑68 report, calling for “containing” Soviet expansion
President Harry S. Truman receives National Security Council Paper Number 68 (NSC‑68). The report was a group effort, created with input from the Defense Department, the State Department, the CIA,…
April 25
April 25
Chuck Cooper becomes first African American selected in NBA draft
On April 25, 1950, the Boston Celtics make Chuck Cooper, an All‑American forward from Duquesne University, the first African American picked in NBA draft. With the selection, the first pick…
May 9
May 9
L. Ron Hubbard publishes “Dianetics”
On May 9, 1950, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (1911‑1986) publishes Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. With this book, Hubbard introduced a branch of self‑help psychology called Dianetics, which quickly…
June 25
June 25
Korean War begins
On June 25, 1950, armed forces from communist North Korea smash into South Korea, setting off the Korean War. The United States, acting under the auspices of the United Nations,…
June 27
June 27
President Truman orders U.S. forces to Korea
On June 27, 1950, President Harry S. Truman announces that he is ordering U.S. air and naval forces to South Korea to aid the democratic nation in repulsing an invasion…
