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French Union paratroops dropping into Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic battle of the First Indochina War between French Union forces and Việt Minh communist revolutionary forces. The battle occurred between March and May 1954, and culminated in a massive French defeat that effectively ended the war. The French undertook to create an air-supplied base at Điện Biên Phủ, deep in the hills of Vietnam, in order to cut off Viet Minh supply lines into the neighboring French protectorate of Laos. The Viet Minh, under General Võ Nguyên Giáp, surrounded and besieged the French, who were unaware of the Viet Minh's possession of heavy artillery. The Viet Minh occupied the highlands around Dien Bien Phu, and were able to fire down accurately onto French positions. Tenacious fighting on the ground ensued, reminiscent of the trench warfare of World War I. The French repeatedly repulsed Viet Minh assaults on their positions. Supplies and reinforcements were delivered by air, although as the French positions were overrun and the anti-aircraft fire took its toll, fewer and fewer of those supplies reached them. After a two month siege, the garrison was overrun and most French surrendered. Shortly after the battle, the war ended with the 1954 Geneva Accords, under which France agreed to withdraw from its former Indochinese colonies. (Full article...)
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane. After causing 95 fatalities in the US, Hazel struck Canada as an extratropical storm. As a result of its damaging effects and high death toll, its name was retired and will never again be used for a hurricane in the North Atlantic basin. The effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada included C$137,552,400 ($1,126,947,163 in 2009) in damages and 81 deaths. Hazel, the deadliest and costliest storm of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as one of the deadliest and costliest storms of the 20th century, reached Toronto, Ontario by the evening of October 15, 1954. (Full article...)
The original Oslo flag used in the 1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February. All of the venues for the games were located in Oslo's metropolitan area with the exception of the alpine skiing events, which were held at Norefjell, 113 km (70 mi) away. A new hotel was built for the press and dignitaries, along with three dormitories to house athletes and coaches, creating the first modern Olympic Village. The games attracted 694 athletes representing 30 countries, who participated in four sports and 22 events. There was one demonstration sport, bandy, in which three Nordic countries competed. Women were allowed to compete in cross-country skiing for the first time. Portugal and New Zealand competed at their first Winter Olympics, and Japan and Germany competed for the first time since World War II. Norway won the overall medal count with sixteen medals, seven of which were gold. Hjalmar Andersen from Norway was the most decorated athlete with three gold medals for speed skating. The games closed with the presentation of a flag (pictured) by the city of Oslo to the International Olympic Committee. The "Oslo Flag" has been displayed in the host city during each subsequent winter games. (Full article...)
The flag, with a hole where the communist coat of arms had been cut out, became the symbol of the revolution.
The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the Neo-Stalinist government of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956. It began as a student demonstration which attracted thousands as it marched through central Budapest to the Parliament building. The revolt spread quickly across Hungary, and the government fell. Thousands organized into militias, battling the State police force and Soviet troops. The new government formally disbanded the State police force, declared its intention to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and pledged to re-establish free elections. On 4 November, a large Soviet force invaded Budapest using artillery and air strikes, killing thousands of civilians. Organized resistance ceased by 10 November 1956, and mass arrests began. An estimated 200,000 Hungarians fled as refugees. By January 1957 the new Soviet-installed government had suppressed all public opposition. Soviet actions alienated many Western Marxists, yet strengthened Soviet control over Eastern Europe, cultivating the perception that communism was both irreversible and monolithic. Public discussion about this revolution was suppressed in Hungary for over 30 years, but since the thaw of the 1980s it has been a subject of intense study and debate. (Full article...)
