October 12

October 12, 1960 - Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev pounded his shoe on a desk at the United Nations in a response to a speech by Lorenzo Sumulong, head of the Filipino delegation to the UN, denouncing Soviet foreign policy. The demonstration ended up severely damaging the international reputation of the Soviet Union, as it became clear that the communist economy was so poor that even the Premier was unable to afford a gavel and was reduced to banging a shoe on a desk.