The Author  The Stories 

In the News...

●    Gandhi assassinated in New Delhi by Hindu fanatic (Jan. 30).

●    Burma (Jan. 4) and Ceylon (Feb. 4) granted independence by Britain.

●    Communists seize power in Czechoslovakia (Feb. 23–25).

●    Organization of American States (OAS) Charter signed at Bogota, Colombia (April 30).

●    Nation of Israel proclaimed; British end mandate at midnight;

●    Arab armies attack Israel (May 14).

●    Berlin blockade begins (June 24), prompting Allied airlift (June 26). (Blockade ends May 12, 1949; airlift continues until Sept. 30, 1949.)

●    Stalin and Tito break (June 28).

●    Independent Republic of Korea is proclaimed, following election supervised by UN (Aug. 15).

●    Verdict in Japanese war trial: 18 imprisoned (Nov. 12); Tojo and six others hanged (Dec. 23).

●    United States of Indonesia established as Dutch and Indonesians settle conflict (Dec. 27).

●    Alger Hiss, former U.S. State Department official, indicted on perjury charges after denying passing secret documents to communist spy ring; convicted in second trial (1950) and sentenced to five-year prison term.

●    Truman ends racial segregation in military.

●    Alfred Kinsey publishes Sexual Behavior in the American Male.

●    Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire wins Pulitzer

Automotive News

●    Cadillac & Oldsmobile introduce high-compression V-8s

●    First torque converter automatic transmission - Buick Dynaflow

●    Jeep wagon (first sport utility vehicle?) and Jeepster convertible offered