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A STUDY SHOWN THE SALK POLIO VACCINE TO BE EFFECTIVE IS RELEASED LEADING TO MASS IMMUNIZATIONS BASICALLY ENDING THE DISEASE.
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EISENHOWER SIGNS THE MINIMUM WAGE ACT , RAISING THE WAGE TO 1.00 PER HOUR FROM .75 CENTS.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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THE SOVIETS LAUNCHED THE FIRST INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE, THE US LAUNCHED ONE IN ANSWER FOUR MONTHS LATER.
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THE SOVIETS LAUNCH SPUTNIK, THE FIRST MANMADE SATELLITE. THE UNITED STATES IDS SHOCKED AND FEAR RUSSIA IS PULLING AHEAD IN TECHNOLOGY.
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THE US OPENS THE FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN SHIPPINGSPORT PENNSYLVANIA, IT PROVIDES ELECTRICITY TO PITTSBURGH
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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
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THE US EXPLORER SATELLITE MAKES ENTRY INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND ENTERS THE US INTO THE SPACE RACE.
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THE BRITISH OVERSEAS AIRWAYS CORPORATION BEGINS THE FIRST REGULAR JET AIRLINE SERVICE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
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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
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SIT IN DEMONSTRATIONS BEGIN IN CHARLOTTE NC AS BLACK STUDENTS PROTEST SEGREGATION AT WOOLWORTH'S LUNCH COUNTER. THE MOVEMENT SPREADS ACROSS THE SOUTH.
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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.
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JOHN F.KENNEDY DEFEATS NIXON BY A NARROW MARGIN AND BECOMES THE YOUNGEST US PRESIDENT IN HISTORY
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JOHNSON VISITS S. VIETNAM AND OFFERS MILITARY AND ECONOMIC AID TO DIEM. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, US MILITARY PRESENCE WAS 3200 MEN.
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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.
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AN AMERICAN SERVICEMAN DIES IN VIETNAM, FOR MANY IN THE US THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE VIETNAM WAR
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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.
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GENERAL DUONG VAN MINH OVERTHROWS DIEM REGIME AND HAS DIEM AND HIS BROTHER EXECUTED.
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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.
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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
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TROOP LEVELS IN VIETNAM WERE AT 389,000 , MORE THAN 6,000 US SOLDIERS WERE DEAD AND 30,000 WOUNDED IN 1966 ALONE
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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.
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GENERAL WESTMORELAND REQUESTS AN ADDITIONAL 206,000 MORE TROOPS
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PRESIDENT JOHNSON MEETS WITH MILITARY ADVISORS TO FIND A WAY TO END THE WAR
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THE WAR IN VIETNAM BEGAN WITH A SERVICEMEN BEING KILLED IN DEC. 1961 AND CONTINUED IN 1968
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JOHNSON STATES IN A NATIONWIDE BROADCAST THAT HE WILL WORK TO DE ESCALATE VIETNAM AND ALSO THAT HE WOULD NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION.
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KING IS SHOT AT LORRAINE MOTEL IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE, HIS ASSASSIN IS JAMES EARL RAY WHO PLEADS GUILTY RECEIVING 99 YEARS IN PRISON.
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NIXON PROMISES WITHDRAW OF 35,000 TROOPS
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THE HOUSE AND SENATE VOTES TO WITHDRAW FROM VIETNAM BY YEAR END
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THE VOTING AGE IS LOWERED FROM 21 TO 18
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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.
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NIXON DEFEATS MCGOVERN
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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.
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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.
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PRESIDENT NIXON RESIGNS AMID THE WATERGATE SCANDAL AND GERALD FORD TAKES OFFICE
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THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TAKE SAIGON , THE WAR IN VIETNAM ENDS