the operation is fatally flawed, by being under the control of double agent Kim Philby. October 7 – The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) is officially established. October 13 – Severe flooding hits Guatemala. October 14 – The Foley Square trial of Eugene Dennis and ten other leaders of the Communist Party USA ends in New York City (the longest trial in U.S. history to this date); all defendants are found guilty and all but one sentenced to five years of prison. October 16 – Greek Civil War ends with a communist surrender. October 17 – Chinese communist troops take Guangzhou. October 20 – China People's Insurance Corporation, as predecessor of China Life was founded. October 24 – The cornerstone of the Headquarters of the United Nations on Manhattan is laid. October 27 Battle of Kuningtou: Chinese communist troops fail to take Quemoy; their advance towards Taiwan is halted. 1949 Air France Lockheed Constellation crash: An Air France flight from Paris to New York crashes in the Azores on São Miguel Island, killing all aboard. Among the victims are violinist Ginette Neveu, and French boxer Marcel Cerdan. November November 7 – Oil is discovered beneath the Caspian Sea, off the coast of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. November 12 – The Volkswagen Type 2 panel van is unveiled in Germany. November 15 – Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte are executed for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi. November 17 – The second trial of Alger Hiss for perjury begins in New York, again with Whittaker Chambers as principal witness. November 24 – The ski resort in Squaw Valley, Placer County, California officially opens. November 26 – The Indian Constituent Assembly adopts India's constitution. November 28 – Winston Churchill makes a landmark speech in support of the idea of a European Union, at Kingsway Hall, London - but does not see UK as part of it, "The British Government have rightly stated that they cannot commit this country to entering any European Union without the agreement of the other members of the British Commonwealth". December December 7 Retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan finishes, and it declares Taipei its temporary capital city, a status it will retain more than 50 years later. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is established as a United Nations agency. December 10 – 1949 Australian