istoryworld
All Events
The Mini is launched, designed by Alec Issigonis, and becomes the best-selling British car of all time
Lee Kuan Yew becomes the first prime minister of the newly independent state of Singapore
Billy Wilder directs Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Some Like it Hot
Saul Bellow publishes Henderson the Rain King, in which an American millionaire acquires a strange role in an African tribe
On the retirement of de Valera, Sean Lemass succeeds him as leader of Fianna F´il and prime minister of Ireland
The Transkei becomes the first African homeland, or Bantustan, within South Africa
ETA (Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna) is formed in Spain as a guerrilla organization to win Basque independence
After nearly a century as a museum, the Orangery reverts to citrus cultivation before taking on its current role as Kew Gardens' main refreshment building.
The first prototype of the Hovercraft, designed by British engineer Christopher Cockerell, crosses the English Channel
Achmed Sukarno assumes dictatorial powers, operating an Indonesian policy officially known as Guided Democracy
Hiroshima Mon Amour is French director Alain Resnais' first feature film, with screenplay by Marguerite Duras
West Indian poet and playwright Derek Walcott founds the Trinidad Theatre Workshop
Keith Waterhouse has a wide success with his second novel, Billy Liar
Hawaii becomes the 50th state of the USA
Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 successfully strikes the moon, in the Palus Putredinus region
Asterix, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo, makes his first appearance, in the French magazine Pilote
Solomon Bandaranaike is assassinated by a Buddhist monk after only three years as prime minister of Sri Lanka
A group of dancers leave the Netherlands Ballet and establish their own Netherlands Dance Theatre in The Hague
Soviet spacecraft Luna 3, passing by the moon at a distance of some 40,000 miles, is able to photograph the far side
The St Lawrence Seaway, a joint Canadian and US project, links the Great Lakes and the sea
US author William Burroughs' Naked Lunch, an account of the horrors of a junkie's life, is published in Paris
Harold Pinter's second play in London's West End, The Caretaker, immediately brings him an international reputation
Rwanda suffers the first nationwide outbreak of Hutu violence against Tutsis
Australian Grand Prix driver Jack Brabham wins the first of his three Formula One titles
Philip Roth publishes his first book, Goodbye, Columbus, a novella and five short stories
