- Aug 1 KRCR TV channel 7 in Redding-Chico, California (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 3 American sprinter Willie Williams sets 100m world record at 10.1 in Berlin, Germany
- Aug 4 German Wilhelm Herz becomes first to ride motorcycle at 200mph (210mph/338kph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
- Aug 4 Indonesia says it will not pay debts to the Netherlands
- Aug 4 Lee Petty dismounts car on lap 32, waves red flag to field because of dusty conditions at NASCAR Grand National at Tulsa, Oklahoma; race halted and never completed
- Aug 5 Belgian race car driver André Milhoux (27) runs in his only Grand Prix driving a Gordini T32 in Germany; forced to retire after 15 laps due to engine problem
- Aug 5 KUAM TV channel 8 in Agana, Guam (CBS/ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 5 WCYB TV channel 5 in Bristol-Kingsport, Virginia (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 6 After going bankrupt in 1955, the American national broadcaster DuMont Television Network makes its final broadcast, a boxing match from St. Nicholas Arena
Sports History
Aug 7 51-year-old Satchel Paige (Miami Marlins) wins a game before the largest crowd in minor league history, 57,000 at Miami’s Orange Bowl; International League: Marlins 6-2 v Columbus Jets
Sports History
Aug 7 Boston Red Sox fine slugger Ted Williams $5,000 for spitting at heckling Boston fans, third incident in 3 weeks
- Aug 7 British government sends 3 aircraft carriers to Egypt
- Aug 7 Dynamite transport explodes in Colombia; about 1200 die
- Aug 8 Fire & explosion kill 263 miners at Marcinelle, Belgium
- Aug 8 WDIQ (now KMCT) TV channel 2 in Dozier, AL (PBS) begins
- Aug 9 1st state-wide state-supported educational TV network, Alabama
- Aug 9 South African women demonstrate against pass laws
- Aug 10 23rd NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Cleveland 26, All-Stars 0 (75,000)
- Aug 11 1st flight 4-motor Cessna 620
- Aug 12 KOTI TV channel 2 in Klamath Falls, OR (NBC/CBS) begins broadcasting
Don't Be Cruel
Aug 13 Elvis Presley releases music single "Don't Be Cruel"
- Aug 13 WBIR TV channel 10 in Knoxville, TN (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 16 Adlai E Stevenson nominated as US Democratic presidential candidate
Sports History
Aug 16 MLB Cleveland Indians' Rocky Colavito hits his 1st grand slam, Cleveland 5, Tigers 4
- Aug 17 Federal Constitutional Court bans the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) in West Germany
- Aug 17 One of the largest demonstrations in South Africa's history, 20,000 women marched to Pretoria's Union Buildings to present petition against carrying of passes by women to the Prime Minister
- Aug 18 Cincinnati Reds (8) & Cubs (2) combine to hit 10 HRs in a 9 inning game
- Aug 18 Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" reach #1 in the charts, staying for 11 weeks (a record for a single release) [1]
- Aug 20 Republicans convene at Cow Palace
- Aug 21 WTVW TV channel 7 in Evansville, IN (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 22 Elvis Presley begins filming "Love Me Tender" (The Reno Brothers)
Presidential Convention
Aug 22 US President Eisenhower and VP Richard Nixon renominated by Republican convention in San Francisco
- Aug 24 1st non-stop transcontinental helicopter flight arrived Washington, D.C.
Sports History
Aug 25 To make room for Enos Slaughter, NY Yankees release Phil Rizzuto
- Aug 26 KREY TV channel 10 in Montrose, CO (CBS/NBC) begins broadcasting
Sports History
Aug 26 Yankees announce purchase of outfielder Enos Slaughter from KC
- Aug 27 Curt Robert of Columbus (Intl League) hits 4 HRs in 7 inning game
- Aug 28 17th Venice Film Festival opens. No Golden Lion awarded
- Aug 28 Australia clings on for a draw in 5th Test at The Oval, London; England retain cricket Ashes with Jim Laker's 46 wickets a record series haul
- Aug 29 French government routes troops to Cyprus near Suez crisis
- Aug 30 Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opens in Louisiana, longest continuous bridge in the world
- Aug 30 USSR performs nuclear test (atmospheric tests)
- Aug 30 White mob prevents enrollment of blacks at Mansfield High School, Texas
Admirals
Aviators
Gangsters
Generals
Industrialists
Suffragists