THE YEAR 1952 was marked by dramatic shifts in leadership, cultural milestones, and global tension in the early Cold War era. In the United Kingdom, it was a year of national mourning and transition as King George VI passed away and his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, ascended to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. The United States saw a change in political direction with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower as President, while tensions in the Korean War continued to dominate international headlines. Meanwhile, the world witnessed advancements in science, shocking disasters, and the beginnings of what would become some of the most influential movements in modern culture
You can even discover 1952 events for yourself in a 1952 newspaper ... Browse our archives and purchase your own today.
Turn the page to:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Key Events:
Accession of Queen Elizabeth II
The Great Smog of London
US Presidential Election: Dwight D. Eisenhower Wins
January
6 January: Peig Sayers, one of Ireland’s last traditional Gaelic storytellers, dies, marking the end of an era in Irish oral tradition.
8 January: Marie Wilson stars in the television debut of My Friend Irma in the US, marking the sitcom’s transition from radio to TV.
14 January: The Today Show, created by Sylvester Weaver and hosted by Dave Garroway, debuts on NBC in the United States, revolutionising morning television.
25 January: Concerns grow in Parliament over Britain's coal shortages, prompting calls for greater productivity and national policy coordination.
26 January: A record low temperature of -70°F is recorded in Snag, Yukon, one of the coldest ever documented in North America.
29 January: Winston Churchill addresses the House of Commons, defending the development of a British nuclear deterrent amid rising Cold War tensions.
Shop The Story of Winston Churchill to learn more through newspaper history.
30 January: A general strike in France sees thousands of workers protest low wages and poor conditions, paralysing parts of the industrial sector.
February
6 February: King George VI dies in his sleep at Sandringham House, and Princess Elizabeth, visiting Kenya on a royal tour, immediately becomes Queen Elizabeth II.
King George VI. Image: Wikipedia
7 February: Prime Minister Winston Churchill pays tribute to King George VI in a solemn address to Parliament.
8 February: Princess Elizabeth returns to London and is officially proclaimed Queen at St. James’s Palace in a historic ceremony.
Proclamation of accession of Elizabeth II. Image: Wikipedia
14 February: The Winter Olympic Games open in Oslo, Norway, with more than 30 nations participating amid renewed postwar internationalism.
18 February: Greece and Turkey formally join NATO, expanding the alliance’s strategic reach during the Cold War.
20 February: The funeral of King George VI is held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, attended by world leaders and broadcast around the world.
21 February: The British government outlines continued postwar rationing measures and austerity plans, citing economic necessity.
25 February: Organisers announce the first Miss Universe pageant to be held later in the year, aiming to promote international glamour and commercial appeal.
March
4 March: Ronald Reagan makes his first national television appearance as host of General Electric Theater, beginning his path to public prominence.
10 March: Fulgencio Batista stages a coup in Cuba, overthrowing President Carlos Prío Socarrás and suspending elections.
11 March: The British government announces a further reduction in meat rations, prompting public frustration amid continued shortages.
13 March: Georgy Malenkov is named Deputy Premier in the Soviet Union, consolidating influence under Stalin’s inner circle.
20 March: The UN Security Council rejects a Soviet resolution demanding withdrawal of foreign forces from Korea, maintaining the international status quo.
24 March: West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signs a treaty allowing for limited rearmament, advancing West Germany’s Cold War alignment with the West.
27 March: The US Senate ratifies a peace treaty with Japan, formally ending hostilities and restoring Japanese sovereignty.
29 March: The National Health Service in Britain issues its one-billionth prescription, highlighting the expanding role of postwar social welfare.
April
3 April: American comedian Fred Allen dies at age 61, remembered as a pioneer of radio comedy and satire.
8 April: South African author Alan Paton publishes Too Late the Phalarope, a follow-up to Cry, the Beloved Country, continuing his critique of apartheid.
11 April: The Battle of Nanri Island begins between Nationalist and Communist Chinese forces, one of several Cold War confrontations in East Asia.
15 April: The Ministry of Food reintroduces egg rationing in the UK due to European supply disruptions.
18 April: The Treaty of Paris is signed, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, a foundational step toward the European Union.
20 April: Patricia McCormick becomes the first professional female bullfighter in Mexico, breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport.
25 April: Actor Jeffrey DeMunn is born in New York. He would later appear in films and television, including roles in The Green Mile and The Walking Dead.
29 April: Japan officially regains sovereignty with the enactment of the Treaty of San Francisco, ending Allied occupation.
May
2 May: The de Havilland Comet completes the first scheduled commercial jet airliner service, flying from London to Johannesburg.
7 May: The French National Assembly approves the concept of a European Defence Community, though it will face resistance in later ratification.
9 May: A prolonged steelworkers’ strike in the US ends after 53 days, with federal intervention to maintain wartime supply lines.
13 May: The Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament, holds its inaugural session, marking a key moment in democratic governance.
15 May: The UK government releases food price data showing sharp inflation in essentials, intensifying public concern over rationing.
