Description
1959 IN REVIEW: A year of unprecedented travel, ceremonies and consultations by the great power leaders, with the outstanding highlights being Vice - President Nixon's visit to Russia and debate with Premier Khrushchev, Khrushchev's fabulous, flamboyant tour of America, and President Eisenhower's historic, and unprecedented tour of 11 Free World Nations. The exploration of Space proceeded with notable achievements by both the Soviet and the United States, the Reds reaching the moon for the first time, and giving mankind its first glimpse of the other side, and America making major strides in preparing for man's first actual voyage into space. In this hemisphere, Cuba's first year under the reign of Fidel Castro and the opening of the Canadian-U.S. St. Lawrence Seaway in joint ceremonies by Ike and Queen Elizabeth topped the news. Hawaii followed Alaska into the Union, with exultant celebrations throughout the Islands to mark the dream fulfilled. Romance made news, with the same fairy tale theme thrice repeated. Prince Akihito of Japan married a pretty commoner, Mishiko Shoda; multi-millionaire's son Stephen Rockefeller wed a former family maid, Anne Marie Rasmussen, and the Shah of Iran married a former bobby-soxer, Farah Diba. Japan was ravaged by the worst typhoon in its history, with a toll of 5,000 lives. John Foster Dulles passed away after a long and valiant fight against cancer. In Asia, Communist China manifested growing aggressiveness, turning Tibet into a bloody repetition of Hungary. The Dalai Lama and thousands of his subjects fled to India, which later in the year was embroiled in armed clashes with Red China over border disputes. In Southeast Asia, Red puppet forces menaced the tiny but strategic state of Laos. Graves omens for the future from the rapidly mobilizing masses of mainland China, a dark undercurrent to the mood of hope with which Ike's historic tour helped end the year.