WHAT ALL HAPPENED JANUARY TO FEBRUARY 1962
Find out what all happened January to February 1962

The Derveni papyrus, Europe's oldest surviving manuscript dating to 340 BC, is found in northern Greece. (15. January 1962)

French President Charles de Gaulle calls for Algeria to be granted independence. (5. February 1962)

Western Samoa achieves independence from New Zealand; its name is changed to the Independent State of Western Samoa. (1. January 1962)

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy takes television viewers on a tour of the White House. (14. February 1962)

The United States bans all Cuban imports and exports. (7. February 1962)

United States Navy SEALs established. (1. January 1962)

Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth, making three orbits in 4 hours, 55 minutes. (20. February 1962)

Flooding in the coastal areas of West Germany kills 315 and destroys the homes of about 60,000 people. (16. February 1962)

An avalanche on Huascarán in Peru causes 4,000 deaths. (11. January 1962)

Cold War: While tied to its pier in Polyarny, the Soviet submarine B-37 is destroyed when fire breaks out in its torpedo compartment. (11. January 1962)

Captured American U2 spy-plane pilot Gary Powers is exchanged for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. (10. February 1962)

Charonne massacre. Nine trade unionists are killed by French police at the instigation of Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, then chief of the Paris Prefecture of Police. (8. February 1962)

The Harmelen train disaster killed 93 people in the Netherlands. (8. January 1962)

The Organization of American States suspends Cuba's membership. (22. January 1962)

Apollo program: NASA announces plans to build the C-5 rocket launch vehicle. It became better known as the Saturn V Moon rocket, which launched every Apollo Moon mission. (10. January 1962)

Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro. (3. January 1962)

Two dissident Vietnam Air Force pilots bombed the Independence Palace in Saigon in a failed attempt to assassinate South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem. (27. February 1962)

Vietnam War: Operation Chopper, the first American combat mission in the war, takes place. (12. January 1962)

Roy Lichtenstein's first solo exhibition opened, and it included Look Mickey, which featured his first employment of Ben-Day dots, speech balloons and comic imagery sourcing, all of which he is now known for. (10. February 1962)

Ranger program: Ranger 3 is launched to study the moon. The space probe later misses the moon by 22,000 miles (35,400 km). (26. January 1962)