April 14, 1960 - United Kingdom General Election: PRIME MINISTERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM:
Winston Churchill (CON) - 1951-1954 ConservativeMajority - 1951-1954 Anthony Eden (CON) - 1954-1955 ConservativeMajority - 1954-1955 Aneurin Bevan (LAB) - 1955-1960 LabourMajority - 1955-1960 Hugh Gaitskell (LAB) - 1960-? LabourMajority - 1960-1960 LabourMinority (LiberalSupply-and-Confidence) - 1960-?
Elections for the Parliament of the United Kingdom were held on April 14, 1960. The election hadn't been due for another three years, but widespread conflict between the moderate and left wings of Labour forced new PM Hugh Gaitskell- who had taken office after Aneurin Bevan's resignation for health reasons- to call one. Labour defended the reforms of the last five years- including sectoral bargaining, adding vision care to the NHS, and expanding social security- while the Conservatives campaigned on 'putting the breaks on Socialism'.
Ultimately, despite suffering large losses, the incumbent government was re-elected with the support of the Liberals.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 Turkish Presidential Election
May 14, 1960 - Turkish General Election: LIST OF EXECUTIVE PRESIDENTS OF TURKEY:
Cemal Gursel (D) - 1960-?
Elections were held in Turkey on May 14, 1960, the first under the 1959 Constitution. Under the approved laws, voters would elect a Parliament that would then elect a powerful President a la the USA for a five year term. The incumbent Democrat Party narrowly won the election, and moderate Cemal Gursel was elected President.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 Taiwanese Elections
Elections for the Presidency and Parliament of the Republic of China were held on June 1, 1960. Incumbent President Chiang Kai-shek ran for another term. This was the first totally free-and-fair election in the Republic's history. The opposition ran on a left wing, pro-American/anti-Communist platform. They neutralized Chiang's advantage on foreign policy, instead focusing on protecting the rights of workers and ensuring free healthcare and education.
On election day, the opposition would easily win control of Parliament, with the Kuomintang getting less than 40% of the seats. In an upset, President Chiang would be defeated, with Yin Haiguang being elected the 2nd President of the Republic of China. President Yin would be sworn in on November 14, 1960 for a four-year term.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 Cuban Presidential Election
PRESIDENTS OF CUBA:
Fulgencio Batista (PA) - 1952-1954 Andres Domingo del Castillo (PA) - 1954-1955 Fulgencio Batista (PA) - 1955-1960 Andres Rivero Aguero (PA) - 1960-1961 Fidel Castro (PS/A) - 1961-?
Elections for the office of President of Cuba were held on September 5, 1960. Incumbent President Andres Rivero Aguero of the National Progressive Party ran for election to a full term. Aguero had taken office following the ouster of his predecessor, Fulgencio Batista, in May. The combined opposition nominated Fidel Castro, a former revolutionary who had mellowed out slightly over the past few years. Castro was easily elected, with a majority in Congress to boot.
It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 Danish Folketing Election
PRIME MINISTERS OF DENMARK:
Erik Eriksen (V) - 1950-1953 Venstre-ConservativePeople's-SocialLiberal-JusticeCoalition - 1950-1953 Hans Hedtoft (SD) - 1953-1955 Social Democratic-Social LiberalCoalition - 1953-1955 H.C. Hansen (SD) - 1955-1956 Social Democratic-Social LiberalCoalition - 1955-1956 Jens Otto Krag (SD) - 1956-1960 Social Democratic-Social LiberalCoalition - 1956-1960 Social Democratic Minority - 1960-1960 Poul Hartling (V) - 1960-? Venstre-Social Liberal-JusticeCoalition - 1960-?
Over the past seven years, the Social Democratic coalition government pursued far-reaching social reforms, including the implementation of full universal healthcare and an array of tax credits to support families and businesses. The final push for land reform, however, proved to be too much for the Social Liberals, who withdrew support for their coalition and forced an election.
On election day, the Social Democrats would lose nearly a dozen seats, which combined with right wing losses enabled the formation of a Venstre-Social Liberal-Justice centrist coalition.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 Brazilian Presidential Election
PRESIDENTS OF BRAZIL:
Getulio Vargas (SD) - 1951-1955 Cafe Filho (SD) - 1955-1956 Luis Carlos Prestes (AL) - 1956-1959 Henrique Teixeira Lott (SD) - 1959-1960 Luis Carlos Prestes (AL) - 1960-?
Luis Carlos Prestes had been narrowly elected President in 1955, winning only 26% of the vote. Despite this, he had governed in a very left-wing manner, which led to his ouster in late 1959 by the military following his invitation to the Soviets to station troops on Brazilian soil. Despite his unpopularity and a terrible economy, the poor optics of a military coup enabled his narrow election to a second term.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 United States Presidential Election
November 8, 1960 - United States General Election:
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Robert Taft (R) - 1953-1954 Richard Nixon (R) - 1954-1957 Lyndon Johnson (D) - 1957-?
