What happened in October 1962?
The top front-page story of each day in October 1962, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Oct 1🌍 Khrushchev Invites Kennedy – Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev invites President John F. Kennedy to Moscow amid rising tensions during the Cold War.
- Oct 2⚾ Giants Win Playoff Game – Giants beat Dodgers 8-0 in first playoff game; Mays hits two homers, leading the team to victory.
- Oct 3🚀 Schirra Ready for Flight – Astronaut Wally Schirra prepares for a significant flight today, with six orbits scheduled and Telstar possibly relaying the take-off.
- Oct 4🚀 Astronaut Returns Safely – Astronaut feels 'fine' after a 9-hour space trip, receiving congratulations from President Kennedy upon landing.
- Oct 5🚀 End of 6-Orbit Flight – Schirra's Spade capsule completes six orbits and lands in the Pacific, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Oct 6🌍 Khrushchev's U.N. Visit – Khrushchev's visit to the U.N. is likely, with Kennedy ready to meet if tensions in Berlin are avoided.
- Oct 7🚀 Next Steps in Space – Plans for one and two-man orbits are set before a manned moon landing in this decade.
- Oct 8🌪️ Hurricane Slams Nova Scotia – Hurricane causes extensive damage in Nova Scotia with 85 mph winds; 18 fatalities reported, while New England escapes the worst.
- Oct 9🇺🇬 Uganda Gains Independence – Uganda celebrates independence from Britain, with its new leader pledging support for Kenya's self-rule campaign.
- Oct 10🌍 U.S. Offers Hope – Secretary Rusk promises U.S. support for Cuba's growth post-communism, signaling potential diplomatic shifts.
- Oct 11🔬 Solar Wind Data Revealed – Mariner 2 sends data from its 180-million-mile trip, disclosing constant solar wind affecting Earth's magnetic field.
- Oct 12⛪ Pope Opens Council – Pope John XXIII opens the Ecumenical Council in St. Peter's, calling for Christian unity with 2,700 prelates in attendance.
- Oct 13🌍 U.N. Projects Resume – U.N. experts resume activities on projects in Guinea, targeting an output of 480,000 tons.
- Oct 14🌍 U.S. Golf Team Triumphs – The U.S. squad wins the Eisenhower Cup, finishing 8 strokes ahead of the Canadian team in a prestigious golf event.
- Oct 15🌍 Khrushchev Offers Deal – Khrushchev proposes a deal addressing the Cuba and Berlin crises, signaling a potential thaw in Cold War tensions.
- Oct 16🚀 NASA Expands Space Program – NASA announces five additional Ranger missions to increase lunar exploration efforts in 1964.
- Oct 17📜 President Signs Tax Bill – President Kennedy signs a tax revision bill, predicting it will boost the economy while pledging to pursue overall reform.
- Oct 18🌍 Morocco Wins U.N. Seat – Morocco defeats Nigeria to secure a seat on the U.N. Council, marking a significant moment for Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Oct 19🔬 Nobel Prize Awarded – Three biophysicists, including two Britons, receive the Nobel Prize for their significant contributions to the biology of heredity.
- Oct 20🏛️ Ancient Synagogue Found – Excavation near Rome uncovers a first-century synagogue, potentially the oldest in Western Europe.
- Oct 21🏛️ Vatican Council's Plea – Vatican Council proclaims a message of brotherhood to humanity, emphasizing unity and peace among all men.
- Oct 22🌍 Cuban Crisis Escalates – Support for U.S. isolation of Cuba rises among Latin nations amid tensions over Castro's regime and the ongoing Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Oct 23🌍 Cuban Missile Crisis – The Cuban Missile Crisis escalates as President Kennedy cancels campaign talks to focus on the ongoing crisis.
- Oct 24🌎 Cuban Quarantine Endorsed – O.A.S. votes 19-0 to support U.S. quarantine on Cuba, showcasing unity among American republics during the Cold War.
- Oct 25🌍 U.N. Day Celebrated – A grand ball at the Waldorf marks U.N. Day, raising funds to foster public support for the United Nations.
- Oct 26🛰 New Space Belt Traced – A Soviet high-altitude nuclear explosion created a second artificial radiation belt around Earth, impacting space studies.
- Oct 27🕊️ Cuban Missile Crisis – U.S. informs U.N. that the Soviet Union failed to detect underground nuclear tests, raising tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Oct 28🌍 Cuba Crisis Intensifies – U.S. actions against Cuba garner support across the hemisphere, but sympathy for Castro remains strong in many nations.
- Oct 29🕊️ Cuban Missile Crisis Eases – Russia agrees to U.S. proposals, halting work on missile bases, signaling a potential de-escalation in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Oct 30🌍 Cuban Crisis Resolved – The Cuban missile crisis concludes, easing tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, with global leaders expressing relief.
- Oct 31🌍 U.N. Bars Red China – The U.N. Assembly votes 56 to 42 to bar Peking, with increased opposition compared to the previous year.
Happy Birthday! 1962 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1962 in real headlines. See the 1962 book →
Born in October? Pick the day
Every birthday in October has its own On This Day in Headlines book: