January: Vincent Massey is sworn in as the 18th Governor General of Canada, he is the first who was actually born in the country.

February: King George VI of the United Kingdom dies after a long illness. His daughter is proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II.

March: Wernher von Braun publishes the first of his series of magazine articles in Collier's titled 'Man Will Conquer Space Soon!'.

April: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress makes its maiden flight. It is now intended to keep the B-52 in service until 2045.

May: William Fox film producer dies. He founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915 & the Fox West Coast Theatres chain in the 1920s.

June: U.S. Army Special Forces, known as the 'Green Berets' is created. The main primary mission is unconventional warfare.

July: Eva Peron the second wife of President Juan Peron & the First Lady of Argentina since 1946 dies, aged just 33.

August: Composer John Cage's composition 4'33" is first performed. Musicians do nothing apart from being present on stage.

September: Television debuts in Canada when Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) opens the first station in Montreal, Quebec.

October: The United Nations move into their new building in New York City. It has been designed by Le Corbusier & Oscar Niemeyer.

November: The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie opens in the West End of London. It is still running, making it the longest running play in history.

December: London suffers severe air pollution, causing many fatalities. The 'killer fog', coins the word 'Smog', from 'smoke' & 'fog'.