The 44th Quadrennial United States Presidential Election was held on November 8, 1960. Incumbent President Lyndon Johnson was re-elected over Senator Barry Goldwater. This was the first- and so far only- time in American history where a candidate has won all 50 states. Johnson's margin of 22 million votes remains the second largest of all time.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 United States Congressional Elections
MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE, 86TH CONGRESS: AL: 3. J. Lister Hill (D)
2. John Sparkman (D) AK: 2. Ernest Gruening (D) 3. Mike Stepovich (R) AZ: 3. Carl Hayden (D) 1. Barry Goldwater (R) AR: 2. John McClellan (D)
3. J. William Fulbright (D) CA: 1. Clair Engle (D)
3. Helen Gahagan Douglas (D) CO: 2. John Carroll (D)
3. Charles Brannan (D) CT: 1. Prescott Bush (R) 3. Abraham Ribicoff (D) DE: 1. John J. Williams (R) 2. J. Allen Frear (D) FL: 1. Claude Pepper (D)
3. George Smathers (D) GA: 2. James Carter (D)
3. Herman Talmadge (D) ID: 2. Glen Taylor (D)
3. Frank Church (D) IL: 2. Paul Douglas (D)
3. Sidney Yates (D) IN: 1. Harold Handley (R) 3. Birch Bayh (D) IA: 2. Guy Gillette (D)
3. Rudolph Evans (D) KS: 2. Andrew Frank Schoeppel (R)
3. Frank Carlson (R) KY: 2. John Sherman Cooper (R) 3. Earle Clements (D) LA: 2. John McKeithen (D) 3. Russell Long (D) ME: 1. Edmund Muskie (D) 2. Margaret Chase Smith (R) MD: 1. James Glenn Beall (R) 3. George Mahoney (D) MA: 1. John F. Kennedy (D)
2. George Fingold (D) MI: 1. Walter Reuther (D)
2. Patrick McNamara (D) MN: 1. Edward John Thye (R) 2. Alexander Keith (D) MS: 1. John Stennis (D)
2. James Eastland (D) MO: 1. Stuart Symington (D)
3. Thomas Hennings (D) MT: 1. Mike Mansfield (D)
2. James Murray (D) NE: 1. Roman Hruska (R)
2. Carl Curtis (R) NV: 1. Howard Cannon (D)
3. Alan Bible (D) NH: 2. Thomas McIntyre (D) 3. Norris Cotton (R) NJ: 1. Clifford Case (R) 2. Charles Howell (D) NM: 1. Dennis Chavez (D)
2. Clinton Anderson (D) NY: 1. Irving Ives (R) 3. Robert Wagner (D) NC: 2. B. Everett Jordan (D)
3. Sam Ervin (D) ND: 1. William Langer (R)
3. Milton Young (R) OH: 1. John Bricker (R) 3. Frank Lausche (D) OK: 2. Robert Kerr (D)
3. Mike Monroney (D) OR: 2. Maurine Neuberger (D)
3. Wayne Morse (D) PA: 1. Harry Norwitch (D)
3. Joseph Clark (D) RI: 1. John Pastore (D) 2. Frank Licht (D) SC: 2. Strom Thurmond (D)
3. Olin Johnson (D) SD: 2. Eleanor McGovern (D) 3. George McGovern (D) TN: 1. Albert Gore (D)
2. Estes Kefauver (D) TX: 1. Ralph Yarborough (D)
2. Robert Strauss (D) UT: 1. J. Bracken Lee (R) 3. Reva Beck Bosone (D) VT: 1. Ralph Flanders (R)
3. George Aiken (R) VA: 1. Louise Wensel (D)
2. Absalom Robertson (D) WA: 1. Henry Jackson (D)
3. Warren Magnuson (D) WV: 1. William Marland (D) 2. Robert Byrd (D) WI: 1. Robert La Follette Jr. (R)
3. Frank Maier (R) WY: 1. Frank Barrett (R) 2. Joseph O'Mahoney (D)
NUMBER OF WOMEN SENATORS: 6 NUMBER OF JEWISH SENATORS: 7
D: 75 R: 25
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 New Zealand Parliamentary Election
November 26, 1960 - New Zealand General Election PRIME MINISTERS OF NEW ZEALAND:
Sidney Holland (NAT) - 1949-1954 NationalMajority - 1949-1954 Walter Nash (LAB) - 1954-1956 LabourMajority - 1954-1956 Phil Holloway (LAB) - 1956-1960 LabourMajority - 1956-1960 Bill Sullivan (NAT) - 1960-? NationalMajority - 1960-?
