-
Harry Truman
Harry Truman is inaugurated as U.S. president after being elected in 1948 to his own term; previously he was sworn in following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He authorized the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan during World War II, on August 6 and August 9, 1945, respectively. -
h-bomb
H-Bomb is in the middle of its development as a nuclear weapon, announced in early 1950 and first tested in late 1952. -
polio vaccene
The vaccine for polio is privately tested by Jonas Salk -
einstienes death
Albert Einstein dies on April 18 at the age of 76. -
disneyland
Disneyland opens on July 17 as Walt Disney's first theme park. -
sputnik
Sputnik becomes the first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, marking the start of the space race. -
space monkey
Able and Miss Baker return to Earth from space aboard the flight Jupiter AM-18 -
mafia
Mafia are the center of attention for the FBI and public attention builds to this organized crime society with a historically Sicilian-American origin. -
heavy metal suicide
In the 1980s Ozzy Osbourne and the bands Judas Priest and Metallica were brought to court by parents who accused the musicians of hiding subliminal pro-messages in their music. -
crack
Crack cocaine use surged in the mid-to-late 1980s
