August 31, 1956
The federal minimum wage stood at $1.00/hr that summer of 1956, and the Dow Jones sat at 499 — while the Suez Canal crisis was building overseas, with Britain, France, and Egypt locked in a standoff over control of the waterway that carried a third of the world's oil. On American screens and radio dials, "I Love Lucy" was finishing its run as the country's top-rated television show, while Gogi Grant's "Wayward Wind" held the number one spot on the pop charts for weeks that season. On July 8th, an Austrian mountaineering team made the first successful ascent of Gasherbrum II in the Karakoram range on the Pakistan-China border, one of the world's fourteen peaks above 8,000 meters, adding another entry to the short list of summits that had ever been reached by human climbers.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — August 31, 1956
NY Times Headlines — Week of August 31, 1956
President Clarifies His Suez Statement; President States Position On Suez Easier Atmosphere Sought
Soviet Continues Nuclear Blasts; Eisenhower Reports Test-- New Weapons In Process, Moscow Announces President Chides Soviet Soviet Continues Nuclear Blasts Some Testes Unreported
President Calls Labor Bulwark Of U.S. Strength; He Says It Has Made Nation 'The Terror Of Any Who Would Be Our Enemies' Meany Asks Vote Drive Ceremonies At White House Mark Issuance Of Stamp Dedicated To Workers Political Action Urged President Lauds U.S. Labor'S Role Stamp On Sale Tomorrow Stevenson In Statement Wagner Stresses Future
France Renews Threat Of Force; Pineau Regards It As A Duty To 'Stop' Nasser--Calls Him Dangerous Dictator France Renews Threat Of Force Asks Soviet To Desist
Israel Condemns Egypt Over Suez; Letter To U.N. Ends Silence On Canal Crisis--Charges 'Brazen' Cairo Blockade Israel Condemns Egypt Over Suez
World Events — August 1956
Time Person of the Year — 1956
On the radio
Billboard Charts — August 31, 1956
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1955–56 Season
Emmy Winners — 1956
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — August 31, 1956
On the field
Sports Champions — August 31, 1956
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