THE UPSET OF THE CENTURY: A Collaborative Timeline
- Thread starter The Storyteller
- Start date
This shouldn't die!
July 20, 1979: Zimbabwe-Rhodesian forces raid a heavily-armed ZANU camp in Mozambique; in the ensuing fighting, Robert Mugabe is mortally wounded.
August 17, 1979: Joshua Nkomo begins merging the remnants of ZANU with his ZAPU, in some cases by force.
May 9, 1980: Led by Air Marshal Frank Mussell of the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian Air Force, elements of the military, dissatisfied with the compromise government, launch an attempted coup in Salisbury. While they manage to seize most important government buildings, Prime Minister Muzorewa is protected by police and escapes to Epworth, where he issues a public statement extolling loyalists to stand up to the would-be military junta. Though large parts of the army remain loyal to Muzorewa's government, his troops are outnumbered and he is forced to make contact with ZAPU, to seek the huge guerrilla force's aid.
May 12, 1980: The Pact of Epworth is signed between Joshua Nkomo and Prime Minister Muzorewa, officially legalizing ZAPU and guaranteeing free and fair elections after the coup is defeated. The Pact makes Nkomo an incredibly popular figure among Zimbabwe-Rhodesian blacks.
August 10, 1980: ZAPU forces led by Joshua Nkomo surround and enter Salisbury, fought at every step by Mussell's force. Finally, as ZAPU forces approach Mussell's stronghold at the National Gallery, the coup forces finally surrender. Mussell and the other coup leaders are taken into custody by government and ZAPU forces.
August 13, 1980: Prime Minister Muzorewa returns triumphantly to Salisbury, where he announces the dissolving of the government and the holding of new elections.
September 1, 1980: The United States and the United Kingdom laud Muzorewa and Nkomo for their "commitment to the democratic process".
December 10, 1980: Results of the Zimbabwean election are released; ZAPU is now the majority party, though Muzorewa's UANC has made quite a decent showing. Joshua Nkomo becomes Prime Minister, while Muzorewa is offered the Presidency in a show of bipartisanship; he accepts graciously. ZAPU's first order of business is to drop the Rhodesia in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia; the Republic of Zimbabwe is born!
July 20, 1979: Zimbabwe-Rhodesian forces raid a heavily-armed ZANU camp in Mozambique; in the ensuing fighting, Robert Mugabe is mortally wounded.
August 17, 1979: Joshua Nkomo begins merging the remnants of ZANU with his ZAPU, in some cases by force.
May 9, 1980: Led by Air Marshal Frank Mussell of the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian Air Force, elements of the military, dissatisfied with the compromise government, launch an attempted coup in Salisbury. While they manage to seize most important government buildings, Prime Minister Muzorewa is protected by police and escapes to Epworth, where he issues a public statement extolling loyalists to stand up to the would-be military junta. Though large parts of the army remain loyal to Muzorewa's government, his troops are outnumbered and he is forced to make contact with ZAPU, to seek the huge guerrilla force's aid.
May 12, 1980: The Pact of Epworth is signed between Joshua Nkomo and Prime Minister Muzorewa, officially legalizing ZAPU and guaranteeing free and fair elections after the coup is defeated. The Pact makes Nkomo an incredibly popular figure among Zimbabwe-Rhodesian blacks.
August 10, 1980: ZAPU forces led by Joshua Nkomo surround and enter Salisbury, fought at every step by Mussell's force. Finally, as ZAPU forces approach Mussell's stronghold at the National Gallery, the coup forces finally surrender. Mussell and the other coup leaders are taken into custody by government and ZAPU forces.
August 13, 1980: Prime Minister Muzorewa returns triumphantly to Salisbury, where he announces the dissolving of the government and the holding of new elections.
September 1, 1980: The United States and the United Kingdom laud Muzorewa and Nkomo for their "commitment to the democratic process".
December 10, 1980: Results of the Zimbabwean election are released; ZAPU is now the majority party, though Muzorewa's UANC has made quite a decent showing. Joshua Nkomo becomes Prime Minister, while Muzorewa is offered the Presidency in a show of bipartisanship; he accepts graciously. ZAPU's first order of business is to drop the Rhodesia in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia; the Republic of Zimbabwe is born!
The Storyteller
Banned
Well that's a coincidence. Here I was about to (finally) update the timeline and now I find the thread on page 1.
I'm leaving the Soviet leadership stuff (from the end of the last page) off the timeline until someone offers any opinions on Soviet-related possibilities
-
THE UPSET OF THE CENTURY
15th July 1976 – Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter secures the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota is chosen as the Vice Presidential nominee.
19th August 1976 – Despite a strong challenge from former California Governor Ronald Reagan, incumbent President Gerald Ford secures the Republican Presidential Nomination. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas is named Ford’s running mate, replacing Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on the Republican ticket.
23rd September 1976 – The First US Presidential Debate (the first to be held since the 1960 Election) takes place. The debate is marred by a 27-minute delay caused by a failure in the sound system on stage. President Ford performs well during the debate itself, with most subsequent polls considering Ford the winner.
6th October 1976 – The Second US Presidential Debates take place. The debate is temporarily interrupted by a brief power outage which cuts off President Ford’s microphone while he is answering a question about the Soviet Union’s involvement in Eastern Europe. Fortunately there are no further technical issues and the second debate is considered another strong performance by Ford.
15th October 1976 – The US Vice Presidential Debate (the first of their kind in US history) takes place. The debate is notable for Bob Dole’s statements concerning what he refers to as ‘Democratic Wars’ and their collective death toll being equal to the population of Detroit. These statements are subsequently considered damaging to the Republican campaign.
22nd October 1976 – The Third US Presidential Debate takes place. No technical difficulties occur during the debate and Carter is narrowly considered the victor despite another competent performance by Ford.
2nd November 1976 – The 1976 US Presidential Election takes place.
Despite the Democrats beginning the campaign with a 33-point lead in the polls, the Republicans narrowly win the election with 276 Electoral Votes to 261 (with 1 Faithless Elector in the State of Washington voting for Ronald Reagan).
The election results are also notable for the narrow margins of victory on a State level, with 20 States being won by a margin of less than 5%, the two closest being Ohio and Wisconsin, which both went Republican by less than 0.1%.
Gerald R. Ford / Bob Dole (Republican) - 276
James Earl Carter / Walter Mondale (Democratic) - 261
Ronald Reagan - 1 (Faithless Elector)
* * *
20th January 1977 – Gerald R. Ford is inaugurated for a full term as President of the United States. Due to the terms of the 22nd Amendment, he is ineligible for re-election in 1980, having already served more than half of Richard Nixon's second Presidential term.
Bob Dole is also inaugurated as the 42nd Vice President of the United States.
31st January 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ begins operational testing.
February 1977 – The ‘First Video Game Crash’ begins. The crash in the games console market occurs when manufacturers of older ‘dedicated’ consoles (also known as ‘Pong’ consoles) flood the market in order to clear stock, creating a glut in the market. The crash ultimately leads to companies such as RCA and Fairchild leaving the market.
27th February 1977 – The remaining seven Virginia-class CGNs are authorized for construction. They will be the first vessels to be equipped with the Aegis Combat System.
18th March 1977 – The keel of MN Bretagne, the first of two Bretagne-class amphibious assault ships is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
19th March 1977 – Wales narrowly win the Five Nations Championship (their third in a row), despite an unexpectedly strong showing from the French team.
25th March 1977 – In Aruba, the Referendum for Self Determination ends with a 96.44% vote in favour of independence.
8th May 1977 – In the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, a Referendum on Independence ends with a 99.8% vote in favour of independence.
22nd May 1977 – Carlos Pace dies during the Monaco Grand Prix after crashing during the 23rd lap. The race is shortened by 20 laps as a result.
25th May 1977 – The film ‘Star Wars’, directed by George Lucas, is released. Not expected to be a great success, the film goes on to become one of the most successful films of the decade, replacing Stephen Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ as the highest earning film in North America.
25th June 1977 – Great Britain win the 1977 Rugby League World Cup after defeating Australia 12-10.
27th June 1977 – The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas officially declares independence, becoming the ‘Republic of Djibouti’.
16th July 1977 – The Israeli government votes to resume funding and development of the IAI Arye (having been cancelled the previous year) despite IAF General Benny Peled's continued recommendations in favour of purchasing F-15s and F-16s from the United States.
30th June 1977 – The South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), originally founded in 1954, is formally dissolved.
7th July 1977 – The James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, the third to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, 1974’s ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’.
12th August 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ undergoes its first free flight.
15th August 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley suffers a massive heart attack two days before the beginning of a scheduled concert tour (which is subsequently cancelled) and falls into a coma.
20th August 1977 – The ‘Voyager 2’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the first of the Voyager probes to be launched.
5th September 1977 – The ‘Voyager 1’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the second of the Voyager probes to be launched.
11th September 1977 – Atari, Inc releases the ‘Video Computer System’ (VCS), the company’s first non-dedicated home console and the second cartridge-based console to enter the North American market (the first being the Fairchild VES/Channel F, released the previous November). The console is a commercial success and marks the beginning of the end of the ‘First Video Game Crash’.
In response to the VCS’s release, Fairchild changes the name of their own console from ‘Video Entertainment System’ (VES) to ‘Channel F’ (in reference to the machine’s F8 CPU).
12th September 1977 – South African anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko dies while in police custody, allegedly the result of a hunger strike. Despite an ongoing journalistic investigation, the true cause of Biko’s death (massive head trauma) is successfully concealed by South African authorities for the time being.
9th October 1977 – South African driver Jody Scheckter wins the 1977 Formula One championship, becoming the first champion to hail from the African continent.
18th October 1977 – The Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is commissioned into United States Navy.
26th October 1977 – The Space Shuttle Enterprise undergoes its fifth and final test flight.
20th November 1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to visit Israel, meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister as part of peace negotiations stemming from 1973’s Arab-Israeli War.
10th December 1977 – The 1977 Australian Federal Election ends with a Liberal/National coalition victory. Malcolm Fraser remains Prime Minister of Australia with a 23 seat majority in the House of Representatives.
14th December 1977 – The submarine SAS Astrant (S100) is launched. It is the first of the two Agosta-class submarines ordered by the South African Navy.
21st December 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley awakens from his coma.
22nd December 1977 – Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini dies in an automobile accident in Najaf, Iraq. Khomeini, a notable opponent of the Iranian Shah, had been in exile from Iran for over 13 years.
* * *
12th January 1978 – After a long (and increasingly public) series of disputes between United Artists and its parent company Transamerica, the two companies reach a last-minute compromise over both administrative expenses and the creative direction of UA. Rumours of a threatened walkout by a number of prominent UA executives are strongly denied by Transamerica.
13th January 1978 – Minnesota Senator and former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey dies of bladder cancer.
3rd March 1978 – In Rhodesia, the ‘Internal Settlement’ is signed between Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and members of the United African National Congress (UANC), Rhodesia’s only legal black party. An interim governing Executive Council is established until elections can be held under a new constitution, both to be voted on the following year.
18th March 1978 – Just before the kick-off of their first exhibition match, the Netherlands National Football Team announces that it will not participate in the 1978 World Cup Tournament in Argentina, in protest against Argentina's current political system.
In response, Belgium is invited to take the place of The Netherlands, but the Belgian team rejects the offer. Bolivia (the loser of the the UEFA/CONMEBOL playoff) ultimately accepts the invitation and participates as part of Group 4 (alongside Peru, Scotland and Iran).
13th April 1978 – The keel of MN Provence, the second Bretagne-class amphibious assault ship, is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
29th April 1978 – The Paramount Television Service (PTVS), an attempt to create a ‘fourth network’, launches.
6th May 1978 – ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ premiers on the Paramount Television Service. In addition to the Original Series cast (minus Leonard Nimoy), the show stars Stephen Collins, Persis Khambatta and David Gautreaux.
18th May 1978 – Sapporo, Japan becomes the host city of the 1984 Winter Olympics after narrowly winning the bid over Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in the second round of voting by a margin of 38-37.
1st June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup Tournament begins in Argentina.
11th June 1978 – Regina Maršíková wins the Women’s Singles at the 1978 French Open, defeating Virginia Ruzici 6-1 6-0 in the final.
20th June 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a heart attack during filming for the film ‘Superman’. While Robson ultimately recovers and is able to see the filming of Superman through, Richard Lester is hired to complete filming ‘Superman II’ (both films being filmed simultaneously).
25th June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup concludes, with Brazil defeating Italy 2-0 in the final to win their record-setting fourth championship. Previous champions West Germany finish in third place (defeating Poland in the third-place playoff), while host nation Argentina finishes in sixth place.
5th August 1978 – The Season One finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Despite mixed reviews, the series is picked up for a full 22-episode Season (the first season consisting of 14 episodes – 15 if the Pilot is counted as a two-parter, as it is shown as in later airings) to be aired later in the year.
6th August 1978 – Pope Paul VI dies of a heart attack at the age of 80.
13th August 1978 – Despite significant progress made between the two countries since the previous November, peace talks between Israel and Egypt fall through due to the question of sovereignty of both the West Bank and the Sinai Peninsula. Both remain under Israeli control for the foreseeable.
26th August 1978 – The Papal Conclave elects Cardinal-Archbishop Giovanni Benelli of Florence as Pope. He subsequently takes the papal name John XXIV.
17th September 1978 – ‘Battlestar Galactica’, created by Glen A. Larson, premiers on ABC.
19th September 1978 – A week after the first anniversary of Stephen Biko’s death, evidence that Biko did not die as the result of a hunger strike is discovered and published. The news spreads throughout both South Africa and the rest of the world, causing outrage worldwide and triggering riots throughout South Africa.
As a result of the crisis, South African Prime Minister John Vorster decides to postpone his planned retirement.
7th November 1978 – The US Midterm Elections take place.
As predicted, the Democrats make a moderate net gain and retain their existing majorities in both the House and the Senate. The Republicans do however make two notable gains in the House, including a single district in otherwise Democratic Georgia (the 6th District, won by Newton Gingrich in his third attempt at election, having previously been the Republican candidate in 1974 and 1976) and a former Democratic stronghold in Texas (the 19th District, won by George W. Bush, son of CIA Director George Bush, in an extremely narrow upset against Democrat Kent Hance).
9th November 1978 – The D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos SAS Good Hope and SAS Transvaal are commissioned into the South African Navy.
18th November 1978 – The second season of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ begins airing on PTVS.
26th November 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a second heart attack, this time fatal. He dies 8 days short of his 65th birthday and two weeks before the premier of ‘Superman’.
10th December 1978 – The film ‘Superman’, directed by the Mark Robson, is released. The film, starring Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner in the title role, is a commercial success but is criticized for it’s campy tone and bloated script.
17th December 1978 – The IIS Ardeshir is laid down at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi as the third guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
* * *
21st January 1979 – The Dallas Cowboys win the twelfth annual Superbowl, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers by 31-29. The twelfth Superbowl is the first to be held in a domed stadium and the first to be broadcast during prime time hours.
26th January 1979 – Former US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller dies of a heart attack at the age of 70.
19th February 1979 – The SAS Astrant (S100) is commissioned into the South African Navy.
23rd February 1979 – The film ‘The Deer Hunter’ (based on the unproduced ‘The Man Who Came to Play’) is released. Originally planned for release the previous December, the film is one of the first major releases to depict the events of the Vietnam War in a negative light.
3rd March 1979 – Wales win their fifth Five Nations Tournament in a row, defeating England 20-6 in the final match.
25th March 1979 – The Space Shuttle Columbia arrives at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle’s first orbital launch is scheduled for later in the year.
26th March 1979 – The IIS Shapour is laid down at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine as the fifth guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
28th March 1979 – In the UK, a Vote of No Confidence against the Labour Government of James Callaghan is narrowly defeated.
4th May 1979 – South African Prime Minister John Vorster steps down, partly due to growing criticisms over his role in the ongoing ‘Muldergate Scandal’.
11th May 1979 – After a closely fought leadership election, John Vorster is succeeded as National Party Leader by Foreign Minister Roelof F. Botha (popularly known by the nickname ‘Pik’), who becomes Prime Minister of South Africa.
12th May 1979 – The Season Two finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Due to contract negotiations with several of the main cast (William Shatner in particular), the show has already gone on hiatus and the second season finale is edited in order to serve as a de facto series finale should the show not go back into production.
Ipswich Town wins their first FA Cup, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the Cup Final.
22nd May 1979 – The 1979 Canadian Federal Election is held. The Progressive Conservative Party wins 147 seats (52.1%), the Liberal Party wins 100 seats (35.5%), and the New Democrat Party wins 35 seats (12.4%). Joe Clark becomes the 16th Prime Minister of Canada.
