Time Magazine Reports: The 1950s Quiz

Answer: First jet-to-jet dogfight

'Time' continued, "fighter planes in history's first jet dogfight streaked across the morning sky. Eight or more Russian-made MIG-15s tangled for a deadly moment with four U.S. Lockheed F-80s. The score: one Communist jet shot down, another damaged; U.S. fighters, untouched."
Despite the magazine's optimism, American planes did not remain untouched for long (they actually suffered losses on the day 'Time's report discussed) and the Russian MIG-15 proved to be arguably the best fighter jet of the era. American and Russian/Chinese/North Korean pilots battled for the duration of the war over the stretch of the Korean-Chinese border known as "MIG Alley".

Also in 1950: median annual US family income $3,300, Communist China invades Tibet, Minneapolis Lakers win NBA championship defeating Syracuse Nationals.

Answer: Search for Tomorrow

'Time's review continued, "All this choked-up sadness, punctuated by organ chordings, will make most televiewers feel as though they have been dunked in an emotional bubble bath."
More indicative of the state of the media, perhaps, was the fact that the review of 'Search for Tomorrow' and two other new TV shows ('The Egg and I' and 'Crime With Father') appeared in the "Radio: The New Shows" column. It wouldn't be long until TV took its own place in the magazine.

Also in 1951: Les Paul and Mary Ford top Billboard's chart for nine weeks with 'How High the Moon,' Libya gains independence from Italy, inflation rate in US 7.8%, in UK 9.5%.

Answer: Polio

1949 had been the worst reported year for polio in the US. 'Time' reported in 1952 that, "This year there were 26,039 reported cases, 610 more than three years ago. This does not mean that 1952 will eventually go down as "worse" than 1949." But it did - with nearly 58,000 cases of polio reported in the US, 3,145 dead and 21,269 left with mild to disabling paralysis.
In 1954 the Salk vaccine was subjected to the largest field test in the history of medicine. By 1957 the Salk and Sabin vaccines had cut the number of polio cases in the country to about 5600. In 1961 only 161 cases were reported.

Also in 1952: 'Today Show' debuts on NBC with host Dave Garroway, 'The Old Man and the Sea' published, cost of ground beef $.53 per pound.

Answer: Mau Mau

In late 1952 the first British farms had come under attack by the Mau Mau forces. 'Time' reported "In a lonely Kenya ranch house some 60 miles north of Nairobi, Mrs. Dorothy Raynes-Simson, a cattle rancher, sat chatting with her partner, Kitty Hesselburger. There was a noise at the door, a shout, and a gang of Mau Mau thugs, led by the ranch's male cook, burst into the living room, brandishing panga knives." Mrs. Raynes-Simson pulled a pistol out of her purse, shot and killed several attackers then "called the cops and asked them to collect the corpses."
The Mau Mau Rebellion continued until the death of its leader in 1956. Fighting was fierce with atrocities and massacres committed by both sides. Kenya finally became independent in 1963. Mau Mau fighters killed during the fighting are recognized in Kenya as freedom fighters and honored on October 20, Freedom Day.

Also in 1953; Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay ascend Mt. Everest, Joseph Stalin dies, Indiana wins NCAA basketball championship and Maryland is football champion.

Answer: Dien Bien Phu

'Time' added, "The Communists poured screaming flesh & blood against the French concrete, wire and land mines. Most of the attackers fired rifles, pistols and Tommy guns, but some hurled razor-sharp spears. Wave after wave, they came on through the night. In the morning, although parts of the perimeter had been caved in, the French still held the heart of Dienbienphu. The dead and wounded-many defenders and at least 1,000 Communists, said the French-were piled so thick that a three-hour cease fire was arranged, so the field could be cleared of casualties."
The French garrison eventually surrendered to the Viet Minh on May 7, 1954, the day before scheduled peace talks began in Paris.

Also in 1954: Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' released in Japan, Dow Jones recovers to pre 1929 Crash high of 381.1, Senate votes to condemn Senator Joseph McCarthy for misconduct.

Answer: Protest against the suspension of a hockey player

Maurice 'The Rocket' Richard was the French Canadian star of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. On March 13 he was involved in an altercation with a Boston player then struck a referee resulting in his suspension for the rest of the season. Two days later Montral fans were angered by the presence of the NHL president Clarence Campbell at the Canadiens' home game. As 'Time' reported, "All afternoon, tension built up in the city. Gangs of young hoodlums bought standing-room tickets and packed the Forum galleries. As the disorganized Canadiens began to boot away the game, the mob's mood blackened. Campbell's cocky arrival, just before the first period ended (with Les Canadiens behind, 2-0), touched off a barrage of peanuts, rotten fruit, galoshes and programs. One spectator pushed past Campbell's police guard and walloped him twice across the face."
The riot spilled outside into the streets where "Rocks arched through the yellow haze of street lights and store windows shattered. Jewelry shops were looted. Streetcars took a pasting. It was 2:30 a.m. before the Montreal cops had the city back under control."

Also in 1955: President Eisenhower sends military advisors to South Vietnam, US minimum wage $1.00 per hour, State of Emergency declared in Britain due to National Rail Strike.

Answer: Charles Laughton

Laughton, appearing in New York, introduced Elvis (who was in Hollywood filming 'Love Me Tender') as 'Elvin' Presley - a slip not noted by 'Time'. It's obvious that the media was a few years away from feeling the need to show respect for rock and roll artists.
"Actor Charles Laughton, his glib tongue in his dumpling cheek, introduced Elvis with: "Ed insisted I give a high tone to the proceedings," then, to the frenzied shrieks of the teenagers, let Hillbilly Presley take over. Crooner Presley, sideburns dripping with sweat and goose grease, mumbled through three songs, gave his guitar a thorough clouting, contorted his mouth suggestively and his pelvis more so. When it was over, parents and critics, as usual, did a lot of futile grumbling at the vulgarity of this strange new phenomenon that must somehow be reckoned with."

Also in 1956: Norma Jean Mortenson legally changes name to Marilyn Monroe, Morocco and Tunisia gain independence from France, price of ground coffee $.85/pound.

Answer: Integration of Little Rock Central High School

'Time' continued with the lamentations of southern politicians, "Eisenhower has lit the fires of hate,'' intoned Mississippi's Senator James Eastland. Alabama's Governor James ("Kissin' Jim'') Folsom pledged that he would disband Alabama's National Guard before he would let Eisenhower order it into federal service. "We still mourn the destruction of Hungary," said Georgia's Senator Herman Talmadge, going his colleague, Dick Russell, one better. "Now the South is threatened by the President of the U.S. using tanks and troops in the streets of Little Rock. I wish I could cast one vote for impeachment right now.'' South Carolina's Senator Olin Johnston went even further. "If I were Governor Faubus," he said, "I'd proclaim a state of insurrection down there, and I'd call out the National Guard, and I'd then find out who's going to run things in my state.'"
On September 24, President Eisenhower had sent the 101st Airborne Division into Little Rock (minus its African American troopers) to enforce court-ordered desegregation of Central High School. Although Arkansas had relatively little history of racial violence and the state's university system was desegregated without incident in 1948, Governor Orville Faubus took the opportunity to stand in the way of integration, bringing on a long-running crisis.

Also in 1957: Asian Flu pandemic claims nearly 70,000 lives in US and 150,000 worldwide, The USSR tests its first successful ICBM, Inflation in US and UK 3.3%.

Answer: Lana Turner

Crain, visiting her mother during Easter school vacation, came into the house "only to find her mother, Actress Turner, in the midst of trying to discard her latest male doll.
"Cheryl Crane heard her mother and Stompanato arguing in Lana's bedroom. "I'll get you if it takes a day, a week or a year!" cried Stompanato. "I'll cut you up. I'll stomp you, and if I can't do it myself, I'll find someone who can." Frightened Cheryl went to the kitchen, picked up a 10-in. butcher knife, went to the bedroom. "You don't have to take that, Mamma," she said, and plunged the knife into Stompanato. He crumpled, fell dead on Lana's pink carpet at the foot of Lana's commodious bed."
A coroner's inquest found the stabbing justifiable homicide thanks, in part, to Turner's dramatic testimony.

Also in 1958: major recession pushes US unemployment rate above 7%, world's population approaches 3 billion, Brazil defeats host Sweden to capture FIFA World Cup.

Answer: Corvair

'Time' described the secrecy surrounding new car models, "...aware that General Motors has been producing the new rear-engine Chevrolet Corvair at its Willow Run plant since early July, an enterprising Ann Arbor News photographer hired a helicopter, flew over the plant's parking lot to shoot the mystery from under the new compact car with a picture of rows of Corvairs. This week the New York Herald Tribune went a step further, jumped the small-car release dates, ran pictures of the Corvair, Valiant and Ford's Falcon."
In 1965, Ralph Nader published "Unsafe at Any Speed" in which he charged auto makers with dragging their feet (largely to save money) in introducing safety features and correcting safety defects. Chapter One was "The Sporty Corvair-The One-Car Accident".
The cheap, sporty Corvair sold well initially but despite correcting dangerous design flaws and improved design, sales dropped, competition grew and by 1969, the final production year, only 6000 Corvairs were produced.

Also in 1959: Cost of Lady Sunbeam electric shaver $20.97, flood in Taiwan leaves 2,000 dead, LA Dodgers defeat Chicago White Sox in World Series.