1950 starts with a, ahem, bang when Truman announces plans for the hydrogen bomb, whilst McCarthy accuses everyone of being Communist, and he's just getting warmed up. The US lands at Inchon, sweeps up the the 38th parallel, and reckons they're doing alright, and carry on a bit into North Korea. A bit too far, actually, leaving the Chinese to get a bit twitchy and come in, which they do, really well, and push the line back down the 38th parallel. MacArthur suggests that 'about 50 atomic bombs' should scare them back a bit.

Not to worry, though, because the remote control gets invented this year, which will no doubt ease some inter-ideological tensions the world over. Although T.S. Eliot's speech against TV seems a bit doomed, now.

Edit: Oh, and my dad was born.

1952 is more of the same (but with less physical effort to change the channel); Seoul changes hands a few times, the Rosenbergs are convicted, nuclear tests are still going strong, the forward-thinking US lays the groundwork for Vietnam with the AZNUS Treaty, everyone signs a bit of paper saying the war with Japan is over, in case somebody didn't get the memo, and that Churchill chap has another bash at Prime Ministering.

No blue moons are recorded as occuring, but ash from a fire in Canada several months earlier does result in Europe witnessing a blue sun.

Edit: Oh, and my mum was born.

Surprise snow leads the way in '52, too, this time in Algeria, with a tropical storm in Cuba hot on it's heels. Elizabeth ascends to the throne on the same day that Churchill discloses that the UK has developed the atomic bomb, and tested some off the coast of Australia, as far away from him as they could manage - those things are /dangerous/, y'know? Truman realises that building nuclear subs is quite expensive, and stops Marshall Aid, Farouk does various crazy things in Egypt for a bit, before he's kicked out by the military, the first hydrogen bomb goes pop, and Eisenhower wins the presidential elections, just as Charlie Chaplin is thrown out of the USA.The UK's ID cards are scrapped, traffic lights appear in New York, and lots of people bump into things in a very smoggy London.

None of my parents were born.

Those sassy commies in the USSR exploded their own H Bomb and Dag Hammarskjold was elected secretary general of the United Nations...in
1953 of course

1958! Sees a young footballer called Pele come to the fore.

Gol!!!

Okay, 1963 and the Russians put the first woman into space, whilst the US put the first zip codes on envelopes and makes anything they can think of relating to Cuba illegal. Over in Vietnam, American-supported Diem's policies are proving so popular that monks take to burning themselves alive, but it's okay, because he's assasinated in a military coup shortly after. Not to be outdone, JFK gets himself killed, too, leaving Lyndon B Johnson (who's entire family's initials were LBJ. Including the dog.) to carry forward Kennedy's policies and advisors (like friendly McNamara).

Meanwhile, in Britain, the first episode of Doctor Who is shown.

1965 was a boring year. Probably gearing people up. Oh yeah, Singapore gained independence.

1965/1966 was the season Liverpool won another league title under Bill Shankly, reaching a UEFA Cup final - losing to Monchengladbach (I think) and started the ball rolling for...

The major love in with Russia.

Well, Azerbaijan. But who cares. England won the World Cup and the Sun rejoiced.
And would cram it down the throat of pretty much anyone who could speak English for the next 40 years or so.

Some ragheads didn't like some other semi ragheads. Bitchslapping ensued and people are still feeling sore.

And Concorde was unveiled towards the end of the year. Hurrah.

1967 sees Donald Campbell die while attempting a water speed record on Coniston Water.

Parliament of the United Kingdom decides to nationalize 90% of British steel industry.

Supertanker Torrey Canyon runs aground off Lands End, English Channel.
(ffs. I remember this !)

Harold Wilson announces that United Kingdom has decided to apply for EEC membership
(muppet)

British parliament decriminalizes homosexuality

In Gibraltar, only 44 out of 12.182 voters support union with Spain.

Mariner 5 probe flies by Venus

The Concorde is unveiled in Toulouse, France
(aarrgghh, I remember this too !)

It's 1969, OK?
All across the USA.
It's another year for me and you,
Another year with nothing to do.

Except, if you're Iggy Pop, in which case you and your merry band of Stooges will release your self-titled album and scare America with your peanut butter chucking antics.