25th May 1979 – The Canadian government announces the end of the New Fighter Aircraft Program with 160 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (112 F/A-18As and 48 F/A-18Bs) being chosen as the replacement for the aging CF-104 Starfighters and CF-116 Freedom Fighters.
1st June 1979 – The ‘Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia’ is declared in Rhodesia, following the overall General Election held throughout April and May. Bishop Abel Murozewa becomes Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, while Josiah Gumede becomes President.
Joshua Nkomo of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), both of whom declined the offer to take part in the elections, denounce the election results and the new government. As a result, the Bush War continues.
12th June 1979 – The United States Senate votes to lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
15th June 1979 – ‘Rocky II’, the sequel to the 1976 film ‘Rocky’, is released. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith and Talia Shire all reprise their roles from the first film. Like the first film, ‘Rocky II’ is a commercial success.
23rd June 1979 – The West Indies win the second quadrennial ICC Cricket World Cup, defeating New Zealand in the final.
26th June 1979 – The James Bond film ‘Moonraker’, the fourth to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film, heavily influenced by the success of Star Wars, is criticised for it’s overly campy tone and receives mixed-to-negative reviews.
11th July 1979 – Skylab, the USA's first Space Station, is destroyed after undergoing atmospheric re-entry.
20th July 1979 – Zimbabwe Rhodesian forces raid a heavily-armed ZANU camp in Mozambique. In the ensuing fighting, ZANU leader Robert Mugabe is mortally wounded.
30th July 1979 – Paramount announces that the contract disputes that brought about Star Trek: Phase II's hiatus have now been settled. Despite this, however, the show remains on hiatus, triggering rumours of an impending cancellation of the series, possibly in favour of a full-length motion picture.
14th August 1979 – The ‘Gladys Love Presley Center for Drug and Alcohol Addiction’ opens in a suburb of Memphis, TN. A visibly trimmer Elvis performs "You'll Never Walk Alone" to the audience's acclaim.
15th August 1979 – After a long and troubled production, the Francis Ford Coppola film ‘Apocalypse Now’ (loosely based on the novel ‘Heart of Darkness’). Set during the Vietnam War, the film receives near-universal acclaim and is a commercial success.
17th August 1979 – Joshua Nkomo begins merging the remnants of ZANU with his ZAPU, in some cases by force.
22nd August 1979 – The initial development phase for the IAI Arye is completed. Work starts on the production of the first three aircraft.
27th August 1979 – An IRA plot to assassinate 79-year-old Lord Louis Mountbatten is discovered and foiled after the arrest of IRA bombmaker Thomas McMahon, shortly before the scheduled detonation of a bomb planted on Mountbatten’s fishing boat.
6th September 1979 – The UK General Election is held. Jim Callaghan’s Labour government is defeated by the Conservative Party in a landslide. Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
13th November 1979 – Former California Governor and 1976 candidate Ronald Reagan announces his candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
15th November 1979 – Allegedly caught off guard by Reagan’s announced candidacy, Vice President Bob Dole announces his own candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
1st December 1979 – At a Kennedy Center gala honouring Martha Graham (Mrs. Ford's former dance teacher), Betty Ford is observed to be slurring her words a little. Concerned, her husband thinks that she is suffering from a mini-stroke. The First Lady is rushed to nearby George Washington University Hospital.
3rd December 1979 – After two days of extensive tests, Betty Ford is discharged from George Washington University Hospital, with no evidence of a stroke being found.
8th December 1979 – The film ‘Superman II’, directed by the late Mark Robson and Richard Lester, is released. The film, despite experiencing the same criticisms as its predecessor, is a modest financial success.
16th December 1979 – The first of three IAI Arye prototypes is completed and begins its test flights.
* * *
1st February 1980 – The Israeli government authorizes the IAF to present a list of technical specifications and requirements for the development of the IAF's future lightweight fighter.
12th February 1980 – Having originally been contracted to do three Bond films, as well as suffering recurring health problems during the shooting of ‘Moonraker’, Roger Moore announces that he will not be returning for the next Bond film. Rumours that his departure was influenced by the mixed critical reception of ‘Moonwalker’ are denied by Moore and the producers. Meanwhile, popularly cited candidates for Moore’s eventual replacement include Michael Billington and Timothy Dalton.
14th February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics commence in Lake Placid, New York, USA.
18th February 1980 – The SAS Adventurous (S101) is commissioned into the South African Navy. The vessel is the second of two Agosta-class submarines ordered by South Africa.
23rd February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics conclude, with East Germany at the top of the medal table with 10 Gold medals (out of a total of 24). The Soviet Union and the United States occupy second and third place, with 9 and 6 Gold medals respectively.
9th May 1980 – Led by Air Marshal Frank Mussell of the Zimbabwe Rhodesian Air Force, elements of the military, dissatisfied with the compromise government, launch an attempted coup in Salisbury. While they manage to seize most important government buildings, Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa is protected by police and escapes to Epworth, where he issues a public statement extolling loyalists to stand up to the would-be military junta. Though large parts of the army remain loyal to Muzorewa's government, his troops are outnumbered and he is forced to make contact with ZAPU in order to seek the huge guerrilla force's aid.
11th May 1980 – The ‘Pact of Epworth’ is signed by Prime Minister Abel Murozewa and ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo, officially legalising ZAPU and guaranteeing new elections after the coup is defeated. The Pact makes Nkomo an incredibly popular figure among the black population of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
16th May 1980 – The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) issues a fine to all teams of the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) after the latter fail to appear at the drivers’ briefings for the United States West and the Belgian Grand Prix.
18th May 1980 – Carlos Reutemann wins the Monaco Grand Prix.
20th May 1980 – The 1980 Quebec Referendum ends with a 56.6% No vote.
29th May 1980 – The Israeli Air Force receives the first ten pre-production model IAI Arye fighters for testing, with regular production to begin in the following two years with a planned order of 100 aircraft.
1st June 1980 – Due to the ongoing disputes with FISA, the various FOCA teams (as wells as Tyrrell and Shadow) boycott the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite this, the race goes ahead, with Alan Jones taking the win.
19th June 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics commence in Moscow. Notable is the participation of Zimbabwe Rhodesia (despite ongoing political upheaval in the country) for the first time since 1964 (as ‘Rhodesia’).
14th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention opens in the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan.
17th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention concludes. Former California Governor Ronald Reagan secures the Presidential Nomination, despite a determined campaign by Vice President Bob Dole. RNC Chairman and former Tennessee Senator Bill Brock is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
31st July 1980 – The Zimbabwe Rhodesia women’s field hockey team wins the gold medal in what is considered one the biggest upset in the sport’s history, defeating more established opponents like Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.
1st August 1980 – Cuba provides the second big surprise of the 1980 Olympics by securing fourth place in the Men’s Football Tournament, defeating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the Quarter Final.
3rd August 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics conclude, with East Germany winning the highest number of medals (a total of 148 medals) and the USA winning the highest number of gold medals (41).
10th August 1980 – ZAPU forces led by Joshua Nkomo, fighting alongside government forces, surround and enter Salisbury, despite heavy resistance by Mussell's forces. Finally, as ZAPU forces approach Mussell's stronghold at the National Gallery, the coup forces finally surrender. Mussell and the other coup leaders are taken into custody by government and ZAPU forces.
11th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention opens in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.
13th August 1980 – Abel Muzorewa returns in triumph to Salisbury, where he announces the dissolving of the government and the holding of new elections.
14th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention concludes, with Idaho Senator Frank Church securing the Presidential Nomination, while outgoing Florida Governor Reubin Askew wins the Vice Presidential Nomination. This marks the last time that the Democratic Party decides the Vice Presidential nominee via roll call.
15th August 1980 – The United States and the United Kingdom issue statements lauding both Muzorewa and Nkomo for their “commitment to the democratic process”.
19th August 1980 – After a six-month delay to its originally planned launch, the Space Shuttle Columbia undergoes its first official launch, thus marking the beginning of the Space Shuttle's operational service. The date of the launch is noted as being the 20th anniversary of the launch of Korabl-Sputnik 2 (more commonly known as 'Sputnik 5'), the first spaceflight to carry animals into orbit and return them alive, though NASA officials state that this is a coincidence.
1st September 1980 – John Lennon announces that they will be no Beatles reunion or any more albums, officially confirming his retirement as permanent. This causes outrage by fans of both Lennon and the Beatles.
Paul McCartney states that he is disappointed by the decision. George Harrison confirms "No more Beatle talk, it's over for good". Ringo Starr, however, states "I'm sure that he's kidding and will be back in five years. Just give the Beatle talk a rest and give him a break and he'll pull a surprise for ya".
20th October 1980 – Australian Minister of Defence Jim Killen announces the purchase of 96 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (72 F/A-18As and 24 F/A-18Bs) for the RAAF.
31st October 1980 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia as the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier.
4th November 1980 – The 1980 US Presidential Election takes place.
The Democrats win the election with 304 Electoral Votes to 234. While President Ford's approval ratings are relatively high and Ronald Reagan's charisma is undeniable, both prove to be no match for incumbent fatigue and a strong Democratic campaign (the Democrats particularly determined not to let another certain victory 'slip by' as in 1976).
The election results are particularly notable for the narrow margins of victory (in either direction) among the southern states.
Frank Church / Reubin Askew (Democratic) - 304
Ronald Reagan / Bill Brock (Republican) – 234
1st December 1980 – With the announcement of John Lennon's retirement as a recording artist 3 months prior, Apple Records releases a new Beatle compilation CD "The Green Album - 1969-1975" which features John, Paul, Ringo and George's solo hits that were recorded on the label during this period. The album becomes the biggest selling album over the Christmas period.
The album is backed with a new single ‘Not Guilty’ (with ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ as the B-side). Both sides were outtakes from the White Album and Beatles for Sale albums respectfully, and were remixed by George Martin for release. This was, according to Paul McCartney, to thank the fans for their support over the years and to apologize for concluding that there would be no Beatles reunion. He states “Despite no more new songs, I'm sure Apple Records will continue to promote the Beatles this decade”. The single reaches No.1 in the UK and US.
Yoko Ono also issues a statement saying: “John approves these releases, as George Martin has completed a great job in producing this album and single. I would like to let you know that, despite him retiring as a recording artist, he will remain a song-writer, as it remains his passion. He doesn't want to record because he wants to remain a private and family person. I will have a new album soon ('Walking on Thin Ice') which he has helped written some songs for.”
10th December 1980 – The second (and final) Zimbabwe Rhodesian General Election is held. The final results leave ZAPU as the majority party, though the UANC also performs strongly. Joshua Nkomo becomes Prime Minister, while Abel Murozewa is offered the Presidency in a show of bipartisanship. Murozewa accepts the position (former President Josiah Gumede is offered the cabinet position of Education Minister and also accepts), thus the first ‘Government of National Unity’ is formed.
One of the new government’s first acts is to propose the removal of ‘Rhodesia’ from the country’s name, in favour of simply ‘Zimbabwe’. The motion is soon approved and is set to come into force on the 1st of June 1981 (the second anniversary of the declaration of Zimbabwe Rhodesia).
19th December 1980 – Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr make a surprise appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, performing ‘Coming Up’, ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ (the song’s only TV performance) and ‘Yesterday’. ABBA also make a surprise appearance, closing the show with ‘Super Trouper’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and ‘Waterloo’, before leading the finale of ‘Thank You for the Music’. They are joined on the bill by Sammy Davis Jr, Aretha Franklin and Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The telecast on the BBC on Christmas Day leads it to become the UK's biggest broadcast of the year and boosted the Green Album and ‘Super Trouper’ to massive sales. George Harrison would later state “I regretted not joining them, since that would have been our farewell, even without John. The 1963 Royal Variety Show is still one of our greatest moments, it would have been nice to revisit that. But it would never have convinced John, never”.
* * *
20th January 1981 – Frank Church is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States. Reubin Askew is also inaugurated as the 43rd Vice President of the United States.
25th February 1981 – Yoko Ono releases ‘Walking on Thin Ice’. Despite the songwriting of her husband and his strong support, the album receives negative critical reviews. However, the single ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ reaches #13 as it is mistakenly believed that Lennon actually wrote this song. A song that he actually did write, ‘Just Like Starting Over’, only reaches #40.
5th April 1981 – At a diner on New York City’s Upper West Side, John Lennon confronts Village Voice music critic Geoffrey Stokes, whose review of ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ was particularly nasty. The two men nearly get into a fistfight. As Stokes' friend pulls him away, the critic yells, “Tell Yoko that she needs to retire, too!”, at which point, Yoko herself enters the diner.
Although she records some songs here and there, ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ goes on to be her last album. As she notes in a later memoir, she ‘realised that her gifts lay in writing and staging plays’.
20th April 1981 – Ringo Star releases the album ‘Can't Fight Lightning’, with the lead single ‘Nobody Told Me’, written and produced by John Lennon. ‘Nobody Told Me’ becomes a Top 10 hit in the UK, and reaches Top 50 in the US. The album flops however, reaching top 30 in the UK and failing to enter the Top 100 in the US.
1st May 1981 – Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla remarry in Hawaii.
1st July 1981 – The Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia officially changes its name to the ‘Republic of Zimbabwe’.
6th July 1981 – After a series of interventions by former President Ford, their children, and the family doctor, Betty Ford enters treatment for alcohol and prescription drug treatment at Long Beach Naval Hospital.
14th July 1981 – The F-14B prototype (BuNo 157986) is brought out of storage for testing the viability of replacing the TF30 engines with a pair of General Electric F101 engines. Grumman test pilots discovered that the F-14B could accelerate from Mach 0.8 to Mach 1.8 in just 90 seconds and the Navy found out, that the F-14B could launch from a catapult without the use of afterburners. Further, for the first time in the F-14's lifetime, pilot talked of "flying the aircraft and not the engines".
7th August 1981 – During a routine deployment aboard USS America (CV-66), an F-14 Tomcat of VF-213 "Black Lions" suffers a compressor stall and explodes while attempting a land. An investigation is subsequently launched in order to discover the cause of the accident (specifically, whether it was the result of a potential design flaw in the Tomcat design).
3rd September 1981 – BuNo 158630 is built as the second F-14B prototype and equipped with a marinized version of the F101 engines dubbed the F101-GE400.
* * *
11th January 1982 – Betty Ford enrolls in classes at the University of California, Riverside. She will be popular with her classmates, some of whom are women close to her age, others of whom are closer to her children's ages. She will go on to major in art therapy, working with people who are going through treatment for addiction. Later she will also join the board of the Gladys Love Presley Center, working closely with the Presleys.
18th January 1982 – Three of the four Monkees (Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones) reunite at the Gladys Love Presley Center where they are being treated for substance abuse issues. They subsequently decide to record an album and tour. One of the songs on their album ‘Return of the Monkees’ is written by John Lennon, and that song (‘Watching the Wheels’) will reach the Top Ten in September 1982. In his Village Voice column, Geoffrey Stokes wonders what Lennon would have done with that “bit of Muzak for Monkeemaniacs”.
29th March 1982 – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's ‘Ebony and Ivory’ is released, eventually reaching #1 on the pop charts. Critic Geoffrey Stokes titles his column on the single “Waiting for Lennon”.
19th April 1982 – The MN Bretagne is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
20th May 1982 – Elvis Costello changes his name to Winston O'Boogie for his new album ‘The Wait is Over’. His song ‘I Love Everybody’ reaches #1 on both sides of the Atlantic.
12th June 1982 – After several delays in production, the James Bond film ‘For Your Eyes Only’ is released. The film, the twelfth entry in the series and the first to star Timothy Dalton in the title role, is significantly darker in tone than its predecessor and is widely praised for bringing the Bond franchise ‘back to reality’ after the outlandishness of ‘Moonraker’. The film is also notable for introducing the Walther P5 as Bond’s sidearm (at the behest of Walther, who wished to promote the newer firearm), replacing the more traditional PPK for the remainder of the Dalton era.
1st July 1982 – Rumours begin to spread that John Lennon is driving a taxi-cab after alleged sightings in New York City. However, it is soon found that is in fact another 60s musician behind the wheel, specifically John Sebastian, founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful.
10th September 1982 – John Lennon is sighted at a playhouse near Columbia University. There Yoko Ono is directing a production of a minor play by Samuel Beckett. Columbia senior Barry Obama titles his review of the play “After Seeing Lennon”. Geoffrey Stokes is not in the audience. Neither is any other critic.
26th October 1982 – Pope John XXIV suffers a heart attack during a papal visit to the United Kingdom (the first such visit in the history of the Papacy). He is rushed to the Manchester Royal Infirmary where his condition is eventually declared 'stable'.
