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APRIL 12, 1955 POLIO VACCINE INVENTED
A STUDY SHOWN THE SALK POLIO VACCINE TO BE EFFECTIVE IS RELEASED LEADING TO MASS IMMUNIZATIONS BASICALLY ENDING THE DISEASE. -
AUGUST 12, 1955 MINIMUM WAGE
EISENHOWER SIGNS THE MINIMUM WAGE ACT , RAISING THE WAGE TO 1.00 PER HOUR FROM .75 CENTS. -
JUNE 18, 1955 GENEVA SUMMIT
THE FIRST SUMMIT BETWEEN THE SOVIET UNION AND THE US ALONG WITH FRANCE, AND BRITAIN. IT WAS DONE IN GENEVA SWITZERLAND BUT NO IMPORTANT AGREEMENTS WERE FORGED. IT IS THOUGHT TO HAVE EASED SOME COLD WAR TENSIONS. -
AUGUST 12, 1955 EISENHOWER SUFFERS A HEART ATTACH WHILE ON VACATION
EISENHOWER SIGNED THE MINIMUM WAGE ACT THEN SHOT SOME HOLES OF GOLF IN COLORADO. THAT NIGHT, HE SUFFERS A HEART ATTACK AND REMAINS IN THE HOSPITAL UNTIL NOVEMBER THE 11TH. -
NOVEMBER 1, 1955 ROSA PARKS IS ARRSTED
IN MONTGOMERY ALABAMA, A BLACK SEAMSTRESS NAMED ROSA PARKS REFUSES TO GIVE UP HER SEAT ON THE CITY BUS TO A WHITE MAN AND IS ARRESTED. THE ENSUING BOYCOTT AND MARCHES LEAD BY REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MARK AN IMPORTANT TURNING POINT IN THE RIGHTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CITIZENS. -
JUNE 29, 1956 INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
EISENHOWER SIGNS THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ACT OF 1956 WHICH STARTS CONSTRUCTION OF SUPERHIGHWAYS, IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS IN US HISTORY. -
NOVEMBER 6, 1956 EISENHOWER IS RE-ELECTED
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AUGUST 26, 1957 SOVIETS TEST ICBM
THE SOVIETS LAUNCHED THE FIRST INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE, THE US LAUNCHED ONE IN ANSWER FOUR MONTHS LATER. -
OCTOBER 4, 1957 THE SPUTNIK
THE SOVIETS LAUNCH SPUTNIK, THE FIRST MANMADE SATELLITE. THE UNITED STATES IDS SHOCKED AND FEAR RUSSIA IS PULLING AHEAD IN TECHNOLOGY. -
DECEMBER 18, 1957 FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
THE US OPENS THE FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN SHIPPINGSPORT PENNSYLVANIA, IT PROVIDES ELECTRICITY TO PITTSBURGH -
SEPTEMBER 24, 1957 LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS DESEGREGATES
EISENHOWER SENDS TROOPS TO LITTLE ROCK TO ENSURE THE COURT ORDERED DESEGREGATION OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS OBEYED. THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO ATTEND CLASSES AT LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL -
JANUARY 31, 1958 US LAUNCHES ITS FIRST SATELLITE
THE US EXPLORER SATELLITE MAKES ENTRY INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND ENTERS THE US INTO THE SPACE RACE. -
OCTOBER 4, 1958 TRANSATLANTIC AIR TRAVEL BEGINS
THE BRITISH OVERSEAS AIRWAYS CORPORATION BEGINS THE FIRST REGULAR JET AIRLINE SERVICE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. -
JULY 24, 1959 KITCHEN DEBATE
AMERICAN PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON AND NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV DEBATE THE MERITS OF CAPITALISM VERSUS COMMUNISM DURING NIXON'S VISIT TO SOVIET UNION. THE DEBATE TAKES PLACE BESIDE A MODEL KITCHEN AT A TRADE EXPEDITION AND BECOMES KNOWN AS "THE KITCHEN DEBATE" THIS INCREASES NIXONS POPULARITY -
FEBRUARY 1, 1960 LUNCH COUNTER SIT-INS
SIT IN DEMONSTRATIONS BEGIN IN CHARLOTTE NC AS BLACK STUDENTS PROTEST SEGREGATION AT WOOLWORTH'S LUNCH COUNTER. THE MOVEMENT SPREADS ACROSS THE SOUTH. -
MAY 1, 1960 U-2 SHOT DOWN
AN AMERICAN SPY PLANE IS SHOT DOWN OVER SOVIET UNION, THE PILOT GARY POWERS SURVIVES THE CRASH AND ADMITS TO SPYING. THE INCIDENT SOURS THE PROGRESS MADE THUS FAR IN THE COLD WAR. LATER IN THE MONTH, THE PARIS CONFERENCE IS DOOMED BECAUSE OF THE DISTRUST BETWEEN US AND RUSSIA. -
NOVEMBER 8, 1960 JOHN F, KENNEDY DEFEATS NIXON
JOHN F.KENNEDY DEFEATS NIXON BY A NARROW MARGIN AND BECOMES THE YOUNGEST US PRESIDENT IN HISTORY -
1961 JOHNSON ,THE VICE PRESIDENT, VISITS SOUTH VIETNAM
JOHNSON VISITS S. VIETNAM AND OFFERS MILITARY AND ECONOMIC AID TO DIEM. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, US MILITARY PRESENCE WAS 3200 MEN. -
APRIL 17, 1961 BAY OF PIGS
