WHAT ALL HAPPENED JANUARY TO AUGUST 1960
Find out what all happened January to August 1960

Madagascar gains its independence from France. (26. June 1960)

Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser (a ruby laser), at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California. (16. May 1960)

Danny Heater sets a worldwide high school basketball scoring record when he records 135 points for Burnsville High School (West Virginia) (26. January 1960)

The Central African Republic declares independence from France. (13. August 1960)

Hendrik Verwoerd announces a plebiscite on whether South Africa should become a Republic. (20. January 1960)

The Reserve Bank of Australia, the country's central bank and banknote issuing authority, is established. (14. January 1960)

France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina) and Niger. (11. July 1960)

South Kasai secedes from the Congo. (8. August 1960)

Côte d'Ivoire becomes independent from France. (7. August 1960)

Black college students stage the first of the Nashville sit-ins at three lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. (13. February 1960)

Forced out by the April Revolution, President of South Korea Syngman Rhee resigns after twelve years of dictatorial rule. (26. April 1960)

Senegal breaks from the Mali Federation, declaring its independence. (20. August 1960)

Chad declares independence. (11. August 1960)

In Turkey, a military coup removes President Celal Bayar and the rest of the democratic government from office. (27. May 1960)

Two cryptographers working for the United States National Security Agency left for vacation to Mexico, and from there defected to the Soviet Union. (25. June 1960)

The Polaris missile is successfully launched from a submarine, the USS George Washington, for the first time. (20. July 1960)

Niger gains independence from France. (3. August 1960)

Islamabad is declared the federal capital of the Government of Pakistan. (1. August 1960)

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 4. (15. May 1960)

Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (11. July 1960)