27th October 1982 – DUP Leader and North Antrim MP Ian Paisley causes controversy when he describes the Pope's heart attack as an example of "God's righteous judgement against the sinful depravity of the Papists" and expresses hope that "the vile Romish Antichrist" will soon be in hell.
30th October 1982 – On the same day that Pope John XXIV is released from the Manchester Royal Infirmary, an attempt on the life of Ian Paisley is made. While Paisley survives the attempt (motivated by his anti-Pope comments several days earlier), he will require the use a walking cane for the rest of his life due to the injuries sustained.
* * *
14th April 1983 – The MN Provence is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
7th October 1983 – The unofficial (i.e. non-EON) James Bond film ‘Warhead’, starring Roger Moore, is released. The film, originally intended to star Sean Connery in the title role, is the result of a copyright settlement made in the mid-60s between EON and Kevin McClory, one of the original writers of the story Ian Fleming adapted into the ‘Thunderball’ novel, and had been in development since 1975. Upon release, ‘Warhead’ receives favourable reviews and is universally considered a more fitting swansong to Moore’s Bond than the official EON film ‘Moonraker’.
27th October 1983 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is launched from the Newport News Shipbuilding Company.
* * *
4th August 1984 – Following a coup, the ‘Republic of Upper Volta’ changes it’s name to ‘Burkina Faso’. The nation’s flag is also changed.
* * *
10th April 1985 – The MN Bretagne is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
25th October 1985 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is commissioned into the United States Navy as the fourth member of the Nimitz-class supercarriers.
* * *
5th April 1986 – The MN Provence is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
–
–
I'm leaving the Soviet leadership stuff (from the end of the last page) off the timeline until someone offers any opinions on Soviet-related possibilities
-
THE UPSET OF THE CENTURY
15th July 1976 – Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter secures the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota is chosen as the Vice Presidential nominee.
19th August 1976 – Despite a strong challenge from former California Governor Ronald Reagan, incumbent President Gerald Ford secures the Republican Presidential Nomination. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas is named Ford’s running mate, replacing Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on the Republican ticket.
23rd September 1976 – The First US Presidential Debate (the first to be held since the 1960 Election) takes place. The debate is marred by a 27-minute delay caused by a failure in the sound system on stage. President Ford performs well during the debate itself, with most subsequent polls considering Ford the winner.
6th October 1976 – The Second US Presidential Debates take place. The debate is temporarily interrupted by a brief power outage which cuts off President Ford’s microphone while he is answering a question about the Soviet Union’s involvement in Eastern Europe. Fortunately there are no further technical issues and the second debate is considered another strong performance by Ford.
15th October 1976 – The US Vice Presidential Debate (the first of their kind in US history) takes place. The debate is notable for Bob Dole’s statements concerning what he refers to as ‘Democratic Wars’ and their collective death toll being equal to the population of Detroit. These statements are subsequently considered damaging to the Republican campaign.
22nd October 1976 – The Third US Presidential Debate takes place. No technical difficulties occur during the debate and Carter is narrowly considered the victor despite another competent performance by Ford.
2nd November 1976 – The 1976 US Presidential Election takes place.
Despite the Democrats beginning the campaign with a 33-point lead in the polls, the Republicans narrowly win the election with 276 Electoral Votes to 261 (with 1 Faithless Elector in the State of Washington voting for Ronald Reagan).
The election results are also notable for the narrow margins of victory on a State level, with 20 States being won by a margin of less than 5%, the two closest being Ohio and Wisconsin, which both went Republican by less than 0.1%.
Gerald R. Ford / Bob Dole (Republican) - 276
James Earl Carter / Walter Mondale (Democratic) - 261
Ronald Reagan - 1 (Faithless Elector)
* * *
20th January 1977 – Gerald R. Ford is inaugurated for a full term as President of the United States. Due to the terms of the 22nd Amendment, he is ineligible for re-election in 1980, having already served more than half of Richard Nixon's second Presidential term.
Bob Dole is also inaugurated as the 42nd Vice President of the United States.
31st January 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ begins operational testing.
February 1977 – The ‘First Video Game Crash’ begins. The crash in the games console market occurs when manufacturers of older ‘dedicated’ consoles (also known as ‘Pong’ consoles) flood the market in order to clear stock, creating a glut in the market. The crash ultimately leads to companies such as RCA and Fairchild leaving the market.
27th February 1977 – The remaining seven Virginia-class CGNs are authorized for construction. They will be the first vessels to be equipped with the Aegis Combat System.
18th March 1977 – The keel of MN Bretagne, the first of two Bretagne-class amphibious assault ships is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
19th March 1977 – Wales narrowly win the Five Nations Championship (their third in a row), despite an unexpectedly strong showing from the French team.
25th March 1977 – In Aruba, the Referendum for Self Determination ends with a 96.44% vote in favour of independence.
8th May 1977 – In the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, a Referendum on Independence ends with a 99.8% vote in favour of independence.
22nd May 1977 – Carlos Pace dies during the Monaco Grand Prix after crashing during the 23rd lap. The race is shortened by 20 laps as a result.
25th May 1977 – The film ‘Star Wars’, directed by George Lucas, is released. Not expected to be a great success, the film goes on to become one of the most successful films of the decade, replacing Stephen Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ as the highest earning film in North America.
25th June 1977 – Great Britain win the 1977 Rugby League World Cup after defeating Australia 12-10.
27th June 1977 – The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas officially declares independence, becoming the ‘Republic of Djibouti’.
16th July 1977 – The Israeli government votes to resume funding and development of the IAI Arye (having been cancelled the previous year) despite IAF General Benny Peled's continued recommendations in favour of purchasing F-15s and F-16s from the United States.
30th June 1977 – The South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), originally founded in 1954, is formally dissolved.
7th July 1977 – The James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, the third to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, 1974’s ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’.
12th August 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ undergoes its first free flight.
15th August 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley suffers a massive heart attack two days before the beginning of a scheduled concert tour (which is subsequently cancelled) and falls into a coma.
20th August 1977 – The ‘Voyager 2’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the first of the Voyager probes to be launched.
5th September 1977 – The ‘Voyager 1’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the second of the Voyager probes to be launched.
11th September 1977 – Atari, Inc releases the ‘Video Computer System’ (VCS), the company’s first non-dedicated home console and the second cartridge-based console to enter the North American market (the first being the Fairchild VES/Channel F, released the previous November). The console is a commercial success and marks the beginning of the end of the ‘First Video Game Crash’.
In response to the VCS’s release, Fairchild changes the name of their own console from ‘Video Entertainment System’ (VES) to ‘Channel F’ (in reference to the machine’s F8 CPU).
12th September 1977 – South African anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko dies while in police custody, allegedly the result of a hunger strike. Despite an ongoing journalistic investigation, the true cause of Biko’s death (massive head trauma) is successfully concealed by South African authorities for the time being.
9th October 1977 – South African driver Jody Scheckter wins the 1977 Formula One championship, becoming the first champion to hail from the African continent.
18th October 1977 – The Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is commissioned into United States Navy.
26th October 1977 – The Space Shuttle Enterprise undergoes its fifth and final test flight.
20th November 1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to visit Israel, meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister as part of peace negotiations stemming from 1973’s Arab-Israeli War.
10th December 1977 – The 1977 Australian Federal Election ends with a Liberal/National coalition victory. Malcolm Fraser remains Prime Minister of Australia with a 23 seat majority in the House of Representatives.
14th December 1977 – The submarine SAS Astrant (S100) is launched. It is the first of the two Agosta-class submarines ordered by the South African Navy.
21st December 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley awakens from his coma.
22nd December 1977 – Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini dies in an automobile accident in Najaf, Iraq. Khomeini, a notable opponent of the Iranian Shah, had been in exile from Iran for over 13 years.
* * *
12th January 1978 – After a long (and increasingly public) series of disputes between United Artists and its parent company Transamerica, the two companies reach a last-minute compromise over both administrative expenses and the creative direction of UA. Rumours of a threatened walkout by a number of prominent UA executives are strongly denied by Transamerica.
13th January 1978 – Minnesota Senator and former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey dies of bladder cancer.
3rd March 1978 – In Rhodesia, the ‘Internal Settlement’ is signed between Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and members of the United African National Congress (UANC), Rhodesia’s only legal black party. An interim governing Executive Council is established until elections can be held under a new constitution, both to be voted on the following year.
18th March 1978 – Just before the kick-off of their first exhibition match, the Netherlands National Football Team announces that it will not participate in the 1978 World Cup Tournament in Argentina, in protest against Argentina's current political system.
In response, Belgium is invited to take the place of The Netherlands, but the Belgian team rejects the offer. Bolivia (the loser of the the UEFA/CONMEBOL playoff) ultimately accepts the invitation and participates as part of Group 4 (alongside Peru, Scotland and Iran).
13th April 1978 – The keel of MN Provence, the second Bretagne-class amphibious assault ship, is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
29th April 1978 – The Paramount Television Service (PTVS), an attempt to create a ‘fourth network’, launches.
6th May 1978 – ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ premiers on the Paramount Television Service. In addition to the Original Series cast (minus Leonard Nimoy), the show stars Stephen Collins, Persis Khambatta and David Gautreaux.
18th May 1978 – Sapporo, Japan becomes the host city of the 1984 Winter Olympics after narrowly winning the bid over Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in the second round of voting by a margin of 38-37.
1st June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup Tournament begins in Argentina.
11th June 1978 – Regina Maršíková wins the Women’s Singles at the 1978 French Open, defeating Virginia Ruzici 6-1 6-0 in the final.
20th June 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a heart attack during filming for the film ‘Superman’. While Robson ultimately recovers and is able to see the filming of Superman through, Richard Lester is hired to complete filming ‘Superman II’ (both films being filmed simultaneously).
25th June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup concludes, with Brazil defeating Italy 2-0 in the final to win their record-setting fourth championship. Previous champions West Germany finish in third place (defeating Poland in the third-place playoff), while host nation Argentina finishes in sixth place.
5th August 1978 – The Season One finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Despite mixed reviews, the series is picked up for a full 22-episode Season (the first season consisting of 14 episodes – 15 if the Pilot is counted as a two-parter, as it is shown as in later airings) to be aired later in the year.
6th August 1978 – Pope Paul VI dies of a heart attack at the age of 80.
13th August 1978 – Despite significant progress made between the two countries since the previous November, peace talks between Israel and Egypt fall through due to the question of sovereignty of both the West Bank and the Sinai Peninsula. Both remain under Israeli control for the foreseeable.
26th August 1978 – The Papal Conclave elects Cardinal-Archbishop Giovanni Benelli of Florence as Pope. He subsequently takes the papal name John XXIV.
17th September 1978 – ‘Battlestar Galactica’, created by Glen A. Larson, premiers on ABC.
19th September 1978 – A week after the first anniversary of Stephen Biko’s death, evidence that Biko did not die as the result of a hunger strike is discovered and published. The news spreads throughout both South Africa and the rest of the world, causing outrage worldwide and triggering riots throughout South Africa.
As a result of the crisis, South African Prime Minister John Vorster decides to postpone his planned retirement.
7th November 1978 – The US Midterm Elections take place.
As predicted, the Democrats make a moderate net gain and retain their existing majorities in both the House and the Senate. The Republicans do however make two notable gains in the House, including a single district in otherwise Democratic Georgia (the 6th District, won by Newton Gingrich in his third attempt at election, having previously been the Republican candidate in 1974 and 1976) and a former Democratic stronghold in Texas (the 19th District, won by George W. Bush, son of CIA Director George Bush, in an extremely narrow upset against Democrat Kent Hance).
9th November 1978 – The D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos SAS Good Hope and SAS Transvaal are commissioned into the South African Navy.
18th November 1978 – The second season of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ begins airing on PTVS.
26th November 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a second heart attack, this time fatal. He dies 8 days short of his 65th birthday and two weeks before the premier of ‘Superman’.
10th December 1978 – The film ‘Superman’, directed by the Mark Robson, is released. The film, starring Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner in the title role, is a commercial success but is criticized for it’s campy tone and bloated script.
17th December 1978 – The IIS Ardeshir is laid down at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi as the third guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
* * *
21st January 1979 – The Dallas Cowboys win the twelfth annual Superbowl, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers by 31-29. The twelfth Superbowl is the first to be held in a domed stadium and the first to be broadcast during prime time hours.
26th January 1979 – Former US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller dies of a heart attack at the age of 70.
19th February 1979 – The SAS Astrant (S100) is commissioned into the South African Navy.
23rd February 1979 – The film ‘The Deer Hunter’ (based on the unproduced ‘The Man Who Came to Play’) is released. Originally planned for release the previous December, the film is one of the first major releases to depict the events of the Vietnam War in a negative light.
3rd March 1979 – Wales win their fifth Five Nations Tournament in a row, defeating England 20-6 in the final match.
25th March 1979 – The Space Shuttle Columbia arrives at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle’s first orbital launch is scheduled for later in the year.
26th March 1979 – The IIS Shapour is laid down at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine as the fifth guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
28th March 1979 – In the UK, a Vote of No Confidence against the Labour Government of James Callaghan is narrowly defeated.
4th May 1979 – South African Prime Minister John Vorster steps down, partly due to growing criticisms over his role in the ongoing ‘Muldergate Scandal’.
11th May 1979 – After a closely fought leadership election, John Vorster is succeeded as National Party Leader by Foreign Minister Roelof F. Botha (popularly known by the nickname ‘Pik’), who becomes Prime Minister of South Africa.
12th May 1979 – The Season Two finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Due to contract negotiations with several of the main cast (William Shatner in particular), the show has already gone on hiatus and the second season finale is edited in order to serve as a de facto series finale should the show not go back into production.
Ipswich Town wins their first FA Cup, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the Cup Final.
22nd May 1979 – The 1979 Canadian Federal Election is held. The Progressive Conservative Party wins 147 seats (52.1%), the Liberal Party wins 100 seats (35.5%), and the New Democrat Party wins 35 seats (12.4%). Joe Clark becomes the 16th Prime Minister of Canada.
25th May 1979 – The Canadian government announces the end of the New Fighter Aircraft Program with 160 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (112 F/A-18As and 48 F/A-18Bs) being chosen as the replacement for the aging CF-104 Starfighters and CF-116 Freedom Fighters.
1st June 1979 – The ‘Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia’ is declared in Rhodesia, following the overall General Election held throughout April and May. Bishop Abel Murozewa becomes Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, while Josiah Gumede becomes President.
Joshua Nkomo of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), both of whom declined the offer to take part in the elections, denounce the election results and the new government. As a result, the Bush War continues.
12th June 1979 – The United States Senate votes to lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
15th June 1979 – ‘Rocky II’, the sequel to the 1976 film ‘Rocky’, is released. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith and Talia Shire all reprise their roles from the first film. Like the first film, ‘Rocky II’ is a commercial success.
23rd June 1979 – The West Indies win the second quadrennial ICC Cricket World Cup, defeating New Zealand in the final.
26th June 1979 – The James Bond film ‘Moonraker’, the fourth to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film, heavily influenced by the success of Star Wars, is criticised for it’s overly campy tone and receives mixed-to-negative reviews.
11th July 1979 – Skylab, the USA's first Space Station, is destroyed after undergoing atmospheric re-entry.
20th July 1979 – Zimbabwe Rhodesian forces raid a heavily-armed ZANU camp in Mozambique. In the ensuing fighting, ZANU leader Robert Mugabe is mortally wounded.
30th July 1979 – Paramount announces that the contract disputes that brought about Star Trek: Phase II's hiatus have now been settled. Despite this, however, the show remains on hiatus, triggering rumours of an impending cancellation of the series, possibly in favour of a full-length motion picture.
14th August 1979 – The ‘Gladys Love Presley Center for Drug and Alcohol Addiction’ opens in a suburb of Memphis, TN. A visibly trimmer Elvis performs "You'll Never Walk Alone" to the audience's acclaim.
15th August 1979 – After a long and troubled production, the Francis Ford Coppola film ‘Apocalypse Now’ (loosely based on the novel ‘Heart of Darkness’). Set during the Vietnam War, the film receives near-universal acclaim and is a commercial success.
17th August 1979 – Joshua Nkomo begins merging the remnants of ZANU with his ZAPU, in some cases by force.
22nd August 1979 – The initial development phase for the IAI Arye is completed. Work starts on the production of the first three aircraft.
27th August 1979 – An IRA plot to assassinate 79-year-old Lord Louis Mountbatten is discovered and foiled after the arrest of IRA bombmaker Thomas McMahon, shortly before the scheduled detonation of a bomb planted on Mountbatten’s fishing boat.
