January 9: United Nations headquarters opened in New York.
January 15 – Ilse Koch, The “Witch of Buchenwald” (pictured), wife of the commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp, was sentenced to life imprisonment in a court in West Germany.
March 7 –In Korea, United Nations troops led by General Matthew Ridgeway began an assault against the Chinese “volunteers.”
March 29 – Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. On April 5 they were sentenced to receive the death penalty.
March 29 – Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I opened on Broadway and ran for three years. The show made a star of Yul Brynner.
April 11- After its removal from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1950, the Stone of Scone resurfaced on the altar of Arbroath Abbey.
May 3 – King George VI opened London’s Royal Festival Hall. The Festival of Britain opened.
May 25 – The first atomic bomb “boosted” by the inclusion of thermonuclear materials, was tested on Enewetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands by the US.
July 26 – Walt Disney’s 13th animated film, Alice in Wonderland, premiered in London.
September 8 -In San Francisco 48 nations signed a peace treaty with Japan to formally end the Pacific War.
September 10 – The United Kingdom began an economic boycott of Iran.
October 15 – I Love Lucy made its television debut in America.
December 24 – Libya became independent from Italy.
Births
January 30 – Phil Collins, rock musician and producer (Genesis)
February 14 – Kevin Keegan, footballer and football manager
February 15 – Jane Seymour, actress
February 20 – Gordon Brown, Prime Minister.
March 4 – Kenny Dalglish, footballer and football manager
April 13 – Peter Davison, actor
June 8 – Bonnie Tyler, singer
June 14 – Paul Boateng, politician
July 8 – Anjelica Huston, actress
September 5 – Michael Keaton, actor (Batman)
September 7 – Chrissie Hynde, rock singer (The Pretenders)
November 19 – Lord Falconer of Thoroton, politician
December 8 – Bill Bryson, author
Deaths
March 6 – Ivor Novello, actor, musician, and composer (b. 1893)
April 14 – Ernest Bevin, politician, and statesman (b. 1881)
August 14 – William Randolph Hearst, American newspaper publisher (b. 1863)
Top hits
If – Perry Como
Be My Love – Mario Lanza
How High the Moon – Les Paul and Mary Ford
Too Young – Nat King Cole
Come On-a My House – Rosemary Clooney
Because of You -Tony Bennett
Cold, Cold Heart – Tony Bennett
(It’s No) Sin – Eddy Howard
Cry – Johnnie Ray (pictured)