Category Archives: 1950s

Truman says threat of world war ‘still very real’ 60 years ago this hour (1952)

(Wednesday, January 9, 1952, 12:30 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Harry S Truman summoned the nation today to “move full steam ahead” in its rearmament drive because the “threat of world war is still very real.”

The president, in his annual State of the Union message, charted a stern course of continued high taxes, greater military expansion, tougher wage-price controls, fewer civilian goods and more foreign aid.

Korean War POW lists exchanged 60 years ago today (1951)


Video: POW lists exchanged (at 3:29)

(Tuesday, December 18, 1951) — In a big step toward resolving difficilites over an armistice in the Korean War, the communists today turned over a list of 11,559 prisoners, 3,198 of them Americans, far short of United Nations estimates of 100,000 or more missing. The UN command handed the communists a list of 132,474 Chinese and North Korean prisoners.

Ed Murrow’s ‘See It Now’ debuts 60 years ago this hour (1951)

(Sunday, November 18, 1951, 6:30 p.m. ET)See It Now, a newsmagazine and documentary series, debuted tonight on CBS-TV with the first live simultaneous coast-to-coast TV transmission.

The series was created by Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly with Murrow serving as host.

‘Lucy Thinks Ricky is Trying to Murder Her’ debuts on ‘I Love Lucy’ 60 years ago this hour (1951)


'I Love Lucy' open

(Monday, November 5, 1951, 9 p.m.) — Lucy is deeply engrossed in a brand-new whodunit, called “The Mockingbird Mystery,” and is, understandably, a nail-biting wreck on tonight’s episode of the legendary TV sitcom I Love Lucy.

Click here to watch the full episode.

‘Be A Pal’ debuts on ‘I Love Lucy’ 60 years ago this hour (1951)


Video: 'Be A Pal' (clip)

(Monday, October 22, 1951, 9:00 p.m. ET) — In order to keep the honeymoon from ending with Ricky, Lucy consults a book that leads to all sorts of hilarious situations on tonight’s episode of the TV sitcom I Love Lucy.

New York Yankees win World Series 60 years ago today (1951)


Video: 1951 World Series

(Wednesday, October 10, 1951) — The New York Yankees won the 1951 World Series today, beating the New York Giants 4-3 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York, in the sixth and deciding game (click here to watch highlights of game 3 on Oct. 6, 1951).

French general arrives to confer with Truman on First Indochina War 60 years ago today

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mStq3NaipQ
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny and Vietnam (in French)

(Friday, September 14, 1951) — U.S. President Harry S Truman told Gen. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny today that he regarded the French battle against communism in Indochina as being the same as the fighting in Korea, “the same fight for liberty.”

De Lattre, who put new fight into French forces battling communists in the First Indochina War, arrived in Washington today to confer with U.S. officials.

Video: General Jean De Lattre De Tassigny arrives in Washington (Sept. 14, 1951)