6th September 1979 – The UK General Election is held. Jim Callaghan’s Labour government is defeated by the Conservative Party in a landslide. Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
13th November 1979 – Former California Governor and 1976 candidate Ronald Reagan announces his candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
15th November 1979 – Allegedly caught off guard by Reagan’s announced candidacy, Vice President Bob Dole announces his own candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
1st December 1979 – At a Kennedy Center gala honouring Martha Graham (Mrs. Ford's former dance teacher), Betty Ford is observed to be slurring her words a little. Concerned, her husband thinks that she is suffering from a mini-stroke. The First Lady is rushed to nearby George Washington University Hospital.
3rd December 1979 – After two days of extensive tests, Betty Ford is discharged from George Washington University Hospital, with no evidence of a stroke being found.
8th December 1979 – The film ‘Superman II’, directed by the late Mark Robson and Richard Lester, is released. The film, despite experiencing the same criticisms as its predecessor, is a modest financial success.
16th December 1979 – The first of three IAI Arye prototypes is completed and begins its test flights.
* * *
1st February 1980 – The Israeli government authorizes the IAF to present a list of technical specifications and requirements for the development of the IAF's future lightweight fighter.
12th February 1980 – Having originally been contracted to do three Bond films, as well as suffering recurring health problems during the shooting of ‘Moonraker’, Roger Moore announces that he will not be returning for the next Bond film. Rumours that his departure was influenced by the mixed critical reception of ‘Moonwalker’ are denied by Moore and the producers. Meanwhile, popularly cited candidates for Moore’s eventual replacement include Michael Billington and Timothy Dalton.
14th February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics commence in Lake Placid, New York, USA.
18th February 1980 – The SAS Adventurous (S101) is commissioned into the South African Navy. The vessel is the second of two Agosta-class submarines ordered by South Africa.
23rd February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics conclude, with East Germany at the top of the medal table with 10 Gold medals (out of a total of 24). The Soviet Union and the United States occupy second and third place, with 9 and 6 Gold medals respectively.
9th May 1980 – Led by Air Marshal Frank Mussell of the Zimbabwe Rhodesian Air Force, elements of the military, dissatisfied with the compromise government, launch an attempted coup in Salisbury. While they manage to seize most important government buildings, Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa is protected by police and escapes to Epworth, where he issues a public statement extolling loyalists to stand up to the would-be military junta. Though large parts of the army remain loyal to Muzorewa's government, his troops are outnumbered and he is forced to make contact with ZAPU in order to seek the huge guerrilla force's aid.
11th May 1980 – The ‘Pact of Epworth’ is signed by Prime Minister Abel Murozewa and ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo, officially legalising ZAPU and guaranteeing new elections after the coup is defeated. The Pact makes Nkomo an incredibly popular figure among the black population of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
16th May 1980 – The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) issues a fine to all teams of the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) after the latter fail to appear at the drivers’ briefings for the United States West and the Belgian Grand Prix.
18th May 1980 – Carlos Reutemann wins the Monaco Grand Prix.
20th May 1980 – The 1980 Quebec Referendum ends with a 56.6% No vote.
29th May 1980 – The Israeli Air Force receives the first ten pre-production model IAI Arye fighters for testing, with regular production to begin in the following two years with a planned order of 100 aircraft.
1st June 1980 – Due to the ongoing disputes with FISA, the various FOCA teams (as wells as Tyrrell and Shadow) boycott the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite this, the race goes ahead, with Alan Jones taking the win.
19th June 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics commence in Moscow. Notable is the participation of Zimbabwe Rhodesia (despite ongoing political upheaval in the country) for the first time since 1964 (as ‘Rhodesia’).
14th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention opens in the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan.
17th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention concludes. Former California Governor Ronald Reagan secures the Presidential Nomination, despite a determined campaign by Vice President Bob Dole. RNC Chairman and former Tennessee Senator Bill Brock is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
31st July 1980 – The Zimbabwe Rhodesia women’s field hockey team wins the gold medal in what is considered one the biggest upset in the sport’s history, defeating more established opponents like Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.
1st August 1980 – Cuba provides the second big surprise of the 1980 Olympics by securing fourth place in the Men’s Football Tournament, defeating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the Quarter Final.
3rd August 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics conclude, with East Germany winning the highest number of medals (a total of 148 medals) and the USA winning the highest number of gold medals (41).
10th August 1980 – ZAPU forces led by Joshua Nkomo, fighting alongside government forces, surround and enter Salisbury, despite heavy resistance by Mussell's forces. Finally, as ZAPU forces approach Mussell's stronghold at the National Gallery, the coup forces finally surrender. Mussell and the other coup leaders are taken into custody by government and ZAPU forces.
11th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention opens in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.
13th August 1980 – Abel Muzorewa returns in triumph to Salisbury, where he announces the dissolving of the government and the holding of new elections.
14th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention concludes, with Idaho Senator Frank Church securing the Presidential Nomination, while outgoing Florida Governor Reubin Askew wins the Vice Presidential Nomination. This marks the last time that the Democratic Party decides the Vice Presidential nominee via roll call.
15th August 1980 – The United States and the United Kingdom issue statements lauding both Muzorewa and Nkomo for their “commitment to the democratic process”.
19th August 1980 – After a six-month delay to its originally planned launch, the Space Shuttle Columbia undergoes its first official launch, thus marking the beginning of the Space Shuttle's operational service. The date of the launch is noted as being the 20th anniversary of the launch of Korabl-Sputnik 2 (more commonly known as 'Sputnik 5'), the first spaceflight to carry animals into orbit and return them alive, though NASA officials state that this is a coincidence.
1st September 1980 – John Lennon announces that they will be no Beatles reunion or any more albums, officially confirming his retirement as permanent. This causes outrage by fans of both Lennon and the Beatles.
Paul McCartney states that he is disappointed by the decision. George Harrison confirms "No more Beatle talk, it's over for good". Ringo Starr, however, states "I'm sure that he's kidding and will be back in five years. Just give the Beatle talk a rest and give him a break and he'll pull a surprise for ya".
20th October 1980 – Australian Minister of Defence Jim Killen announces the purchase of 96 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (72 F/A-18As and 24 F/A-18Bs) for the RAAF.
31st October 1980 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia as the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier.
4th November 1980 – The 1980 US Presidential Election takes place.
The Democrats win the election with 304 Electoral Votes to 234. While President Ford's approval ratings are relatively high and Ronald Reagan's charisma is undeniable, both prove to be no match for incumbent fatigue and a strong Democratic campaign (the Democrats particularly determined not to let another certain victory 'slip by' as in 1976).
The election results are particularly notable for the narrow margins of victory (in either direction) among the southern states.
Frank Church / Reubin Askew (Democratic) - 304
Ronald Reagan / Bill Brock (Republican) – 234
1st December 1980 – With the announcement of John Lennon's retirement as a recording artist 3 months prior, Apple Records releases a new Beatle compilation CD "The Green Album - 1969-1975" which features John, Paul, Ringo and George's solo hits that were recorded on the label during this period. The album becomes the biggest selling album over the Christmas period.
The album is backed with a new single ‘Not Guilty’ (with ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ as the B-side). Both sides were outtakes from the White Album and Beatles for Sale albums respectfully, and were remixed by George Martin for release. This was, according to Paul McCartney, to thank the fans for their support over the years and to apologize for concluding that there would be no Beatles reunion. He states “Despite no more new songs, I'm sure Apple Records will continue to promote the Beatles this decade”. The single reaches No.1 in the UK and US.
Yoko Ono also issues a statement saying: “John approves these releases, as George Martin has completed a great job in producing this album and single. I would like to let you know that, despite him retiring as a recording artist, he will remain a song-writer, as it remains his passion. He doesn't want to record because he wants to remain a private and family person. I will have a new album soon ('Walking on Thin Ice') which he has helped written some songs for.”
10th December 1980 – The second (and final) Zimbabwe Rhodesian General Election is held. The final results leave ZAPU as the majority party, though the UANC also performs strongly. Joshua Nkomo becomes Prime Minister, while Abel Murozewa is offered the Presidency in a show of bipartisanship. Murozewa accepts the position (former President Josiah Gumede is offered the cabinet position of Education Minister and also accepts), thus the first ‘Government of National Unity’ is formed.
One of the new government’s first acts is to propose the removal of ‘Rhodesia’ from the country’s name, in favour of simply ‘Zimbabwe’. The motion is soon approved and is set to come into force on the 1st of June 1981 (the second anniversary of the declaration of Zimbabwe Rhodesia).
19th December 1980 – Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr make a surprise appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, performing ‘Coming Up’, ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ (the song’s only TV performance) and ‘Yesterday’. ABBA also make a surprise appearance, closing the show with ‘Super Trouper’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and ‘Waterloo’, before leading the finale of ‘Thank You for the Music’. They are joined on the bill by Sammy Davis Jr, Aretha Franklin and Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The telecast on the BBC on Christmas Day leads it to become the UK's biggest broadcast of the year and boosted the Green Album and ‘Super Trouper’ to massive sales. George Harrison would later state “I regretted not joining them, since that would have been our farewell, even without John. The 1963 Royal Variety Show is still one of our greatest moments, it would have been nice to revisit that. But it would never have convinced John, never”.
* * *
20th January 1981 – Frank Church is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States. Reubin Askew is also inaugurated as the 43rd Vice President of the United States.
25th February 1981 – Yoko Ono releases ‘Walking on Thin Ice’. Despite the songwriting of her husband and his strong support, the album receives negative critical reviews. However, the single ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ reaches #13 as it is mistakenly believed that Lennon actually wrote this song. A song that he actually did write, ‘Just Like Starting Over’, only reaches #40.
5th April 1981 – At a diner on New York City’s Upper West Side, John Lennon confronts Village Voice music critic Geoffrey Stokes, whose review of ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ was particularly nasty. The two men nearly get into a fistfight. As Stokes' friend pulls him away, the critic yells, “Tell Yoko that she needs to retire, too!”, at which point, Yoko herself enters the diner.
Although she records some songs here and there, ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ goes on to be her last album. As she notes in a later memoir, she ‘realised that her gifts lay in writing and staging plays’.
20th April 1981 – Ringo Star releases the album ‘Can't Fight Lightning’, with the lead single ‘Nobody Told Me’, written and produced by John Lennon. ‘Nobody Told Me’ becomes a Top 10 hit in the UK, and reaches Top 50 in the US. The album flops however, reaching top 30 in the UK and failing to enter the Top 100 in the US.
1st May 1981 – Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla remarry in Hawaii.
1st July 1981 – The Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia officially changes its name to the ‘Republic of Zimbabwe’.
6th July 1981 – After a series of interventions by former President Ford, their children, and the family doctor, Betty Ford enters treatment for alcohol and prescription drug treatment at Long Beach Naval Hospital.
14th July 1981 – The F-14B prototype (BuNo 157986) is brought out of storage for testing the viability of replacing the TF30 engines with a pair of General Electric F101 engines. Grumman test pilots discovered that the F-14B could accelerate from Mach 0.8 to Mach 1.8 in just 90 seconds and the Navy found out, that the F-14B could launch from a catapult without the use of afterburners. Further, for the first time in the F-14's lifetime, pilot talked of "flying the aircraft and not the engines".
7th August 1981 – During a routine deployment aboard USS America (CV-66), an F-14 Tomcat of VF-213 "Black Lions" suffers a compressor stall and explodes while attempting a land. An investigation is subsequently launched in order to discover the cause of the accident (specifically, whether it was the result of a potential design flaw in the Tomcat design).
3rd September 1981 – BuNo 158630 is built as the second F-14B prototype and equipped with a marinized version of the F101 engines dubbed the F101-GE400.
* * *
11th January 1982 – Betty Ford enrolls in classes at the University of California, Riverside. She will be popular with her classmates, some of whom are women close to her age, others of whom are closer to her children's ages. She will go on to major in art therapy, working with people who are going through treatment for addiction. Later she will also join the board of the Gladys Love Presley Center, working closely with the Presleys.
18th January 1982 – Three of the four Monkees (Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones) reunite at the Gladys Love Presley Center where they are being treated for substance abuse issues. They subsequently decide to record an album and tour. One of the songs on their album ‘Return of the Monkees’ is written by John Lennon, and that song (‘Watching the Wheels’) will reach the Top Ten in September 1982. In his Village Voice column, Geoffrey Stokes wonders what Lennon would have done with that “bit of Muzak for Monkeemaniacs”.
29th March 1982 – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's ‘Ebony and Ivory’ is released, eventually reaching #1 on the pop charts. Critic Geoffrey Stokes titles his column on the single “Waiting for Lennon”.
19th April 1982 – The MN Bretagne is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
20th May 1982 – Elvis Costello changes his name to Winston O'Boogie for his new album ‘The Wait is Over’. His song ‘I Love Everybody’ reaches #1 on both sides of the Atlantic.
12th June 1982 – After several delays in production, the James Bond film ‘For Your Eyes Only’ is released. The film, the twelfth entry in the series and the first to star Timothy Dalton in the title role, is significantly darker in tone than its predecessor and is widely praised for bringing the Bond franchise ‘back to reality’ after the outlandishness of ‘Moonraker’. The film is also notable for introducing the Walther P5 as Bond’s sidearm (at the behest of Walther, who wished to promote the newer firearm), replacing the more traditional PPK for the remainder of the Dalton era.
1st July 1982 – Rumours begin to spread that John Lennon is driving a taxi-cab after alleged sightings in New York City. However, it is soon found that is in fact another 60s musician behind the wheel, specifically John Sebastian, founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful.
10th September 1982 – John Lennon is sighted at a playhouse near Columbia University. There Yoko Ono is directing a production of a minor play by Samuel Beckett. Columbia senior Barry Obama titles his review of the play “After Seeing Lennon”. Geoffrey Stokes is not in the audience. Neither is any other critic.
26th October 1982 – Pope John XXIV suffers a heart attack during a papal visit to the United Kingdom (the first such visit in the history of the Papacy). He is rushed to the Manchester Royal Infirmary where his condition is eventually declared 'stable'.
27th October 1982 – DUP Leader and North Antrim MP Ian Paisley causes controversy when he describes the Pope's heart attack as an example of "God's righteous judgement against the sinful depravity of the Papists" and expresses hope that "the vile Romish Antichrist" will soon be in hell.
30th October 1982 – On the same day that Pope John XXIV is released from the Manchester Royal Infirmary, an attempt on the life of Ian Paisley is made. While Paisley survives the attempt (motivated by his anti-Pope comments several days earlier), he will require the use a walking cane for the rest of his life due to the injuries sustained.
* * *
14th April 1983 – The MN Provence is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
7th October 1983 – The unofficial (i.e. non-EON) James Bond film ‘Warhead’, starring Roger Moore, is released. The film, originally intended to star Sean Connery in the title role, is the result of a copyright settlement made in the mid-60s between EON and Kevin McClory, one of the original writers of the story Ian Fleming adapted into the ‘Thunderball’ novel, and had been in development since 1975. Upon release, ‘Warhead’ receives favourable reviews and is universally considered a more fitting swansong to Moore’s Bond than the official EON film ‘Moonraker’.
27th October 1983 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is launched from the Newport News Shipbuilding Company.
* * *
4th August 1984 – Following a coup, the ‘Republic of Upper Volta’ changes it’s name to ‘Burkina Faso’. The nation’s flag is also changed.
* * *
10th April 1985 – The MN Bretagne is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
25th October 1985 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is commissioned into the United States Navy as the fourth member of the Nimitz-class supercarriers.
* * *
5th April 1986 – The MN Provence is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
–
–
December 13, 1980: South Africa closes its borders to Zimbabwe after the election of ZAPU as majority party, calling the party "a gaggle of terrorists" and Nkomo a "rabble-rouser". The act earns some condemnation from the West; most, however, are just glad the Rhodesian debacle is over for now.
February 2, 1981: After a disastrous raid on Lebanese Front training camps in January ending with the deaths of almost a hundred civilians, Syria is forced to officially withdraw its forces from Lebanon due to outcry from not only the Lebanese government but from many Arab states. As a result, the Lebanese Front is able to establish control over Beirut.
March 10, 1981: The Lebanese People's Front (LPF) is formed. It is a loosely-aligned alliance between the Lebanese Front, the Druze, various Maronite groups, and several secular militias. They are united not only in the desire for a peaceful Lebanon, but also in their opposition to the harboring of Palestinian nationalists.
May 3, 1981: The LPF defeats government forces in a decisive battle south of Beirut. Most of the Lebanese Armed Forces are either wounded, captured, or dead. The government will capitulate only a week later, leaving the LPF as the nation's governing authority.
May 5, 1981: The LPF suspend the constitution until the establishment of order in southern Lebanon, but promise not to scrap it and to call free and fair elections by 1983.
