1961 ... dark days!






1959 ... PGM-17 Thor


... the 'Thor' Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile was built by Douglas Aircraft in the US.  Sixty were deployed in 'soft' configurations in the United Kingdom (as shown). Studying the history or Western aerospace development it is hard to avoid the feeling that American interests routinely squelched British developments and bullied the UK into taking US hardware. 

But- there are also those who would argue that British developments were too slow for mutual NATO security goals and riddled with security leaks.


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1956 ... the happy family survives!





1953 ... climaxing dogfighting!











1959 ... Soviet Nuclear Icebreaker!


... the Soviets were the only builders of nuclear powered icebreakers. One of the best 'peaceful' uses of atomic energy; after all you're going places the oilers can't follow!



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1986 ... USSR Civil Defense publication




... more in the continuing series.





1972 ... 'The Red Detachment of Women' PRC


... not quite 'Oklahoma' - but it's nice to see those Godless Communists kicking up their heels once in awhile. First produced as a motion picture in 1964 which was directed by future Premier Chou En-Lai. Performed for President Richard Nixon during his 1972 visit to China.

1971 ... People's Republic of China ... Ballet




... ballet, musical, operetta paegent  about China coming to the aid of North Korea during the Korean War (or as the Chinese refer to it: War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea) (or as the DPRK likes to say: Fatherland Liberation War!!*

This might have been a warm-up for the famous 'Red Detachment of Women' performed for president Nixon during his historic 1972 visit.

Last time I checked the United States and NATO do not have similarly staged re-enactments of the Fatherland Liberation War. Although the movie 'M.A.S.H.', which is set during the Korean War, does have a memorable theme song.


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