1950 in the News

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The Cold War continues...US President Harry Truman confers with General Douglas MacArthur as the US commits troops to South Korea in 1950 to stop the spread of communism.Crew of a US M-24 tank during the Korean War 1950-1953. Cold War: President Truman orders the development of the Hydrogen Bomb in response to the Soviet Union's first atomic bomb test.St. Paul, MN cartoonist Charles Schultz first publishes his Peanuts comic strip in seven newspapers. Peanuts, featuring the characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy, would eventually be published in 2,600 newspapers.Economic prosperity in the US following World War Two continues with the demand for housing pushing rapid development of new homes and subdivisions. This neighborhood in Van Nuys, CA is one example of the post war housing boom.Cold War: Wisconsin Republican Senator Joe McCarthy claims he has a list of 205 known communists working in the US State Department.The Brinks Building in Boston, MA is skillfully robbed of $1.2 million in cash and $1.5 million in checks with few clues left behind. A gang of eleven would eventually be caught and convicted of this crime.The New York Yankees defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in four straight games to win the World Series.Port Arthur, TX native Babe Zaharias wins the grand slam of women's professional golf in 1950.Cold War: US State Department employee Alger Hiss is accused of being a communist and later a spy during testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). In January 1950 Hiss is convicted of perjury.Cold War: The Soviet Union and China sign a mutual defense treaty.South Africa passes the Group Areas Act formally segregating the races in a series of policies broadly known as Apartheid.Volkswagen introduces the Type 2 Micro Bus, whose worldwide popularity leads to the development of passenger vans.After suppressing an uprising by Puerto Rican nationalists, the group retaliates with an assasination attemp on President Harry Truman in Washington DC. The attempt is foiled with two fatalities.Pope Pius Xll announces that the theory of evolution is not at odds with the Bible or Catholic Theology.George Mikan, the 6'10" center for the Minneapolis Lakers, leads the team to the NBA title in 1950. Mikan is considered to be the NBA's first superstar. The Rockford Peaches are league champions for the third year in a row in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Golfer Ben Hogan wins the US Open in 1950.