June-August, 1981: The "Summer War" in Lebanon--LPF forces engage PLO fighters all across southern Lebanon in an attempt to evict the Palestinians and Hezbollah from the area. In July, both Abbas al-Musawi and Hassan Nasrallah, along with more than five hundred Hezbollah fighters, are killed in a major raid in southern Lebanon, effectively ending Hezbollah as a fighting or political force. By the end of August, most of the PLO have been forced out of Lebanon and into Syria, with only a few isolated areas still resisting the LPF.
I saved Lebanon!
February 2, 1981: After a disastrous raid on Lebanese Front training camps in January ending with the deaths of almost a hundred civilians, Syria is forced to officially withdraw its forces from Lebanon due to outcry from not only the Lebanese government but from many Arab states. As a result, the Lebanese Front is able to establish control over Beirut.
March 10, 1981: The Lebanese People's Front (LPF) is formed. It is a loosely-aligned alliance between the Lebanese Front, the Druze, various Maronite groups, and several secular militias. They are united not only in the desire for a peaceful Lebanon, but also in their opposition to the harboring of Palestinian nationalists.
May 3, 1981: The LPF defeats government forces in a decisive battle south of Beirut. Most of the Lebanese Armed Forces are either wounded, captured, or dead. The government will capitulate only a week later, leaving the LPF as the nation's governing authority.
May 5, 1981: The LPF suspend the constitution until the establishment of order in southern Lebanon, but promise not to scrap it and to call free and fair elections by 1983.
June-August, 1981: The "Summer War" in Lebanon--LPF forces engage PLO fighters all across southern Lebanon in an attempt to evict the Palestinians and Hezbollah from the area. In July, both Abbas al-Musawi and Hassan Nasrallah, along with more than five hundred Hezbollah fighters, are killed in a major raid in southern Lebanon, effectively ending Hezbollah as a fighting or political force. By the end of August, most of the PLO have been forced out of Lebanon and into Syria, with only a few isolated areas still resisting the LPF.
I saved Lebanon!
Am glad to see that this TL is reviving a little. Hope to see more contributions.
I am wondering about the fate of the Panama Canal ITTL. Would a Pres. Ford change anything, including how conservatives responded to the transfer to Panama?
I am also thinking about some events in which George H.W. Bush writes a book arguing for realism in foreign policy and against idealism (esp. Frank Church's).
I am wondering about the fate of the Panama Canal ITTL. Would a Pres. Ford change anything, including how conservatives responded to the transfer to Panama?
I am also thinking about some events in which George H.W. Bush writes a book arguing for realism in foreign policy and against idealism (esp. Frank Church's).
I dunno. I feel as though Ford would get involved in Panama and then get antsy when it turns out he can't get out (second 'nam?).
The Storyteller
Banned
Well, time for yet another attempt at getting this thing rolling again. First, an update...
-
THE UPSET OF THE CENTURY
15th July 1976 – Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter secures the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota is chosen as the Vice Presidential nominee.
19th August 1976 – Despite a strong challenge from former California Governor Ronald Reagan, incumbent President Gerald Ford secures the Republican Presidential Nomination. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas is named Ford’s running mate, replacing Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on the Republican ticket.
23rd September 1976 – The First US Presidential Debate (the first to be held since the 1960 Election) takes place. The debate is marred by a 27-minute delay caused by a failure in the sound system on stage. President Ford performs well during the debate itself, with most subsequent polls considering Ford the winner.
6th October 1976 – The Second US Presidential Debates take place. The debate is temporarily interrupted by a brief power outage which cuts off President Ford’s microphone while he is answering a question about the Soviet Union’s involvement in Eastern Europe. Fortunately there are no further technical issues and the second debate is considered another strong performance by Ford.
15th October 1976 – The US Vice Presidential Debate (the first of their kind in US history) takes place. The debate is notable for Bob Dole’s statements concerning what he refers to as ‘Democratic Wars’ and their collective death toll being equal to the population of Detroit. These statements are subsequently considered damaging to the Republican campaign.
22nd October 1976 – The Third US Presidential Debate takes place. No technical difficulties occur during the debate and Carter is narrowly considered the victor despite another competent performance by Ford.
2nd November 1976 – The 1976 US Presidential Election takes place.
Despite the Democrats beginning the campaign with a 33-point lead in the polls, the Republicans narrowly win the election with 276 Electoral Votes to 261 (with 1 Faithless Elector in the State of Washington voting for Ronald Reagan).
The election results are also notable for the narrow margins of victory on a State level, with 20 States being won by a margin of less than 5%, the two closest being Ohio and Wisconsin, which both went Republican by less than 0.1%.
Gerald R. Ford / Bob Dole (Republican) - 276
James Earl Carter / Walter Mondale (Democratic) - 261
Ronald Reagan - 1 (Faithless Elector)
* * *
20th January 1977 – Gerald R. Ford is inaugurated for a full term as President of the United States. Due to the terms of the 22nd Amendment, he is ineligible for re-election in 1980, having already served more than half of Richard Nixon's second Presidential term.
Bob Dole is also inaugurated as the 42nd Vice President of the United States.
31st January 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ begins operational testing.
February 1977 – The ‘First Video Game Crash’ begins. The crash in the games console market occurs when manufacturers of older ‘dedicated’ consoles (also known as ‘Pong’ consoles) flood the market in order to clear stock, creating a glut in the market. The crash ultimately leads to companies such as RCA and Fairchild leaving the market.
27th February 1977 – The remaining seven Virginia-class CGNs are authorized for construction. They will be the first vessels to be equipped with the Aegis Combat System.
18th March 1977 – The keel of MN Bretagne, the first of two Bretagne-class amphibious assault ships is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
19th March 1977 – Wales narrowly win the Five Nations Championship (their third in a row), despite an unexpectedly strong showing from the French team.
25th March 1977 – In Aruba, the Referendum for Self Determination ends with a 96.44% vote in favour of independence.
8th May 1977 – In the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, a Referendum on Independence ends with a 99.8% vote in favour of independence.
22nd May 1977 – Carlos Pace dies during the Monaco Grand Prix after crashing during the 23rd lap. The race is shortened by 20 laps as a result.
25th May 1977 – The film ‘Star Wars’, directed by George Lucas, is released. Not expected to be a great success, the film goes on to become one of the most successful films of the decade, replacing Stephen Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ as the highest earning film in North America.
25th June 1977 – Great Britain win the 1977 Rugby League World Cup after defeating Australia 12-10.
27th June 1977 – The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas officially declares independence, becoming the ‘Republic of Djibouti’.
16th July 1977 – The Israeli government votes to resume funding and development of the IAI Arye (having been cancelled the previous year) despite IAF General Benny Peled's continued recommendations in favour of purchasing F-15s and F-16s from the United States.
30th June 1977 – The South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), originally founded in 1954, is formally dissolved.
7th July 1977 – The James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, the third to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, 1974’s ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’.
12th August 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ undergoes its first free flight.
15th August 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley suffers a massive heart attack two days before the beginning of a scheduled concert tour (which is subsequently cancelled) and falls into a coma.
20th August 1977 – The ‘Voyager 2’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the first of the Voyager probes to be launched.
5th September 1977 – The ‘Voyager 1’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the second of the Voyager probes to be launched.
11th September 1977 – Atari, Inc releases the ‘Video Computer System’ (VCS), the company’s first non-dedicated home console and the second cartridge-based console to enter the North American market (the first being the Fairchild VES/Channel F, released the previous November). The console is a commercial success and marks the beginning of the end of the ‘First Video Game Crash’.
In response to the VCS’s release, Fairchild changes the name of their own console from ‘Video Entertainment System’ (VES) to ‘Channel F’ (in reference to the machine’s F8 CPU).
12th September 1977 – South African anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko dies while in police custody, allegedly the result of a hunger strike. Despite an ongoing journalistic investigation, the true cause of Biko’s death (massive head trauma) is successfully concealed by South African authorities for the time being.
9th October 1977 – South African driver Jody Scheckter wins the 1977 Formula One championship, becoming the first champion to hail from the African continent.
18th October 1977 – The Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is commissioned into United States Navy.
26th October 1977 – The Space Shuttle Enterprise undergoes its fifth and final test flight.
20th November 1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to visit Israel, meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister as part of peace negotiations stemming from 1973’s Arab-Israeli War.
10th December 1977 – The 1977 Australian Federal Election ends with a Liberal/National coalition victory. Malcolm Fraser remains Prime Minister of Australia with a 23 seat majority in the House of Representatives.
14th December 1977 – The submarine SAS Astrant (S100) is launched. It is the first of the two Agosta-class submarines ordered by the South African Navy.
21st December 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley awakens from his coma.
22nd December 1977 – Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini dies in an automobile accident in Najaf, Iraq. Khomeini, a notable opponent of the Iranian Shah, had been in exile from Iran for over 13 years.
* * *
12th January 1978 – After a long (and increasingly public) series of disputes between United Artists and its parent company Transamerica, the two companies reach a last-minute compromise over both administrative expenses and the creative direction of UA. Rumours of a threatened walkout by a number of prominent UA executives are strongly denied by Transamerica.
13th January 1978 – Minnesota Senator and former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey dies of bladder cancer.
3rd March 1978 – In Rhodesia, the ‘Internal Settlement’ is signed between Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and members of the United African National Congress (UANC), Rhodesia’s only legal black party. An interim governing Executive Council is established until elections can be held under a new constitution, both to be voted on the following year.
18th March 1978 – Just before the kick-off of their first exhibition match, the Netherlands National Football Team announces that it will not participate in the 1978 World Cup Tournament in Argentina, in protest against Argentina's current political system.
In response, Belgium is invited to take the place of The Netherlands, but the Belgian team rejects the offer. Bolivia (the loser of the the UEFA/CONMEBOL playoff) ultimately accepts the invitation and participates as part of Group 4 (alongside Peru, Scotland and Iran).
13th April 1978 – The keel of MN Provence, the second Bretagne-class amphibious assault ship, is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
29th April 1978 – The Paramount Television Service (PTVS), an attempt to create a ‘fourth network’, launches.
6th May 1978 – ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ premiers on the Paramount Television Service. In addition to the Original Series cast (minus Leonard Nimoy), the show stars Stephen Collins, Persis Khambatta and David Gautreaux.
18th May 1978 – Sapporo, Japan becomes the host city of the 1984 Winter Olympics after narrowly winning the bid over Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in the second round of voting by a margin of 38-37.
1st June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup Tournament begins in Argentina.
11th June 1978 – Regina Maršíková wins the Women’s Singles at the 1978 French Open, defeating Virginia Ruzici 6-1 6-0 in the final.
20th June 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a heart attack during filming for the film ‘Superman’. While Robson ultimately recovers and is able to see the filming of Superman through, Richard Lester is hired to complete filming ‘Superman II’ (both films being filmed simultaneously).
25th June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup concludes, with Brazil defeating Italy 2-0 in the final to win their record-setting fourth championship. Previous champions West Germany finish in third place (defeating Poland in the third-place playoff), while host nation Argentina finishes in sixth place.
5th August 1978 – The Season One finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Despite mixed reviews, the series is picked up for a full 22-episode Season (the first season consisting of 14 episodes – 15 if the Pilot is counted as a two-parter, as it is shown as in later airings) to be aired later in the year.
6th August 1978 – Pope Paul VI dies of a heart attack at the age of 80.
13th August 1978 – Despite significant progress made between the two countries since the previous November, peace talks between Israel and Egypt fall through due to the question of sovereignty of both the West Bank and the Sinai Peninsula. Both remain under Israeli control for the foreseeable.
26th August 1978 – The Papal Conclave elects Cardinal-Archbishop Giovanni Benelli of Florence as Pope. He subsequently takes the papal name John XXIV.
17th September 1978 – ‘Battlestar Galactica’, created by Glen A. Larson, premiers on ABC.
19th September 1978 – A week after the first anniversary of Stephen Biko’s death, evidence that Biko did not die as the result of a hunger strike is discovered and published. The news spreads throughout both South Africa and the rest of the world, causing outrage worldwide and triggering riots throughout South Africa.
As a result of the crisis, South African Prime Minister John Vorster decides to postpone his planned retirement.
7th November 1978 – The US Midterm Elections take place.
As predicted, the Democrats make a moderate net gain and retain their existing majorities in both the House and the Senate. The Republicans do however make two notable gains in the House, including a single district in otherwise Democratic Georgia (the 6th District, won by Newton Gingrich in his third attempt at election, having previously been the Republican candidate in 1974 and 1976) and a former Democratic stronghold in Texas (the 19th District, won by George W. Bush, son of CIA Director George Bush, in an extremely narrow upset against Democrat Kent Hance).
9th November 1978 – The D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos SAS Good Hope and SAS Transvaal are commissioned into the South African Navy.
18th November 1978 – The second season of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ begins airing on PTVS.
26th November 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a second heart attack, this time fatal. He dies 8 days short of his 65th birthday and two weeks before the premier of ‘Superman’.
10th December 1978 – The film ‘Superman’, directed by the Mark Robson, is released. The film, starring Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner in the title role, is a commercial success but is criticized for it’s campy tone and bloated script.
17th December 1978 – The IIS Ardeshir is laid down at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi as the third guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
* * *
21st January 1979 – The Dallas Cowboys win the twelfth annual Superbowl, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers by 31-29. The twelfth Superbowl is the first to be held in a domed stadium and the first to be broadcast during prime time hours.
26th January 1979 – Former US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller dies of a heart attack at the age of 70.
19th February 1979 – The SAS Astrant (S100) is commissioned into the South African Navy.
23rd February 1979 – The film ‘The Deer Hunter’ (based on the unproduced ‘The Man Who Came to Play’) is released. Originally planned for release the previous December, the film is one of the first major releases to depict the events of the Vietnam War in a negative light.
3rd March 1979 – Wales win their fifth Five Nations Tournament in a row, defeating England 20-6 in the final match.
25th March 1979 – The Space Shuttle Columbia arrives at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle’s first orbital launch is scheduled for later in the year.
26th March 1979 – The IIS Shapour is laid down at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine as the fifth guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
28th March 1979 – In the UK, a Vote of No Confidence against the Labour Government of James Callaghan is narrowly defeated.
4th May 1979 – South African Prime Minister John Vorster steps down, partly due to growing criticisms over his role in the ongoing ‘Muldergate Scandal’.
11th May 1979 – After a closely fought leadership election, John Vorster is succeeded as National Party Leader by Foreign Minister Roelof F. Botha (popularly known by the nickname ‘Pik’), who becomes Prime Minister of South Africa.
12th May 1979 – The Season Two finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Due to contract negotiations with several of the main cast (William Shatner in particular), the show has already gone on hiatus and the second season finale is edited in order to serve as a de facto series finale should the show not go back into production.
Ipswich Town wins their first FA Cup, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the Cup Final.
22nd May 1979 – The 1979 Canadian Federal Election is held. The Progressive Conservative Party wins 147 seats (52.1%), the Liberal Party wins 100 seats (35.5%), and the New Democrat Party wins 35 seats (12.4%). Joe Clark becomes the 16th Prime Minister of Canada.
25th May 1979 – The Canadian government announces the end of the New Fighter Aircraft Program with 160 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (112 F/A-18As and 48 F/A-18Bs) being chosen as the replacement for the aging CF-104 Starfighters and CF-116 Freedom Fighters.
1st June 1979 – The ‘Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia’ is declared in Rhodesia, following the overall General Election held throughout April and May. Bishop Abel Murozewa becomes Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, while Josiah Gumede becomes President.
Joshua Nkomo of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), both of whom declined the offer to take part in the elections, denounce the election results and the new government. As a result, the Bush War continues.
12th June 1979 – The United States Senate votes to lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
15th June 1979 – ‘Rocky II’, the sequel to the 1976 film ‘Rocky’, is released. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith and Talia Shire all reprise their roles from the first film. Like the first film, ‘Rocky II’ is a commercial success.
23rd June 1979 – The West Indies win the second quadrennial ICC Cricket World Cup, defeating New Zealand in the final.
26th June 1979 – The James Bond film ‘Moonraker’, the fourth to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film, heavily influenced by the success of Star Wars, is criticised for it’s overly campy tone and receives mixed-to-negative reviews.
11th July 1979 – Skylab, the USA's first Space Station, is destroyed after undergoing atmospheric re-entry.
20th July 1979 – Zimbabwe Rhodesian forces raid a heavily-armed ZANU camp in Mozambique. In the ensuing fighting, ZANU leader Robert Mugabe is mortally wounded.
30th July 1979 – Paramount announces that the contract disputes that brought about Star Trek: Phase II's hiatus have now been settled. Despite this, however, the show remains on hiatus, triggering rumours of an impending cancellation of the series, possibly in favour of a full-length motion picture.
14th August 1979 – The ‘Gladys Love Presley Center for Drug and Alcohol Addiction’ opens in a suburb of Memphis, TN. A visibly trimmer Elvis performs "You'll Never Walk Alone" to the audience's acclaim.
