1963

Events

Dated Events

• Real World: January 29. President Charles de Gaulle of France vetoes the U.K.'s attempt to join the European Economic Community.

• Real World: February 8. All travel and business with Cuba by U.S. citizens is made illegal.

• Real World: March 5. The "Big Freeze" in England ends.

• Real World: March 18. In Gideon v. Wainwright, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that even the poor are entitled to a lawyer.

• Real World: March 21. Alcatraz is closed.

• Real World: April 7. Yugoslavia proclaims itself a socialist republic.

• Real World: April 20. The Front de Liberation du Quebec bombs the Canadian Armed Forces recruitment center in Quebec, killing the night watchman.

• Real World: June 2. Saudi Arabia outlaws slavery.

• Real World: June 11. A Buddhist monk in Saigon, Vietnam, sets himself on fire to protest the policies of Ngo Dinh Diem.

• Real World: June 16. Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, aboard Vostok 6, becomes the first woman in space.

• Real World: July 26. The first geostationary satellite, Syncom, is sent into orbit.

• Real World: July 27. Sukarno, President-for-life of Indonesia, declares that he will crush Malaysia.

• Real World: August 5. The U.S., U.S.S.R. and U.K. sign a nuclear test ban treaty.

• Real World: August 28. Martin Luther King Jr. gives his famous "I have a dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

• Real World: November 2. Ngo Dinh Diem, president of South Vietnam, is assassinated after a military coup.

• Real World: November 6. General Duong Van Minh becomes leader of South Vietnam.

• Real World: November 14. Off the coast of Iceland, volcanic activity creates a new island, Surtsey.

• Real World: November 22. U.S. President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Lyndon Johnson becomes President.

• Real World: November 24. On national television, Lee Harvey Oswald, accused of assassinating Kennedy, is shot dead by Jack Ruby.

• Real World: November 29. The Warren Commission is established by President Johnson to investigate the assassination of Kennedy.

Undated Events

• Andromeda: (6883 CY) The Systems Commonwealth encounters the Pyrians after they attempt to terraform Ni Kau Prime. After the Pyrians pyraform the colony world of Rainbow Sands in response, a series of skirmishes begin, only ended when both sides agree to recognize one another's existing territorial claims. ("A Commonwealth Timeline" at All Systems University)

• View Askewniverse: X ends his Black Ops dealings with the very illegal, but very erotic connection between the CIA and donkey shows. (Clerks: The Animated Series: Episode IV)

New Fictional Works

Notable Books

La Planete des Singes (Planet of the Apes) by Pierre Boulle, On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming, Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein, Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein, The Spy Who Came In From the Cold by John le Carre.

Notable Films

The Birds, From Russia with Love, The Nutty Professor, The Sword in the Stone.

Notable Comic Books

Amazing Spider-Man #1; Magnus: Robot Fighter #1; Tales of Suspense #39 (first Iron Man); Strange Tales #110 (first Doctor Strange); The Avengers #1; The Avengers #4 (return of Captain America); My Greatest Adventure #81 (first Doom Patrol); The X-Men #1.

Notable Television Series

• Beginning: Doctor Who, The Outer Limits, Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy) (Japan and U.S.), Tetsujin 28-Go (Gigantor) (Japan).

• Continuing: The Avengers (Season 3), The Twilight Zone (Season 5).

• Ending: Fireball XL5.

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