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT (1957-1960):
-Established free secondary education
-Implemented strong environmental protection laws
-Signed a new trade deal with the United States
-Introduced an allowance for families with children
-Further expanded universal healthcare to include vision and dental care
-Established a Sovereign Wealth Fund
-Passed a Gender Equality law
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1960 Swedish Riksdag Election
ONGOING CONFLICTS: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1959-Present)
Vietnamese Civil War (1954-Present)
Ecuadorian Civil War (1958-Present)
SCHEDULED ELECTIONS:
March 26, 1961 - Belgium (Parliament) August 15, 1961 - Israel (Parliament) August 25, 1961 - United Kingdom (Parliament) September 11, 1961 - Norway (Parliament) September 17, 1961 - West Germany (Parliament) October 4, 1961 - Ireland (Parliament) October 18, 1961 - South Africa (Parliament) October 29, 1961 - Greece (Parliament) November 12, 1961 - Portugal (Parliament) November 14, 1961 - Philippines (President) November 20, 1961 - Israel (Parliament) December 9, 1961 - Australia (Parliament)
Explorer One was a satellite launched by the United States in February 1954. Upon reaching orbit, it became the first man-made object to reach space, a full two and a half years before the Soviets would launch on of their own.
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- LBJ's Third And Fourth Years
-Increases spending on the free job training program passed in 1957
-Raises the minimum wage from $1.15 to $1.35 per hour
-Lowers the health insurance providing threshold from 100 to 50 employees by 1959
-Encourages price transparency
-Fully prohibits all segregation, including in private businesses
-Authorizes up to five years in prison and $25,000 in fines for violators
-Eliminates redlining
-Prohibits race-based affirmative action
-Authorizes massive funding for a full HSR system nationwide
-Further expands the technological partnership with Japan
Freedom One was a rocket launched by the United States in 1957. It was the first manned mission into outer space, as it carried astronaut Stetson B. Parker of the United States Air Force into orbit.
It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1961 Belgian Elections
PRIME MINISTERS OF BELGIUM:
Jean Van Houtte (CSP) - 1952-1954 Christian SocialMajority 1952-1954 Paul Henri Spaak (BSP) - 1954-1957 SocialistMinority (LiberalSupply-and-Confidence) - 1954-1957 Achille Van Acker (BSP) - 1957-1958 SocialistMinority (LiberalSupply-and-Confidence) - 1957-1958 Joseph Pholien (CSP) - 1958-1961 Christian Social-People's UnionCoalition - 1958-1961 Achille Van Acker (BSP) - 1961-? SocialistMinority (LiberalSupply-and-Confidence) - 1961-?
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CHRISTIAN SOCIAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT (1958-1961):
-Ironed out the details of the Belgian Presidency (directly-elected for a five year, non-renewable term)
-Cut taxes for most citizens
-Reduced trade barriers
-Began a mass infrastructure program
PRESIDENTS OF BELGIUM: Paul Henri Spaak (BSP) - 1960-1965
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It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1959-1961 Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan was an armed conflict that took place between 1959 and 1961. It began following the Soviet invasion in May of 1959, and ended following the capitulation of (what was left of) Kabul nearly two years later. The Soviet prosecution of the war was brutal, with over the Soviet Air Force utilizing chemical and biological weapons on civilian targets. They would also adopt a scorched-earth approach, with villages thought to be supporting government-allied forces being burnt to the ground.
It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1961 Israeli Knesset Election
The Paris Peace Accords were a series of agreements signed between South Vietnam and North Vietnam that ended the Vietnam War. It was negotiated by U.S. Senator Maurine Neuberger and signed by South Vietnamese President Phan Khắc Sửu and North Vietnamese President Lê Đức Thọ, who had deposed the radical Maoist leadership earlier in the year. The terms of the treaty were as follows:
-Phan Khắc Sửu is declared President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, with national elections scheduled for January of 1963
-Lê Đức Thọ is declared Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Governor of Hanoi, with elections scheduled for January of 1963
-The United States will invest $5 Billion in reconstruction efforts, split 50-50 between the two Vietnams
-All South Vietnamese laws are hereby applied to the North, including those relating to freedom of speech, association, and more
The treaty was seen by many as a success for the American 'Freedom Fighters' strategy, that essentially allowed countries to do whatever they want internally and still receive American assistance/immunity from coups as long as they didn't support the USSR. Following the treaty, Vietnam would become a democratic socialist, fiercely pro-American state, which it remains to this day (possibly even more so).
It Wasn't For Lack of Trying- 1961 Norwegian Storting Election