A FORCE OF 1500 CUBAN EXILES TRAINED AND FINANCED BY THE US LANDS AT THE BAY OF PIGS IN CUBA IN AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW CASTRO. THE PLAN WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED DURING THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION AND IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE US. -
DECEMBER 22, 1961 FIRST US COMBAT DEATH IN VIETNAM
AN AMERICAN SERVICEMAN DIES IN VIETNAM, FOR MANY IN THE US THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE VIETNAM WAR -
NOVEMBER 1, 1963 KENNEDY ASSASSINATED
DURING A MOTORCADE IN DALLAS PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY IS SHOT AND DIES LATER AT PARKLAND HOSPITAL. LYNDON JOHNSON HIS VICE PRESIDENT IS SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT. -
NOVEMBER 1, 1963 SOUTH VIETNAMESE OVERTHROW DIEM
GENERAL DUONG VAN MINH OVERTHROWS DIEM REGIME AND HAS DIEM AND HIS BROTHER EXECUTED. -
AUGUST 2, 1964 USS MADDOX
NORTH VIETNAMESE GUNBOATS ATTACK THE USS MADDOX IN THE GULF OF TONKIN BUT THERE ARE NO CASUALTIES AND LITTLE DAMAGE. THE US SAID IT WAS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND DID NOT PROVOKE THE ATTACK. THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE HAD RAIDED THE NORTHERN PORTS AND CAUSED THE ATTACK. LATER THE US ADMITTED TO HELPING THE S. VIETNAM RAIDS. -
NOVEMBER 3, 1964 LYNDON B. JOHNSON WINS ELECTION IN A LANDSLIDE
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AUGUST 4, 1964 FIRST NORTH VIETNAMESE BOMBING
USS MADDOX REPORTS A SECOND ASSAULT BY NORTH VIETNAMESE GUNBOATS, PRESIDENT JOHNSON ORDERS RETALIATORY STRIKES AND SO THE US BOMBS N VIETNAM FOR THE FIRST TIME -
MARCH 8, 1965 FIRST COMBAT UNITS ARRIVE IN VIETNAM
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DECEMBER 31, 1966
TROOP LEVELS IN VIETNAM WERE AT 389,000 , MORE THAN 6,000 US SOLDIERS WERE DEAD AND 30,000 WOUNDED IN 1966 ALONE -
APRIL 15, 1967
MARTIN LUTHER KING LEADS THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS TO THE UNITED NATIONS BUILDING IN NEW YORK WHERE HE GIVES A SPEECH ATTACKING US FOREIGN POLICY IN VIETNAM. OVER 100,000 ATTENDEES WERE AT THE RALLY. -
FEBRUARY 28, 1968 MORE TROOPS REQUESTED IN VIETNAM
GENERAL WESTMORELAND REQUESTS AN ADDITIONAL 206,000 MORE TROOPS -
MARCH 25,1968
PRESIDENT JOHNSON MEETS WITH MILITARY ADVISORS TO FIND A WAY TO END THE WAR -
JUNE 23, 1968 AMERICAS LONGEST WAR
THE WAR IN VIETNAM BEGAN WITH A SERVICEMEN BEING KILLED IN DEC. 1961 AND CONTINUED IN 1968 -
MARCH 31, 1968 JOHNSON DECLINES RE-ELECTION
JOHNSON STATES IN A NATIONWIDE BROADCAST THAT HE WILL WORK TO DE ESCALATE VIETNAM AND ALSO THAT HE WOULD NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION. -
APRIL 4, 1968 MARTIN LUTHER KING ASSASSINATED
KING IS SHOT AT LORRAINE MOTEL IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE, HIS ASSASSIN IS JAMES EARL RAY WHO PLEADS GUILTY RECEIVING 99 YEARS IN PRISON. -
NOV.6, 1968 REPUBLICAN RICHARD NIXON ELECTED PRESIDENT
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1969 THE US DEATH TOLL IN VIETNAM REACHES 543,000
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NOVEMBER 16, 1969 NIXON PROMISES WITHDRAW FROM WAR
NIXON PROMISES WITHDRAW OF 35,000 TROOPS -
1971 CONGRESS VOTES TO WITHDRAW
THE HOUSE AND SENATE VOTES TO WITHDRAW FROM VIETNAM BY YEAR END -
JULY 1, 1971 26TH AMENDMENT RATIFIED
THE VOTING AGE IS LOWERED FROM 21 TO 18 -
JULY 17, 1972 WATERGATE
FIVE MEN ARE CAUGHT BURGLURIZING THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE LOCATED IN THE WATERGATE HOTEL IN WASHINGTON D.C. THE ARRESTS SET INTO MOTION THE EVENTS THAT ENDED WITH NIXON'S RESIGNATION. -
NOVEMBER 7, 1972 NIXON RE-ELECTED
NIXON DEFEATS MCGOVERN -
MARCH 29, 1973 WAR OFFICIALLY ENDS
THE VIETNAM IS OFFICIALLY OVER. BUT SOME MARINE AND MILITARY ADVISORS REMAIN. IN ALL 60,000 DIED, 150,000 WOUNDED AND 1000 MISSING IN ACTION. -
JANUARY 27, 1973 VIETNAM CEASEFIRE SIGNED
REPRESENTATIVES FROM NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM ALONG WITH US LEADERS SIGN A PEACE AGREEMENT AND US REMOVES TROOPS FROM S VIETNAM. SOTH VIETNAM PROMISES TO LET THEIR PEOPLE HAVE FREE ELECTIONS TO DECIDE THEIR FUTURE. -
AUGUST 9,1974 NIXON RESIGNS
PRESIDENT NIXON RESIGNS AMID THE WATERGATE SCANDAL AND GERALD FORD TAKES OFFICE -
APRIL 30, 1975 SAIGON FALLS
THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TAKE SAIGON , THE WAR IN VIETNAM ENDS