15th August 1979 – After a long and troubled production, the Francis Ford Coppola film ‘Apocalypse Now’ (loosely based on the novel ‘Heart of Darkness’). Set during the Vietnam War, the film receives near-universal acclaim and is a commercial success.
17th August 1979 – Joshua Nkomo begins merging the remnants of ZANU with his ZAPU, in some cases by force.
22nd August 1979 – The initial development phase for the IAI Arye is completed. Work starts on the production of the first three aircraft.
27th August 1979 – An IRA plot to assassinate 79-year-old Lord Louis Mountbatten is discovered and foiled after the arrest of IRA bombmaker Thomas McMahon, shortly before the scheduled detonation of a bomb planted on Mountbatten’s fishing boat.
6th September 1979 – The UK General Election is held. Jim Callaghan’s Labour government is defeated by the Conservative Party in a landslide. Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
13th November 1979 – Former California Governor and 1976 candidate Ronald Reagan announces his candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
15th November 1979 – Allegedly caught off guard by Reagan’s announced candidacy, Vice President Bob Dole announces his own candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
1st December 1979 – At a Kennedy Center gala honouring Martha Graham (Mrs. Ford's former dance teacher), Betty Ford is observed to be slurring her words a little. Concerned, her husband thinks that she is suffering from a mini-stroke. The First Lady is rushed to nearby George Washington University Hospital.
3rd December 1979 – After two days of extensive tests, Betty Ford is discharged from George Washington University Hospital, with no evidence of a stroke being found.
8th December 1979 – The film ‘Superman II’, directed by the late Mark Robson and Richard Lester, is released. The film, despite experiencing the same criticisms as its predecessor, is a modest financial success.
16th December 1979 – The first of three IAI Arye prototypes is completed and begins its test flights.
* * *
1st February 1980 – The Israeli government authorizes the IAF to present a list of technical specifications and requirements for the development of the IAF's future lightweight fighter.
12th February 1980 – Having originally been contracted to do three Bond films, as well as suffering recurring health problems during the shooting of ‘Moonraker’, Roger Moore announces that he will not be returning for the next Bond film. Rumours that his departure was influenced by the mixed critical reception of ‘Moonwalker’ are denied by Moore and the producers. Meanwhile, popularly cited candidates for Moore’s eventual replacement include Michael Billington and Timothy Dalton.
14th February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics commence in Lake Placid, New York, USA.
18th February 1980 – The SAS Adventurous (S101) is commissioned into the South African Navy. The vessel is the second of two Agosta-class submarines ordered by South Africa.
23rd February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics conclude, with East Germany at the top of the medal table with 10 Gold medals (out of a total of 24). The Soviet Union and the United States occupy second and third place, with 9 and 6 Gold medals respectively.
9th May 1980 – Led by Air Marshal Frank Mussell of the Zimbabwe Rhodesian Air Force, elements of the military, dissatisfied with the compromise government, launch an attempted coup in Salisbury. While they manage to seize most important government buildings, Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa is protected by police and escapes to Epworth, where he issues a public statement extolling loyalists to stand up to the would-be military junta. Though large parts of the army remain loyal to Muzorewa's government, his troops are outnumbered and he is forced to make contact with ZAPU in order to seek the huge guerrilla force's aid.
11th May 1980 – The ‘Pact of Epworth’ is signed by Prime Minister Abel Murozewa and ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo, officially legalising ZAPU and guaranteeing new elections after the coup is defeated. The Pact makes Nkomo an incredibly popular figure among the black population of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
16th May 1980 – The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) issues a fine to all teams of the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) after the latter fail to appear at the drivers’ briefings for the United States West and the Belgian Grand Prix.
18th May 1980 – Carlos Reutemann wins the Monaco Grand Prix.
20th May 1980 – The 1980 Quebec Referendum ends with a 56.6% No vote.
29th May 1980 – The Israeli Air Force receives the first ten pre-production model IAI Arye fighters for testing, with regular production to begin in the following two years with a planned order of 100 aircraft.
1st June 1980 – Due to the ongoing disputes with FISA, the various FOCA teams (as wells as Tyrrell and Shadow) boycott the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite this, the race goes ahead, with Alan Jones taking the win.
19th June 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics commence in Moscow. Notable is the participation of Zimbabwe Rhodesia (despite ongoing political upheaval in the country) for the first time since 1964 (as ‘Rhodesia’).
14th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention opens in the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan.
17th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention concludes. Former California Governor Ronald Reagan secures the Presidential Nomination, despite a determined campaign by Vice President Bob Dole. RNC Chairman and former Tennessee Senator Bill Brock is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
31st July 1980 – The Zimbabwe Rhodesia women’s field hockey team wins the gold medal in what is considered one the biggest upset in the sport’s history, defeating more established opponents like Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.
1st August 1980 – Cuba provides the second big surprise of the 1980 Olympics by securing fourth place in the Men’s Football Tournament, defeating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the Quarter Final.
3rd August 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics conclude, with East Germany winning the highest number of medals (a total of 148 medals) and the USA winning the highest number of gold medals (41).
10th August 1980 – ZAPU forces led by Joshua Nkomo, fighting alongside government forces, surround and enter Salisbury, despite heavy resistance by Mussell's forces. Finally, as ZAPU forces approach Mussell's stronghold at the National Gallery, the coup forces finally surrender. Mussell and the other coup leaders are taken into custody by government and ZAPU forces.
11th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention opens in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.
13th August 1980 – Abel Muzorewa returns in triumph to Salisbury, where he announces the dissolving of the government and the holding of new elections.
14th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention concludes, with Idaho Senator Frank Church securing the Presidential Nomination, while outgoing Florida Governor Reubin Askew wins the Vice Presidential Nomination. This marks the last time that the Democratic Party decides the Vice Presidential nominee via roll call.
15th August 1980 – The United States and the United Kingdom issue statements lauding both Muzorewa and Nkomo for their “commitment to the democratic process”.
19th August 1980 – After a six-month delay to its originally planned launch, the Space Shuttle Columbia undergoes its first official launch, thus marking the beginning of the Space Shuttle's operational service. The date of the launch is noted as being the 20th anniversary of the launch of Korabl-Sputnik 2 (more commonly known as 'Sputnik 5'), the first spaceflight to carry animals into orbit and return them alive, though NASA officials state that this is a coincidence.
1st September 1980 – John Lennon announces that they will be no Beatles reunion or any more albums, officially confirming his retirement as permanent. This causes outrage by fans of both Lennon and the Beatles.
Paul McCartney states that he is disappointed by the decision. George Harrison confirms "No more Beatle talk, it's over for good". Ringo Starr, however, states "I'm sure that he's kidding and will be back in five years. Just give the Beatle talk a rest and give him a break and he'll pull a surprise for ya".
20th October 1980 – Australian Minister of Defence Jim Killen announces the purchase of 96 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (72 F/A-18As and 24 F/A-18Bs) for the RAAF.
31st October 1980 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia as the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier.
4th November 1980 – The 1980 US Presidential Election takes place.
The Democrats win the election with 304 Electoral Votes to 234. While President Ford's approval ratings are relatively high and Ronald Reagan's charisma is undeniable, both prove to be no match for incumbent fatigue and a strong Democratic campaign (the Democrats particularly determined not to let another certain victory 'slip by' as in 1976).
The election results are particularly notable for the narrow margins of victory (in either direction) among the southern states.
Frank Church / Reubin Askew (Democratic) - 304
Ronald Reagan / Bill Brock (Republican) – 234
5th November 1980 – After years of ill-health, Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev dies of a heart attack at the age of 73. Competition among Soviet leadership for the position of General Secretary soon coalesces along pro-Brezhnev and anti-Brezhnev lines, primarily represented by Second Secretary Mikhail Suslov and KGB Chairman Yuri Andropov respectively.
9th November 1980 – Konstantin Chernenko is elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, despite strong opposition from the Andropov faction. Chernenko, a long-time Central Committee member and associate of Leonid Brezhnev, is believed to have owed much of his support to such notable Politburo members as Mikhail Suslov and Andrei Kirilenko. Despite his opposition, Yuri Andropov remains Chairman of the KGB.
1st December 1980 – With the announcement of John Lennon's retirement as a recording artist 3 months prior, Apple Records releases a new Beatle compilation CD "The Green Album - 1969-1975" which features John, Paul, Ringo and George's solo hits that were recorded on the label during this period. The album becomes the biggest selling album over the Christmas period.
The album is backed with a new single ‘Not Guilty’ (with ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ as the B-side). Both sides were outtakes from the White Album and Beatles for Sale albums respectfully, and were remixed by George Martin for release. This was, according to Paul McCartney, to thank the fans for their support over the years and to apologize for concluding that there would be no Beatles reunion. He states “Despite no more new songs, I'm sure Apple Records will continue to promote the Beatles this decade”. The single reaches No.1 in the UK and US.
Yoko Ono also issues a statement saying: “John approves these releases, as George Martin has completed a great job in producing this album and single. I would like to let you know that, despite him retiring as a recording artist, he will remain a song-writer, as it remains his passion. He doesn't want to record because he wants to remain a private and family person. I will have a new album soon ('Walking on Thin Ice') which he has helped written some songs for.”
10th December 1980 – The second (and final) Zimbabwe Rhodesian General Election is held. The final results leave ZAPU as the majority party, though the UANC also performs strongly. Joshua Nkomo becomes Prime Minister, while Abel Murozewa is offered the Presidency in a show of bipartisanship. Murozewa accepts the position (former President Josiah Gumede is offered the cabinet position of Education Minister and also accepts), thus the first ‘Government of National Unity’ is formed.
One of the new government’s first acts is to propose the removal of ‘Rhodesia’ from the country’s name, in favour of simply ‘Zimbabwe’. The motion is soon approved and is set to come into force on the 1st of June 1981 (the second anniversary of the declaration of Zimbabwe Rhodesia).
13th December 1980 – South Africa closes its borders with Zimbabwe after the election of ZAPU as the majority party, calling the party “a gaggle of terrorists” and Nkomo a “rabble-rouser”. This earns some condemnation from the west; most, however, are just glad the Rhodesian debacle is over for now.
19th December 1980 – Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr make a surprise appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, performing ‘Coming Up’, ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ (the song’s only TV performance) and ‘Yesterday’. ABBA also make a surprise appearance, closing the show with ‘Super Trouper’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and ‘Waterloo’, before leading the finale of ‘Thank You for the Music’. They are joined on the bill by Sammy Davis Jr, Aretha Franklin and Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The telecast on the BBC on Christmas Day leads it to become the UK's biggest broadcast of the year and boosted the Green Album and ‘Super Trouper’ to massive sales. George Harrison would later state “I regretted not joining them, since that would have been our farewell, even without John. The 1963 Royal Variety Show is still one of our greatest moments, it would have been nice to revisit that. But it would never have convinced John, never”.
* * *
20th January 1981 – Frank Church is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States. Reubin Askew is also inaugurated as the 43rd Vice President of the United States.
2nd February 1981 – After a disastrous raid on Lebanese Front training camps in January ending with the deaths of almost a hundred civilians, Syria is forced to officially withdraw its forces from Lebanon due to outcry from not only the Lebanese government but from many Arab states. As a result, the Lebanese Front is able to establish control over Beirut.
25th February 1981 – Yoko Ono releases ‘Walking on Thin Ice’. Despite the songwriting of her husband and his strong support, the album receives negative critical reviews. However, the single ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ reaches #13 as it is mistakenly believed that Lennon actually wrote this song. A song that he actually did write, ‘Just Like Starting Over’, only reaches #40.
10th March 1981 – The Lebanese People's Front (LPF) is formed. It is a loosely-aligned alliance between the Lebanese Front, the Druze, various Maronite groups, and several secular militias. They are united not only in the desire for a peaceful Lebanon, but also in their opposition to the harbouring of Palestinian nationalists.
5th April 1981 – At a diner on New York City’s Upper West Side, John Lennon confronts Village Voice music critic Geoffrey Stokes, whose review of ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ was particularly nasty. The two men nearly get into a fistfight. As Stokes' friend pulls him away, the critic yells, “Tell Yoko that she needs to retire, too!”, at which point, Yoko herself enters the diner.
Although she records some songs here and there, ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ goes on to be her last album. As she notes in a later memoir, she ‘realised that her gifts lay in writing and staging plays’.
20th April 1981 – Ringo Star releases the album ‘Can't Fight Lightning’, with the lead single ‘Nobody Told Me’, written and produced by John Lennon. ‘Nobody Told Me’ becomes a Top 10 hit in the UK, and reaches Top 50 in the US. The album flops however, reaching top 30 in the UK and failing to enter the Top 100 in the US.
1st May 1981 – Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla remarry in Hawaii.
3rd May 1981 – The LPF defeats government forces in a decisive battle south of Beirut. Most of the Lebanese Armed Forces are either wounded, captured, or dead. The government will capitulate only a week later, leaving the LPF as the nation's governing authority.
5th May 1981 – The LPF suspend the constitution until the establishment of order in southern Lebanon, but promise not to scrap it and to call free and fair elections by 1983.
11th June 1981 – The ‘Summer War’ begins in Lebanon, with LPF forces engaging PLO all across southern Lebanon in an attempt to evict the Palestinians and Hezbollah from the area.
1st July 1981 – The Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia officially changes its name to the ‘Republic of Zimbabwe’.
6th July 1981 – After a series of interventions by former President Ford, their children, and the family doctor, Betty Ford enters treatment for alcohol and prescription drug treatment at Long Beach Naval Hospital.
14th July 1981 – The F-14B prototype (BuNo 157986) is brought out of storage for testing the viability of replacing the TF30 engines with a pair of General Electric F101 engines. Grumman test pilots discovered that the F-14B could accelerate from Mach 0.8 to Mach 1.8 in just 90 seconds and the Navy found out, that the F-14B could launch from a catapult without the use of afterburners. Further, for the first time in the F-14's lifetime, pilot talked of "flying the aircraft and not the engines".
27th July 1981 – Hezbollah leaders Abbas al-Musawi and Hassan Nasrallah, along with more than five hundred Hezbollah fighters, are killed in a major raid in southern Lebanon, effectively ending Hezbollah as a fighting or political force.
7th August 1981 – During a routine deployment aboard USS America (CV-66), an F-14 Tomcat of VF-213 "Black Lions" suffers a compressor stall and explodes while attempting a land. An investigation is subsequently launched in order to discover the cause of the accident (specifically, whether it was the result of a potential design flaw in the Tomcat design).
25th August 1981 – The ‘Summer War’ in Lebanon is officially declared over, with most of the PLO having been forced out of Lebanon and into Syria, though a few isolated areas still resist the LPF.
3rd September 1981 – BuNo 158630 is built as the second F-14B prototype and equipped with a marinized version of the F101 engines dubbed the F101-GE400.
* * *
11th January 1982 – Betty Ford enrolls in classes at the University of California, Riverside. She will be popular with her classmates, some of whom are women close to her age, others of whom are closer to her children's ages. She will go on to major in art therapy, working with people who are going through treatment for addiction. Later she will also join the board of the Gladys Love Presley Center, working closely with the Presleys.
18th January 1982 – Three of the four Monkees (Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones) reunite at the Gladys Love Presley Center where they are being treated for substance abuse issues. They subsequently decide to record an album and tour. One of the songs on their album ‘Return of the Monkees’ is written by John Lennon, and that song (‘Watching the Wheels’) will reach the Top Ten in September 1982. In his Village Voice column, Geoffrey Stokes wonders what Lennon would have done with that “bit of Muzak for Monkeemaniacs”.
29th March 1982 – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's ‘Ebony and Ivory’ is released, eventually reaching #1 on the pop charts. Critic Geoffrey Stokes titles his column on the single “Waiting for Lennon”.
19th April 1982 – The MN Bretagne is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
20th May 1982 – Elvis Costello changes his name to Winston O'Boogie for his new album ‘The Wait is Over’. His song ‘I Love Everybody’ reaches #1 on both sides of the Atlantic.
12th June 1982 – After several delays in production, the James Bond film ‘For Your Eyes Only’ is released. The film, the twelfth entry in the series and the first to star Timothy Dalton in the title role, is significantly darker in tone than its predecessor and is widely praised for bringing the Bond franchise ‘back to reality’ after the outlandishness of ‘Moonraker’. The film is also notable for introducing the Walther P5 as Bond’s sidearm (at the behest of Walther, who wished to promote the newer firearm), replacing the more traditional PPK for the remainder of the Dalton era.
1st July 1982 – Rumours begin to spread that John Lennon is driving a taxi-cab after alleged sightings in New York City. However, it is soon found that is in fact another 60s musician behind the wheel, specifically John Sebastian, founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful.
