What Happened in 1952 — Events, Births & Deaths

NBC's long-running morning news program Today debuts, with host Dave Garroway.

Black Saturday in Egypt: rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.

Elizabeth II becomes Queen of the United Kingdom and her other Realms and Territories and Head of the Commonwealth upon the death of her father, George VI. At the exact moment of succession, she was in a tree house at the Treetops Hotel in Kenya.

King George VI of the United Kingdom is buried in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Emmett Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.

The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolishes identity cards in the UK to "set the people free".

The Bengali language movement protests occur at the University of Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Vincent Massey is sworn in as the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada.

Fulgencio Batista leads a successful coup in Cuba.

The US Senate ratifies the Security Treaty between the United States and Japan.

Alan Freed presents the Moondog Coronation Ball, the first rock and roll concert, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Hugo Ballivián's government is overthrown by the Bolivian National Revolution, starting a period of agrarian reform, universal suffrage and the nationalization of tin mines

Japan Air Lines Flight 301 crashes into Mount Mihara, Izu Ōshima, Japan, killing 37.

Bolivian National Revolution: Rebels take over Palacio Quemado.

Pan Am Flight 526A ditches near San Juan-Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after experiencing an engine failure, killing 52 people.

First flight of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.

Secretary's Day (now Administrative Professionals' Day) is first celebrated.

Dwight D. Eisenhower resigns as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in order to campaign in the 1952 United States presidential election.

The Treaty of San Francisco comes into effect, restoring Japanese sovereignty and ending its state of war with most of the Allies of World War II.

The Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty (Treaty of Taipei) is signed in Taipei, Taiwan between Japan and the Republic of China to officially end the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Pan Am Flight 202 crashes into the Amazon basin near Carolina, Maranhão, Brazil, killing 50 people.

A De Havilland Comet makes the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers, from London to Johannesburg.

Lieutenant Colonels Joseph O. Fletcher and William P. Benedict of the United States land a plane at the North Pole.

The Kentucky Derby is televised nationally for the first time, on the CBS network.

The concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by Geoffrey Dummer.

The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, holds its first sitting.

Catalina affair: A Swedish Douglas DC-3 is shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 fighter.

Guatemala passes Decree 900, ordering the redistribution of uncultivated land.

The Philippine School of Commerce, through a republic act, is converted to Philippine College of Commerce, later to be the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

The Pan-Malayan Labour Party is founded in Malaya, as a union of statewide labour parties.

The first Miss Universe pageant is held. Armi Kuusela from Finland wins the title of Miss Universe 1952.

The Constitution of Puerto Rico is approved by the United States Congress.

The SS United States sets sail on her maiden voyage to Southampton. During the voyage, the ship takes the Blue Riband away from the RMS Queen Mary.

The ocean liner SS United States passes Bishop Rock on her maiden voyage, breaking the transatlantic speed record to become the fastest passenger ship in the world.

Opening of the Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

The 7.3 Mw Kern County earthquake strikes Southern California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing 12 and injuring hundreds.

General Muhammad Naguib leads the Free Officers Movement (formed by Gamal Abdel Nasser, the real power behind the coup) in overthrowing King Farouk of Egypt.

King Farouk of Egypt abdicates in favor of his son Fuad.

Hussein bin Talal is proclaimed King of Jordan.

The Night of the Murdered Poets: Thirteen prominent Jewish intellectuals are murdered in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union.

A flash flood devastates the town of Lynmouth, England, killing 34 people.

American experimental composer John Cage's 4’33” premieres at Maverick Concert Hall, played by American pianist David Tudor.

A prototype aircraft crashes at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, England, killing 29 spectators and the two on board.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation makes its first televised broadcast on the second escape of the Boyd Gang.

The United Nations cedes Eritrea to Ethiopia.

After being accused of financial improprieties, Senator Richard Nixon delivers his "Checkers speech" nationwide on television and radio, defending his actions and successfully salvaging his nomination as the Republican candidate for Vice President.

The United Kingdom successfully tests a nuclear weapon in the Montebello Islands, Western Australia, to become the world's third nuclear power.

The Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash in England kills 112 people.

Korean War: The Battle of Triangle Hill is the biggest and bloodiest battle of 1952.

Indonesian Army elements surrounded the Merdeka Palace demanding President Sukarno disband the Provisional People's Representative Council.

The Governor of Kenya Evelyn Baring declares a state of emergency and begins arresting hundreds of suspected leaders of the Mau Mau Uprising.

Nuclear weapons testing: The United States successfully detonates Ivy Mike, the first thermonuclear device, at the Eniwetok atoll. The explosion had a yield of ten megatons TNT equivalent.

The United States government establishes the National Security Agency, or NSA.

The New Musical Express publishes the first regular UK Singles Chart.

Greek Field Marshal Alexander Papagos becomes the 152nd Prime Minister of Greece.

A Douglas C-124 Globemaster II crashes into Mount Gannet, Alaska, killing all 52 aboard.

Agatha Christie's murder-mystery play The Mousetrap opens at the Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End after a premiere in Nottingham, UK. It will become the longest continuously running play in history.

Korean War: After 42 days of fighting, the Battle of Triangle Hill ends in a Chinese victory. American and South Korean units abandon their attempt to capture the "Iron Triangle".

U.S. President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower fulfills a campaign promise by traveling to Korea to find out what can be done to end the conflict.

The New York Daily News reports the news of Christine Jorgensen, the first notable case of sex reassignment surgery.

Beginning of the Great Smog in London. A cold fog combines with air pollution and brings the city to a standstill for four days. Later, a Ministry of Health report estimates 4,000 fatalities as a result of it.

A United States Air Force C-124 crashes and burns in Moses Lake, Washington, killing 87 of the 115 people on board.

First flight of Britain's Handley Page Victor strategic bomber.

An RAF Avro Lancaster bomber crashes in Luqa, Malta after an engine failure, killing three crew members and a civilian on the ground.