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December 1, 1959

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from December 1, 1959

RUSSIANS TO KEEP FORCE IN HUNGARY, PARTY CHIEF SAYS; It Will Remain as Long as World Situation Requires, Budapest Parley Hears

By M. S. Handler

Party cong opens; illus; Kadar says USSR troops will remain as long as internatl situation requires; denies any link with internal pol; denounces US for alleged efforts to 'undermine' regime but says Hungary would establish normal ties; affirms ties with USSR as basis of Hungarian policy; hails USSR role in '56; assails revisionism; Min Muennich presides at cong; Khrushchev present; elected to cong presidium

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Notable Births

Billy Childish

1959Billy Childish, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter[†]

Billy Childish is an English painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer, and guitarist. Since the late 1970s, Childish has been prolific in creating music, writing, and visual art. He has led and played in bands including Thee Milkshakes, Thee Headcoats, and the Musicians of the British Empire, primarily working in the genres of garage rock, punk, and surf, and releasing more than 100 albums.

Wally Lewis

1959Wally Lewis, Australian rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster[†]

Walter James Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1980s and 1990s. He became a commentator for television coverage of the sport. A highly decorated Australian national captain, Lewis is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever players of rugby league. His time as a player and coach was followed by a career as a sports presenter for the Nine Network.

Historical Events

Cold War

1959Cold War: Opening date for signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity on the continent.[†]

The Cold War was a period of global geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The term cold war is used because there was no direct fighting between the two superpowers, though each supported opposing sides in regional conflicts known as proxy wars. In addition to the struggle for ideological and economic influence and an arms race in both conventional and nuclear weapons, the Cold War was expressed through technological rivalries such as the Space Race, espionage, propaganda campaigns, embargoes, and sports diplomacy.

Historical Context for December 1, 1959

In 1959, the world population was approximately 2,965,950,351 people[†]