10th September 1982 – John Lennon is sighted at a playhouse near Columbia University. There Yoko Ono is directing a production of a minor play by Samuel Beckett. Columbia senior Barry Obama titles his review of the play “After Seeing Lennon”. Geoffrey Stokes is not in the audience. Neither is any other critic.
26th October 1982 – Pope John XXIV suffers a heart attack during a papal visit to the United Kingdom (the first such visit in the history of the Papacy). He is rushed to the Manchester Royal Infirmary where his condition is eventually declared 'stable'.
27th October 1982 – DUP Leader and North Antrim MP Ian Paisley causes controversy when he describes the Pope's heart attack as an example of "God's righteous judgement against the sinful depravity of the Papists" and expresses hope that "the vile Romish Antichrist" will soon be in hell.
30th October 1982 – On the same day that Pope John XXIV is released from the Manchester Royal Infirmary, an attempt on the life of Ian Paisley is made. While Paisley survives the attempt (motivated by his anti-Pope comments several days earlier), he will require the use a walking cane for the rest of his life due to the injuries sustained.
* * *
14th April 1983 – The MN Provence is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
7th October 1983 – The unofficial (i.e. non-EON) James Bond film ‘Warhead’, starring Roger Moore, is released. The film, originally intended to star Sean Connery in the title role, is the result of a copyright settlement made in the mid-60s between EON and Kevin McClory, one of the original writers of the story Ian Fleming adapted into the ‘Thunderball’ novel, and had been in development since 1975. Upon release, ‘Warhead’ receives favourable reviews and is universally considered a more fitting swansong to Moore’s Bond than the official EON film ‘Moonraker’.
27th October 1983 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is launched from the Newport News Shipbuilding Company.
* * *
4th August 1984 – Following a coup, the ‘Republic of Upper Volta’ changes it’s name to ‘Burkina Faso’. The nation’s flag is also changed.
* * *
10th April 1985 – The MN Bretagne is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
25th October 1985 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is commissioned into the United States Navy as the fourth member of the Nimitz-class supercarriers.
* * *
5th April 1986 – The MN Provence is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
–
–
-
THE UPSET OF THE CENTURY
15th July 1976 – Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter secures the Democratic Presidential Nomination. Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota is chosen as the Vice Presidential nominee.
19th August 1976 – Despite a strong challenge from former California Governor Ronald Reagan, incumbent President Gerald Ford secures the Republican Presidential Nomination. Senator Bob Dole of Kansas is named Ford’s running mate, replacing Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on the Republican ticket.
23rd September 1976 – The First US Presidential Debate (the first to be held since the 1960 Election) takes place. The debate is marred by a 27-minute delay caused by a failure in the sound system on stage. President Ford performs well during the debate itself, with most subsequent polls considering Ford the winner.
6th October 1976 – The Second US Presidential Debates take place. The debate is temporarily interrupted by a brief power outage which cuts off President Ford’s microphone while he is answering a question about the Soviet Union’s involvement in Eastern Europe. Fortunately there are no further technical issues and the second debate is considered another strong performance by Ford.
15th October 1976 – The US Vice Presidential Debate (the first of their kind in US history) takes place. The debate is notable for Bob Dole’s statements concerning what he refers to as ‘Democratic Wars’ and their collective death toll being equal to the population of Detroit. These statements are subsequently considered damaging to the Republican campaign.
22nd October 1976 – The Third US Presidential Debate takes place. No technical difficulties occur during the debate and Carter is narrowly considered the victor despite another competent performance by Ford.
2nd November 1976 – The 1976 US Presidential Election takes place.
Despite the Democrats beginning the campaign with a 33-point lead in the polls, the Republicans narrowly win the election with 276 Electoral Votes to 261 (with 1 Faithless Elector in the State of Washington voting for Ronald Reagan).
The election results are also notable for the narrow margins of victory on a State level, with 20 States being won by a margin of less than 5%, the two closest being Ohio and Wisconsin, which both went Republican by less than 0.1%.
Gerald R. Ford / Bob Dole (Republican) - 276
James Earl Carter / Walter Mondale (Democratic) - 261
Ronald Reagan - 1 (Faithless Elector)
* * *
20th January 1977 – Gerald R. Ford is inaugurated for a full term as President of the United States. Due to the terms of the 22nd Amendment, he is ineligible for re-election in 1980, having already served more than half of Richard Nixon's second Presidential term.
Bob Dole is also inaugurated as the 42nd Vice President of the United States.
31st January 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ begins operational testing.
February 1977 – The ‘First Video Game Crash’ begins. The crash in the games console market occurs when manufacturers of older ‘dedicated’ consoles (also known as ‘Pong’ consoles) flood the market in order to clear stock, creating a glut in the market. The crash ultimately leads to companies such as RCA and Fairchild leaving the market.
27th February 1977 – The remaining seven Virginia-class CGNs are authorized for construction. They will be the first vessels to be equipped with the Aegis Combat System.
18th March 1977 – The keel of MN Bretagne, the first of two Bretagne-class amphibious assault ships is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
19th March 1977 – Wales narrowly win the Five Nations Championship (their third in a row), despite an unexpectedly strong showing from the French team.
25th March 1977 – In Aruba, the Referendum for Self Determination ends with a 96.44% vote in favour of independence.
8th May 1977 – In the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, a Referendum on Independence ends with a 99.8% vote in favour of independence.
22nd May 1977 – Carlos Pace dies during the Monaco Grand Prix after crashing during the 23rd lap. The race is shortened by 20 laps as a result.
25th May 1977 – The film ‘Star Wars’, directed by George Lucas, is released. Not expected to be a great success, the film goes on to become one of the most successful films of the decade, replacing Stephen Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ as the highest earning film in North America.
25th June 1977 – Great Britain win the 1977 Rugby League World Cup after defeating Australia 12-10.
27th June 1977 – The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas officially declares independence, becoming the ‘Republic of Djibouti’.
16th July 1977 – The Israeli government votes to resume funding and development of the IAI Arye (having been cancelled the previous year) despite IAF General Benny Peled's continued recommendations in favour of purchasing F-15s and F-16s from the United States.
30th June 1977 – The South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), originally founded in 1954, is formally dissolved.
7th July 1977 – The James Bond film ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, the third to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, 1974’s ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’.
12th August 1977 – The Space Shuttle ‘Enterprise’ undergoes its first free flight.
15th August 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley suffers a massive heart attack two days before the beginning of a scheduled concert tour (which is subsequently cancelled) and falls into a coma.
20th August 1977 – The ‘Voyager 2’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the first of the Voyager probes to be launched.
5th September 1977 – The ‘Voyager 1’ Space Probe is launched by NASA. Despite the number, it is the second of the Voyager probes to be launched.
11th September 1977 – Atari, Inc releases the ‘Video Computer System’ (VCS), the company’s first non-dedicated home console and the second cartridge-based console to enter the North American market (the first being the Fairchild VES/Channel F, released the previous November). The console is a commercial success and marks the beginning of the end of the ‘First Video Game Crash’.
In response to the VCS’s release, Fairchild changes the name of their own console from ‘Video Entertainment System’ (VES) to ‘Channel F’ (in reference to the machine’s F8 CPU).
12th September 1977 – South African anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko dies while in police custody, allegedly the result of a hunger strike. Despite an ongoing journalistic investigation, the true cause of Biko’s death (massive head trauma) is successfully concealed by South African authorities for the time being.
9th October 1977 – South African driver Jody Scheckter wins the 1977 Formula One championship, becoming the first champion to hail from the African continent.
18th October 1977 – The Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is commissioned into United States Navy.
26th October 1977 – The Space Shuttle Enterprise undergoes its fifth and final test flight.
20th November 1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to visit Israel, meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister as part of peace negotiations stemming from 1973’s Arab-Israeli War.
10th December 1977 – The 1977 Australian Federal Election ends with a Liberal/National coalition victory. Malcolm Fraser remains Prime Minister of Australia with a 23 seat majority in the House of Representatives.
14th December 1977 – The submarine SAS Astrant (S100) is launched. It is the first of the two Agosta-class submarines ordered by the South African Navy.
21st December 1977 – Singer Elvis Presley awakens from his coma.
22nd December 1977 – Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini dies in an automobile accident in Najaf, Iraq. Khomeini, a notable opponent of the Iranian Shah, had been in exile from Iran for over 13 years.
* * *
12th January 1978 – After a long (and increasingly public) series of disputes between United Artists and its parent company Transamerica, the two companies reach a last-minute compromise over both administrative expenses and the creative direction of UA. Rumours of a threatened walkout by a number of prominent UA executives are strongly denied by Transamerica.
13th January 1978 – Minnesota Senator and former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey dies of bladder cancer.
3rd March 1978 – In Rhodesia, the ‘Internal Settlement’ is signed between Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and members of the United African National Congress (UANC), Rhodesia’s only legal black party. An interim governing Executive Council is established until elections can be held under a new constitution, both to be voted on the following year.
18th March 1978 – Just before the kick-off of their first exhibition match, the Netherlands National Football Team announces that it will not participate in the 1978 World Cup Tournament in Argentina, in protest against Argentina's current political system.
In response, Belgium is invited to take the place of The Netherlands, but the Belgian team rejects the offer. Bolivia (the loser of the the UEFA/CONMEBOL playoff) ultimately accepts the invitation and participates as part of Group 4 (alongside Peru, Scotland and Iran).
13th April 1978 – The keel of MN Provence, the second Bretagne-class amphibious assault ship, is laid down at the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
29th April 1978 – The Paramount Television Service (PTVS), an attempt to create a ‘fourth network’, launches.
6th May 1978 – ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ premiers on the Paramount Television Service. In addition to the Original Series cast (minus Leonard Nimoy), the show stars Stephen Collins, Persis Khambatta and David Gautreaux.
18th May 1978 – Sapporo, Japan becomes the host city of the 1984 Winter Olympics after narrowly winning the bid over Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in the second round of voting by a margin of 38-37.
1st June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup Tournament begins in Argentina.
11th June 1978 – Regina Maršíková wins the Women’s Singles at the 1978 French Open, defeating Virginia Ruzici 6-1 6-0 in the final.
20th June 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a heart attack during filming for the film ‘Superman’. While Robson ultimately recovers and is able to see the filming of Superman through, Richard Lester is hired to complete filming ‘Superman II’ (both films being filmed simultaneously).
25th June 1978 – The 1978 FIFA World Cup concludes, with Brazil defeating Italy 2-0 in the final to win their record-setting fourth championship. Previous champions West Germany finish in third place (defeating Poland in the third-place playoff), while host nation Argentina finishes in sixth place.
5th August 1978 – The Season One finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Despite mixed reviews, the series is picked up for a full 22-episode Season (the first season consisting of 14 episodes – 15 if the Pilot is counted as a two-parter, as it is shown as in later airings) to be aired later in the year.
6th August 1978 – Pope Paul VI dies of a heart attack at the age of 80.
13th August 1978 – Despite significant progress made between the two countries since the previous November, peace talks between Israel and Egypt fall through due to the question of sovereignty of both the West Bank and the Sinai Peninsula. Both remain under Israeli control for the foreseeable.
26th August 1978 – The Papal Conclave elects Cardinal-Archbishop Giovanni Benelli of Florence as Pope. He subsequently takes the papal name John XXIV.
17th September 1978 – ‘Battlestar Galactica’, created by Glen A. Larson, premiers on ABC.
19th September 1978 – A week after the first anniversary of Stephen Biko’s death, evidence that Biko did not die as the result of a hunger strike is discovered and published. The news spreads throughout both South Africa and the rest of the world, causing outrage worldwide and triggering riots throughout South Africa.
As a result of the crisis, South African Prime Minister John Vorster decides to postpone his planned retirement.
7th November 1978 – The US Midterm Elections take place.
As predicted, the Democrats make a moderate net gain and retain their existing majorities in both the House and the Senate. The Republicans do however make two notable gains in the House, including a single district in otherwise Democratic Georgia (the 6th District, won by Newton Gingrich in his third attempt at election, having previously been the Republican candidate in 1974 and 1976) and a former Democratic stronghold in Texas (the 19th District, won by George W. Bush, son of CIA Director George Bush, in an extremely narrow upset against Democrat Kent Hance).
9th November 1978 – The D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos SAS Good Hope and SAS Transvaal are commissioned into the South African Navy.
18th November 1978 – The second season of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ begins airing on PTVS.
26th November 1978 – Director Mark Robson suffers a second heart attack, this time fatal. He dies 8 days short of his 65th birthday and two weeks before the premier of ‘Superman’.
10th December 1978 – The film ‘Superman’, directed by the Mark Robson, is released. The film, starring Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner in the title role, is a commercial success but is criticized for it’s campy tone and bloated script.
17th December 1978 – The IIS Ardeshir is laid down at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi as the third guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
* * *
21st January 1979 – The Dallas Cowboys win the twelfth annual Superbowl, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers by 31-29. The twelfth Superbowl is the first to be held in a domed stadium and the first to be broadcast during prime time hours.
26th January 1979 – Former US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller dies of a heart attack at the age of 70.
19th February 1979 – The SAS Astrant (S100) is commissioned into the South African Navy.
23rd February 1979 – The film ‘The Deer Hunter’ (based on the unproduced ‘The Man Who Came to Play’) is released. Originally planned for release the previous December, the film is one of the first major releases to depict the events of the Vietnam War in a negative light.
3rd March 1979 – Wales win their fifth Five Nations Tournament in a row, defeating England 20-6 in the final match.
25th March 1979 – The Space Shuttle Columbia arrives at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle’s first orbital launch is scheduled for later in the year.
26th March 1979 – The IIS Shapour is laid down at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine as the fifth guided missile destroyer ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy.
28th March 1979 – In the UK, a Vote of No Confidence against the Labour Government of James Callaghan is narrowly defeated.
4th May 1979 – South African Prime Minister John Vorster steps down, partly due to growing criticisms over his role in the ongoing ‘Muldergate Scandal’.
11th May 1979 – After a closely fought leadership election, John Vorster is succeeded as National Party Leader by Foreign Minister Roelof F. Botha (popularly known by the nickname ‘Pik’), who becomes Prime Minister of South Africa.
12th May 1979 – The Season Two finale of ‘Star Trek: Phase II’ airs on PTVS. Due to contract negotiations with several of the main cast (William Shatner in particular), the show has already gone on hiatus and the second season finale is edited in order to serve as a de facto series finale should the show not go back into production.
Ipswich Town wins their first FA Cup, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the Cup Final.
22nd May 1979 – The 1979 Canadian Federal Election is held. The Progressive Conservative Party wins 147 seats (52.1%), the Liberal Party wins 100 seats (35.5%), and the New Democrat Party wins 35 seats (12.4%). Joe Clark becomes the 16th Prime Minister of Canada.
25th May 1979 – The Canadian government announces the end of the New Fighter Aircraft Program with 160 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (112 F/A-18As and 48 F/A-18Bs) being chosen as the replacement for the aging CF-104 Starfighters and CF-116 Freedom Fighters.
1st June 1979 – The ‘Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia’ is declared in Rhodesia, following the overall General Election held throughout April and May. Bishop Abel Murozewa becomes Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, while Josiah Gumede becomes President.
Joshua Nkomo of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), both of whom declined the offer to take part in the elections, denounce the election results and the new government. As a result, the Bush War continues.
12th June 1979 – The United States Senate votes to lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
15th June 1979 – ‘Rocky II’, the sequel to the 1976 film ‘Rocky’, is released. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith and Talia Shire all reprise their roles from the first film. Like the first film, ‘Rocky II’ is a commercial success.
23rd June 1979 – The West Indies win the second quadrennial ICC Cricket World Cup, defeating New Zealand in the final.
26th June 1979 – The James Bond film ‘Moonraker’, the fourth to star Roger Moore in the title role, is released. The film, heavily influenced by the success of Star Wars, is criticised for it’s overly campy tone and receives mixed-to-negative reviews.
11th July 1979 – Skylab, the USA's first Space Station, is destroyed after undergoing atmospheric re-entry.
20th July 1979 – Zimbabwe Rhodesian forces raid a heavily-armed ZANU camp in Mozambique. In the ensuing fighting, ZANU leader Robert Mugabe is mortally wounded.
30th July 1979 – Paramount announces that the contract disputes that brought about Star Trek: Phase II's hiatus have now been settled. Despite this, however, the show remains on hiatus, triggering rumours of an impending cancellation of the series, possibly in favour of a full-length motion picture.
14th August 1979 – The ‘Gladys Love Presley Center for Drug and Alcohol Addiction’ opens in a suburb of Memphis, TN. A visibly trimmer Elvis performs "You'll Never Walk Alone" to the audience's acclaim.