18 May: American country music singer George Strait is born in Texas. He would become one of the genre’s most enduring stars.
24 May: King Hussein of Jordan ascends the throne after the abdication of his father, King Talal, due to mental illness.
28 May: The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force is formally merged into the Women’s Royal Air Force, advancing gender integration in the UK military.
June
4 June: The US Congress proposes reforms to immigration laws, seeking greater equity for Asian immigrants amidst Cold War alliances.
6 June: Indian physicist Homi Bhabha proposes the creation of the country's first atomic research centre, laying the foundation for India’s nuclear programme.
8 June: A fire aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp kills 26 American sailors during Atlantic training exercises.
10 June: The British Labour Party wins a by-election in Leeds South East, raising questions about Churchill’s leadership stability.
12 June: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank is published in English for the first time, introducing her story to a global audience.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. Image: Wikipedia
16 June: The African National Congress launches the Defiance Campaign in South Africa, a nonviolent protest against apartheid legislation.
20 June: The US Army reports serious morale issues among troops in Korea, as the war enters its third year with no peace in sight.
23 June: Umberto D. by Italian director Vittorio De Sica premieres in Rome, becoming a landmark in neorealist cinema.
30 June: UK coal production hits a postwar low due to labour unrest and strikes, prompting urgent parliamentary debate.
July
1 July: The UK’s National Health Service faces scrutiny over rising costs, as benefits such as dental and optical care come under financial pressure.
1 July: President Truman signs the McCarran–Walter Act, ending racial restrictions on US naturalisation but maintaining strict quotas.
5 July: Dwight D. Eisenhower secures the Republican nomination for the US presidency at the party convention in Chicago.
6 July: Political instability rises in Egypt amid growing opposition to King Farouk, setting the stage for a military coup.
13 July: Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi wins the Tour de France, becoming a national hero and symbol of postwar athleticism.
18 July: Red Skelton debuts his long-running comedy television programme on CBS, transitioning from a successful radio career.
22 July: Poland’s government intensifies agricultural collectivisation, following the Soviet model, triggering rural resistance.
23 July: The Egyptian Free Officers Movement, including Gamal Abdel Nasser, overthrows King Farouk in a bloodless coup.
28 July: The UK Ministry of Transport raises concern over rising traffic fatalities, calling for stricter safety measures.
30 July: The Japanese Diet approves re-establishing a national defence force, the Self-Defense Forces, under US supervision.
August
1 August: The Mau Mau uprising escalates as British forces begin mass detentions in Kenya in response to increased violence.
3 August: British cyclist Eileen Sheridan sets a new record cycling from Land’s End to John o’ Groats, inspiring women in sport.
9 August: South African Prime Minister D. F. Malan defends apartheid at the UN, provoking international condemnation.
11 August: Singin’ in the Rain premieres in the UK, showcasing Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds in a musical classic.
14 August: The US lifts final wartime price controls on meat and dairy products, concluding economic restrictions dating back to WWII.
16 August: West Germany’s Bundestag passes legislation to create a peacetime military force, the future Bundeswehr.
18 August: Pakistan announces plans to relocate its capital from Karachi to a more secure central location, leading to the founding of Islamabad in later years.
20 August: The Royal College of Physicians issues public guidance on air pollution in London, linking coal smoke to lung disease.
22 August: France dissolves Madagascar’s colonial council following protests, signalling early steps toward decolonisation.
25 August: Television pioneer John Logie Baird dies in Bexhill-on-Sea at age 57, leaving a legacy in broadcasting innovation.
30 August: England defeats South Africa at The Oval, winning the Test series 3 – 1 and celebrating the return of peacetime cricket.
September
1 September: The UK reports that 750,000 council homes have been built since 1945, though housing demand continues to exceed supply.
4 September: The US completes final preparations at Enewetak Atoll for its hydrogen bomb test, Operation Ivy.
6 September: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation launches its first television broadcasts in Montreal and Toronto.
8 September: Ernest Hemingway’s novella The Old Man and the Sea is published in Life magazine, rejuvenating his literary standing.
14 September: The USSR reveals its new Tupolev Tu-16 long-range bomber, showcasing increased military capabilities.
17 September: William Faulkner formally receives his 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature during a delayed ceremony in Stockholm.
20 September: Communal violence erupts in Bihar, India, leaving over 100 dead and prompting federal intervention.
23 September: West Germany’s Bundestag approves the European Defence Community treaty, though it will later fail in France.
26 September: UK Home Secretary Sir David Maxwell Fyfe announces new measures to address rising juvenile delinquency.
29 September: The BBC introduces experimental FM radio broadcasts in the London area, pioneering modern radio transmission.
October
1 October: The UN General Assembly opens with debates on Korea, decolonisation, and global disarmament.
3 October: The UK detonates its first atomic bomb in Operation Hurricane off the Monte Bello Islands, becoming the world’s third nuclear power.
