In 1958, LIFE asked Henri Cartier-Bresson to return to China, a country he last covered in at the outbreak of the Communist takeover in 1949. Cartier-Bresson was largely sympathetic to the Communist cause and was mostly embedded on a guided tour. While his photographs do not present a critique of Communism, he nonetheless witnessed the beginnings of the disastrous Great Leap Forward.
Tag: LIFE magazine
The Road to the Moon Landings – Apollo 1 – Life Magazine, 1967
On January 27, 1967, a fire broke out in the command module during a pre-flight test at Cape Kennedy. All three astronauts aboard perished.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Surveyor – LIFE Magazine, 1966
From June 1966 through January 1968, NASA sent seven robotic spacecraft to the surface of the Moon as part of Surveyor Program. It sent back color photos.
Sharpeville Funeral by Peter Magubane
On March 21, 1960, police opened fire on the unarmed crowd protesting pass books, killing 69 people. Peter Magubane covered their funeral.
My Lai Massacre by Ron Haeberle, 1968
Ron Haeberle was taking photos for the U.S. Army newspaper in South Vietnam when he accompanied 3 platoons to raid “Viet Cong” villages.
A Portfolio of Distinguished Britons by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1952
In winter of 1951, LIFE Magazine sent the photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt to Britain to take photos of the eminent men here. Eisenstaedt spent 10 days in Britain, making house calls to 18 great men of the day.
The War in Biafra
Eventually Federal Nigeria found an effective way to quell the rebellious Igbos, by inducing famine conditions inside Biafra. The Nigerian Army began sea and land blockade of Biafra, cutting off food supplies.
Go Ye and Preach the Gospel: Five Do and Die by Cornell Capa, 1956
Intending to bring Christianity to the remote Auca tribe, five missionaries set out into the jungles in Ecuador. Their mission came to a violent end.
The Lash of Success by Grey Villet, 1961
In 1961, Life magazine published three photo essays about the dark side of the American dreams. This one deals with how a man obsession with success dooms him.
Monsoon by Brian Brake, 1961
Brian Brake’s photoessay Monsoon had rare honor of appearing in four major news weeklies (LIFE, Paris-Match, Epoca, Queen) over a month.