1959 in the Soviet Union

none January 2015 1959 The following lists events that happened during 1959 in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Incumbents First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union – Nikita Khrushchev Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union – Kliment Voroshilov Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union – Nikita Khrushchev Events January January 2 – The Soviet Union successfully launched the Luna 1 satellite from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Luna 1 became the first man-made object to escape the pull of the Earth's gravity.Daphne Burleson, Space Programs Outside the United States (McFarland, 2005), p230 January 4 – At 0259 GMT, the Luna 1 satellite became the first man-made object to pass the moon on its way to solar orbit as the first artificial planet."Soviet Rocket Passes Moon On Way to Sun Orbit or Death", Oakland Tribune, January 4, 1959, p1 President Eisenhower congratulated Soviet scientist on achieving "a great stride forward in man's advance into the infinite reaches of outer space", while House leader John W. McCormack commented that "it is time America awoke to its peril"."Eisenhower Congratulates Red Scientists", Id. January 20 – Soviet Foreign Minister Anastas Mikoyan returned to Moscow after a controversial 17-day tour of the United States."Friendship Letter Sent to Mikoyan", Oakland Tribune, January 20, 1959, p1 January 27 – The 21st Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was opened at Sverdlovsky Hall in Moscow as Nikita Khrushchev welcomed 1,500 delegates, including Communist leaders from 70 nations. For the first time, Western reporters were admitted to the conclave, held for the first time since 1956."Khrushchev Boasts of Arms Might", Oakland Tribune, January 27, 1959, p1 February February 2 – Nine hikers died mysteriously while on an expedition in the Ural Mountains of Russia.http://www.sptimes.ru/story/25093 Mysterious Deaths of 9 Skiers Still Unresolved Svetlana Osadchuk St. Petersburg Times 22 January 2015 February 19, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080226101529/http://www.sptimes.ru/story/25093 26 February 2008 February 5 – The U.S. State Department released tapes that showed that Soviet jets had shot down an unarmed American Lockheed C-130 transport plane on September 2, 1958. Transmissions between the two fighter planes, identified as "201" and "218", had been intercepted in Turkey. The Soviets denounced the tapes as a "clumsy fake". On the same day, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev invited U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to visit Moscow, adding that he could bring anyone, and go anywhere, he chose. In his speech, Khrushchev referred to U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and proclaimed, "Mr. Dulles, if you so desire, then for the sake of ending the Cold War, we are even prepared to admit your victory in this war that is unwanted by the peoples. Regard yourselves, gentlemen, as victors in this war, but end it quickly.""Talking Tapes Show Russ Downed U.S. Plane; Nikita Seeks Ike Visit", Oakland Tribune, February 5, 1959, p.1 February 28 – At 1:49 PST, Discoverer 1 was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base to serve as a "north–south polar satellite". The launch was actually the first of the Project CORONA reconnaissance satellites used by the CIA to spy on the Soviet Union. The first launch, and the next 11, were failures.Clayton K. S. Chun, Thunder Over the Horizon: From V-2 Rockets to Ballistic Missiles (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006), pp.74–75 A declassified CIA report concluded that "Today, most people believe the DISCOVERER I landed somewhere near the South Pole."David L. Hancock, Corona: America's First Satellite Program, By CIA Cold War Records, (Morgan James Publishing, LLC, 2005), p.16 9780975857045 Births 27 June – Hennadiy Kernes, Ukrainian politician (d. 2020) 20 October – Alexander Mironenko, Soviet airborne sergeant, Hero of the Soviet Union (d. 1980) Deaths February 13 – Al Altaev, children's book author February 25 – Klawdziy Duzh-Dushewski, architect, diplomat and journalist March 15 – Shalva Dadiani, novelist March 17 – Galaktion Tabidze, poet March 30 – Daniil Andreyev, writer and mystic July 2 – Sergei Chetverikov, geneticist September 20 – Nikandr Chibisov, military commander October 23 – Sergei Agababov, composer November 3 – Fyodor Bogorodsky, artist November 6 – Ivan Leonidov, architect See also 1959 in fine arts of the Soviet Union List of Soviet films of 1959 References 30em 1959 1959 Category:1950s in the Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Category:Years in the Soviet Union