5 October: French forces clash with Viet Minh troops near Hanoi, as the First Indochina War intensifies.
8 October: Eisenhower delivers his “I shall go to Korea” speech, vowing direct engagement with the Korean War if elected.
11 October: The Netherlands orders emergency dike reinforcements following severe flooding in Zeeland province.
15 October: India and Pakistan agree to resume talks over Kashmir, breaking months of diplomatic silence.
19 October: The UK faces a sharp rise in influenza cases, prompting the Ministry of Health to issue public vaccination guidance.
21 October: Alan Turing’s influential paper on morphogenesis is published, introducing mathematical models for biological development.
23 October: A state of emergency is declared in Kenya in response to rising Mau Mau violence, marking the official start of the colonial conflict.
29 October: A devastating train crash at Harrow and Wealdstone kills 112 people, Britain’s worst peacetime rail disaster.
November
1 November: The US detonates the world’s first hydrogen bomb, “Ivy Mike,” at Enewetak Atoll, initiating a new nuclear arms race.
4 November: Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected President of the United States, defeating Adlai Stevenson by a wide margin.
6 November: Churchill congratulates Eisenhower, expressing hope for renewed Anglo-American cooperation.
9 November: Mike Hawthorn wins the Daily Express International Trophy at Silverstone, rising in the world of Formula One racing.
13 November: The King and I opens at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, introducing Rodgers and Hammerstein to the West End.
14 November: The Miss World pageant crowns May-Louise Flodin of Sweden the winner of its second annual competition.
18 November: The USSR reiterates support for China’s stance in Korea, hardening positions at stalled peace talks.
20 November: Britain unveils the Blue Danube nuclear weapon casing at Aldermaston, continuing nuclear development.
23 November: Jacques Becker’s film Casque d'Or premieres in Paris, earning acclaim as a French cinematic landmark.
26 November: The UN General Assembly urges an end to the Korean War, though no progress is made at the negotiating table.
30 November: A severe blizzard hits southern England and Wales, killing at least 20 and disrupting transport for days.
December
1 December: Upgrades to the Central Line improve London Underground service to western suburbs.
2 December: The British Medical Association warns of a surge in lung disease linked to urban coal smoke.
4 December: A fire at the US Embassy in Ottawa kills three people and destroys key diplomatic records.
5 December: A dense fog mixed with smoke particles descends on London, beginning what would be known as the Great Smog.
6 December: Dundee defeats Kilmarnock 2 – 0 in the Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park.
7 December: Pollution in London reaches record levels, overwhelming hospitals and emergency services.
9 December: Emergency gas masks and oxygen supplies are distributed in hospitals as the smog crisis worsens.
10 December: Felix Bloch receives the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on nuclear magnetic resonance.
12 December: Churchill addresses Parliament on the smog, calling for scientific solutions to urban air pollution.
15 December: British sculptor Henry Moore opens a major postwar exhibition in Zurich, gaining international acclaim.
21 December: Speculation grows over Stalin’s health as he withdraws from public life during the holiday season.
25 December: Queen Elizabeth II delivers her first Christmas broadcast by radio from Sandringham, reflecting on her first year as monarch.
Shop our book to learn more about The Story of Queen Elizabeth II to learn more through newspaper history...
31 December: The death toll from the Great Smog is estimated at over 4,000, though later studies suggest more than 12,000 may have died.
Key Events
Accession of Queen Elizabeth II
ON 6 FEBRUARY 1952, King George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham House, and Princess Elizabeth, then in Kenya on a royal tour, immediately acceded to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. She returned to London and was formally proclaimed Queen on 8 February at St. James’s Palace. The new monarch was only 25 years old, and her accession marked the beginning of a reign that would come to symbolise stability and continuity in a changing world. The transition took place in a sombre postwar Britain, still experiencing rationing and economic strain. Her coronation would be scheduled for the following year, but 1952 marked the start of the second Elizabethan age.
The Great Smog of London
BEGINNING on 5 December 1952, a lethal combination of cold weather and airborne pollutants from coal combustion caused a dense and toxic smog to descend upon London. The “Great Smog” lasted for five days, paralysing the city, halting transport, and overwhelming hospitals. Visibility was reduced to a few feet, and public events were cancelled. Initial estimates placed the death toll at around 4,000, but later studies suggest the number may have exceeded 12,000 due to respiratory and cardiac complications. The disaster led to a major public health reckoning and prompted the eventual passage of the Clean Air Act in 1956.
US Presidential Election: Dwight D. Eisenhower Wins
ON 4 NOVEMBER 1952, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected the 34th President of the United States, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson in a landslide victory. A celebrated Supreme Allied Commander during the Second World War, Eisenhower campaigned on promises to end the Korean War and resist the spread of communism. His election ended twenty years of Democratic control of the White House and marked a conservative shift in American politics. His pledge to visit Korea resonated strongly with the public, and his presidency would later usher in a period of economic prosperity and Cold War diplomacy.
.jpg){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
_-_front_cover,_first_edition.jpg){kind=link}
Follow us