15th August 1979 – After a long and troubled production, the Francis Ford Coppola film ‘Apocalypse Now’ (loosely based on the novel ‘Heart of Darkness’). Set during the Vietnam War, the film receives near-universal acclaim and is a commercial success.
17th August 1979 – Joshua Nkomo begins merging the remnants of ZANU with his ZAPU, in some cases by force.
22nd August 1979 – The initial development phase for the IAI Arye is completed. Work starts on the production of the first three aircraft.
27th August 1979 – An IRA plot to assassinate 79-year-old Lord Louis Mountbatten is discovered and foiled after the arrest of IRA bombmaker Thomas McMahon, shortly before the scheduled detonation of a bomb planted on Mountbatten’s fishing boat.
6th September 1979 – The UK General Election is held. Jim Callaghan’s Labour government is defeated by the Conservative Party in a landslide. Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
13th November 1979 – Former California Governor and 1976 candidate Ronald Reagan announces his candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
15th November 1979 – Allegedly caught off guard by Reagan’s announced candidacy, Vice President Bob Dole announces his own candidacy for the 1980 Republican Presidential Nomination.
1st December 1979 – At a Kennedy Center gala honouring Martha Graham (Mrs. Ford's former dance teacher), Betty Ford is observed to be slurring her words a little. Concerned, her husband thinks that she is suffering from a mini-stroke. The First Lady is rushed to nearby George Washington University Hospital.
3rd December 1979 – After two days of extensive tests, Betty Ford is discharged from George Washington University Hospital, with no evidence of a stroke being found.
8th December 1979 – The film ‘Superman II’, directed by the late Mark Robson and Richard Lester, is released. The film, despite experiencing the same criticisms as its predecessor, is a modest financial success.
16th December 1979 – The first of three IAI Arye prototypes is completed and begins its test flights.
* * *
1st February 1980 – The Israeli government authorizes the IAF to present a list of technical specifications and requirements for the development of the IAF's future lightweight fighter.
12th February 1980 – Having originally been contracted to do three Bond films, as well as suffering recurring health problems during the shooting of ‘Moonraker’, Roger Moore announces that he will not be returning for the next Bond film. Rumours that his departure was influenced by the mixed critical reception of ‘Moonwalker’ are denied by Moore and the producers. Meanwhile, popularly cited candidates for Moore’s eventual replacement include Michael Billington and Timothy Dalton.
14th February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics commence in Lake Placid, New York, USA.
18th February 1980 – The SAS Adventurous (S101) is commissioned into the South African Navy. The vessel is the second of two Agosta-class submarines ordered by South Africa.
23rd February 1980 – The 1980 Winter Olympics conclude, with East Germany at the top of the medal table with 10 Gold medals (out of a total of 24). The Soviet Union and the United States occupy second and third place, with 9 and 6 Gold medals respectively.
9th May 1980 – Led by Air Marshal Frank Mussell of the Zimbabwe Rhodesian Air Force, elements of the military, dissatisfied with the compromise government, launch an attempted coup in Salisbury. While they manage to seize most important government buildings, Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa is protected by police and escapes to Epworth, where he issues a public statement extolling loyalists to stand up to the would-be military junta. Though large parts of the army remain loyal to Muzorewa's government, his troops are outnumbered and he is forced to make contact with ZAPU in order to seek the huge guerrilla force's aid.
11th May 1980 – The ‘Pact of Epworth’ is signed by Prime Minister Abel Murozewa and ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo, officially legalising ZAPU and guaranteeing new elections after the coup is defeated. The Pact makes Nkomo an incredibly popular figure among the black population of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
16th May 1980 – The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) issues a fine to all teams of the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) after the latter fail to appear at the drivers’ briefings for the United States West and the Belgian Grand Prix.
18th May 1980 – Carlos Reutemann wins the Monaco Grand Prix.
20th May 1980 – The 1980 Quebec Referendum ends with a 56.6% No vote.
29th May 1980 – The Israeli Air Force receives the first ten pre-production model IAI Arye fighters for testing, with regular production to begin in the following two years with a planned order of 100 aircraft.
1st June 1980 – Due to the ongoing disputes with FISA, the various FOCA teams (as wells as Tyrrell and Shadow) boycott the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite this, the race goes ahead, with Alan Jones taking the win.
19th June 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics commence in Moscow. Notable is the participation of Zimbabwe Rhodesia (despite ongoing political upheaval in the country) for the first time since 1964 (as ‘Rhodesia’).
14th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention opens in the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan.
17th July 1980 – The Republican National Convention concludes. Former California Governor Ronald Reagan secures the Presidential Nomination, despite a determined campaign by Vice President Bob Dole. RNC Chairman and former Tennessee Senator Bill Brock is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
31st July 1980 – The Zimbabwe Rhodesia women’s field hockey team wins the gold medal in what is considered one the biggest upset in the sport’s history, defeating more established opponents like Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.
1st August 1980 – Cuba provides the second big surprise of the 1980 Olympics by securing fourth place in the Men’s Football Tournament, defeating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the Quarter Final.
3rd August 1980 – The 1980 Summer Olympics conclude, with East Germany winning the highest number of medals (a total of 148 medals) and the USA winning the highest number of gold medals (41).
10th August 1980 – ZAPU forces led by Joshua Nkomo, fighting alongside government forces, surround and enter Salisbury, despite heavy resistance by Mussell's forces. Finally, as ZAPU forces approach Mussell's stronghold at the National Gallery, the coup forces finally surrender. Mussell and the other coup leaders are taken into custody by government and ZAPU forces.
11th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention opens in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.
13th August 1980 – Abel Muzorewa returns in triumph to Salisbury, where he announces the dissolving of the government and the holding of new elections.
14th August 1980 – The Democratic National Convention concludes, with Idaho Senator Frank Church securing the Presidential Nomination, while outgoing Florida Governor Reubin Askew wins the Vice Presidential Nomination. This marks the last time that the Democratic Party decides the Vice Presidential nominee via roll call.
15th August 1980 – The United States and the United Kingdom issue statements lauding both Muzorewa and Nkomo for their “commitment to the democratic process”.
19th August 1980 – After a six-month delay to its originally planned launch, the Space Shuttle Columbia undergoes its first official launch, thus marking the beginning of the Space Shuttle's operational service. The date of the launch is noted as being the 20th anniversary of the launch of Korabl-Sputnik 2 (more commonly known as 'Sputnik 5'), the first spaceflight to carry animals into orbit and return them alive, though NASA officials state that this is a coincidence.
1st September 1980 – John Lennon announces that they will be no Beatles reunion or any more albums, officially confirming his retirement as permanent. This causes outrage by fans of both Lennon and the Beatles.
Paul McCartney states that he is disappointed by the decision. George Harrison confirms "No more Beatle talk, it's over for good". Ringo Starr, however, states "I'm sure that he's kidding and will be back in five years. Just give the Beatle talk a rest and give him a break and he'll pull a surprise for ya".
20th October 1980 – Australian Minister of Defence Jim Killen announces the purchase of 96 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets (72 F/A-18As and 24 F/A-18Bs) for the RAAF.
31st October 1980 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia as the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier.
4th November 1980 – The 1980 US Presidential Election takes place.
The Democrats win the election with 304 Electoral Votes to 234. While President Ford's approval ratings are relatively high and Ronald Reagan's charisma is undeniable, both prove to be no match for incumbent fatigue and a strong Democratic campaign (the Democrats particularly determined not to let another certain victory 'slip by' as in 1976).
The election results are particularly notable for the narrow margins of victory (in either direction) among the southern states.
Frank Church / Reubin Askew (Democratic) - 304
Ronald Reagan / Bill Brock (Republican) – 234
5th November 1980 – After years of ill-health, Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev dies of a heart attack at the age of 73. Competition among Soviet leadership for the position of General Secretary soon coalesces along pro-Brezhnev and anti-Brezhnev lines, primarily represented by Second Secretary Mikhail Suslov and KGB Chairman Yuri Andropov respectively.
9th November 1980 – Konstantin Chernenko is elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, despite strong opposition from the Andropov faction. Chernenko, a long-time Central Committee member and associate of Leonid Brezhnev, is believed to have owed much of his support to such notable Politburo members as Mikhail Suslov and Andrei Kirilenko. Despite his opposition, Yuri Andropov remains Chairman of the KGB.
1st December 1980 – With the announcement of John Lennon's retirement as a recording artist 3 months prior, Apple Records releases a new Beatle compilation CD "The Green Album - 1969-1975" which features John, Paul, Ringo and George's solo hits that were recorded on the label during this period. The album becomes the biggest selling album over the Christmas period.
The album is backed with a new single ‘Not Guilty’ (with ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ as the B-side). Both sides were outtakes from the White Album and Beatles for Sale albums respectfully, and were remixed by George Martin for release. This was, according to Paul McCartney, to thank the fans for their support over the years and to apologize for concluding that there would be no Beatles reunion. He states “Despite no more new songs, I'm sure Apple Records will continue to promote the Beatles this decade”. The single reaches No.1 in the UK and US.
Yoko Ono also issues a statement saying: “John approves these releases, as George Martin has completed a great job in producing this album and single. I would like to let you know that, despite him retiring as a recording artist, he will remain a song-writer, as it remains his passion. He doesn't want to record because he wants to remain a private and family person. I will have a new album soon ('Walking on Thin Ice') which he has helped written some songs for.”
10th December 1980 – The second (and final) Zimbabwe Rhodesian General Election is held. The final results leave ZAPU as the majority party, though the UANC also performs strongly. Joshua Nkomo becomes Prime Minister, while Abel Murozewa is offered the Presidency in a show of bipartisanship. Murozewa accepts the position (former President Josiah Gumede is offered the cabinet position of Education Minister and also accepts), thus the first ‘Government of National Unity’ is formed.
One of the new government’s first acts is to propose the removal of ‘Rhodesia’ from the country’s name, in favour of simply ‘Zimbabwe’. The motion is soon approved and is set to come into force on the 1st of June 1981 (the second anniversary of the declaration of Zimbabwe Rhodesia).
13th December 1980 – South Africa closes its borders with Zimbabwe after the election of ZAPU as the majority party, calling the party “a gaggle of terrorists” and Nkomo a “rabble-rouser”. This earns some condemnation from the west; most, however, are just glad the Rhodesian debacle is over for now.
19th December 1980 – Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr make a surprise appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, performing ‘Coming Up’, ‘Leave My Kitten Alone’ (the song’s only TV performance) and ‘Yesterday’. ABBA also make a surprise appearance, closing the show with ‘Super Trouper’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and ‘Waterloo’, before leading the finale of ‘Thank You for the Music’. They are joined on the bill by Sammy Davis Jr, Aretha Franklin and Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The telecast on the BBC on Christmas Day leads it to become the UK's biggest broadcast of the year and boosted the Green Album and ‘Super Trouper’ to massive sales. George Harrison would later state “I regretted not joining them, since that would have been our farewell, even without John. The 1963 Royal Variety Show is still one of our greatest moments, it would have been nice to revisit that. But it would never have convinced John, never”.
* * *
20th January 1981 – Frank Church is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States. Reubin Askew is also inaugurated as the 43rd Vice President of the United States.
2nd February 1981 – After a disastrous raid on Lebanese Front training camps in January ending with the deaths of almost a hundred civilians, Syria is forced to officially withdraw its forces from Lebanon due to outcry from not only the Lebanese government but from many Arab states. As a result, the Lebanese Front is able to establish control over Beirut.
25th February 1981 – Yoko Ono releases ‘Walking on Thin Ice’. Despite the songwriting of her husband and his strong support, the album receives negative critical reviews. However, the single ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ reaches #13 as it is mistakenly believed that Lennon actually wrote this song. A song that he actually did write, ‘Just Like Starting Over’, only reaches #40.
10th March 1981 – The Lebanese People's Front (LPF) is formed. It is a loosely-aligned alliance between the Lebanese Front, the Druze, various Maronite groups, and several secular militias. They are united not only in the desire for a peaceful Lebanon, but also in their opposition to the harbouring of Palestinian nationalists.
5th April 1981 – At a diner on New York City’s Upper West Side, John Lennon confronts Village Voice music critic Geoffrey Stokes, whose review of ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ was particularly nasty. The two men nearly get into a fistfight. As Stokes' friend pulls him away, the critic yells, “Tell Yoko that she needs to retire, too!”, at which point, Yoko herself enters the diner.
Although she records some songs here and there, ‘Walking on Thin Ice’ goes on to be her last album. As she notes in a later memoir, she ‘realised that her gifts lay in writing and staging plays’.
20th April 1981 – Ringo Star releases the album ‘Can't Fight Lightning’, with the lead single ‘Nobody Told Me’, written and produced by John Lennon. ‘Nobody Told Me’ becomes a Top 10 hit in the UK, and reaches Top 50 in the US. The album flops however, reaching top 30 in the UK and failing to enter the Top 100 in the US.
1st May 1981 – Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla remarry in Hawaii.
3rd May 1981 – The LPF defeats government forces in a decisive battle south of Beirut. Most of the Lebanese Armed Forces are either wounded, captured, or dead. The government will capitulate only a week later, leaving the LPF as the nation's governing authority.
5th May 1981 – The LPF suspend the constitution until the establishment of order in southern Lebanon, but promise not to scrap it and to call free and fair elections by 1983.
11th June 1981 – The ‘Summer War’ begins in Lebanon, with LPF forces engaging PLO all across southern Lebanon in an attempt to evict the Palestinians and Hezbollah from the area.
1st July 1981 – The Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia officially changes its name to the ‘Republic of Zimbabwe’.
6th July 1981 – After a series of interventions by former President Ford, their children, and the family doctor, Betty Ford enters treatment for alcohol and prescription drug treatment at Long Beach Naval Hospital.
14th July 1981 – The F-14B prototype (BuNo 157986) is brought out of storage for testing the viability of replacing the TF30 engines with a pair of General Electric F101 engines. Grumman test pilots discovered that the F-14B could accelerate from Mach 0.8 to Mach 1.8 in just 90 seconds and the Navy found out, that the F-14B could launch from a catapult without the use of afterburners. Further, for the first time in the F-14's lifetime, pilot talked of "flying the aircraft and not the engines".
27th July 1981 – Hezbollah leaders Abbas al-Musawi and Hassan Nasrallah, along with more than five hundred Hezbollah fighters, are killed in a major raid in southern Lebanon, effectively ending Hezbollah as a fighting or political force.
7th August 1981 – During a routine deployment aboard USS America (CV-66), an F-14 Tomcat of VF-213 "Black Lions" suffers a compressor stall and explodes while attempting a land. An investigation is subsequently launched in order to discover the cause of the accident (specifically, whether it was the result of a potential design flaw in the Tomcat design).
25th August 1981 – The ‘Summer War’ in Lebanon is officially declared over, with most of the PLO having been forced out of Lebanon and into Syria, though a few isolated areas still resist the LPF.
3rd September 1981 – BuNo 158630 is built as the second F-14B prototype and equipped with a marinized version of the F101 engines dubbed the F101-GE400.
* * *
11th January 1982 – Betty Ford enrolls in classes at the University of California, Riverside. She will be popular with her classmates, some of whom are women close to her age, others of whom are closer to her children's ages. She will go on to major in art therapy, working with people who are going through treatment for addiction. Later she will also join the board of the Gladys Love Presley Center, working closely with the Presleys.
18th January 1982 – Three of the four Monkees (Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones) reunite at the Gladys Love Presley Center where they are being treated for substance abuse issues. They subsequently decide to record an album and tour. One of the songs on their album ‘Return of the Monkees’ is written by John Lennon, and that song (‘Watching the Wheels’) will reach the Top Ten in September 1982. In his Village Voice column, Geoffrey Stokes wonders what Lennon would have done with that “bit of Muzak for Monkeemaniacs”.
29th March 1982 – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's ‘Ebony and Ivory’ is released, eventually reaching #1 on the pop charts. Critic Geoffrey Stokes titles his column on the single “Waiting for Lennon”.
19th April 1982 – The MN Bretagne is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
20th May 1982 – Elvis Costello changes his name to Winston O'Boogie for his new album ‘The Wait is Over’. His song ‘I Love Everybody’ reaches #1 on both sides of the Atlantic.
12th June 1982 – After several delays in production, the James Bond film ‘For Your Eyes Only’ is released. The film, the twelfth entry in the series and the first to star Timothy Dalton in the title role, is significantly darker in tone than its predecessor and is widely praised for bringing the Bond franchise ‘back to reality’ after the outlandishness of ‘Moonraker’. The film is also notable for introducing the Walther P5 as Bond’s sidearm (at the behest of Walther, who wished to promote the newer firearm), replacing the more traditional PPK for the remainder of the Dalton era.
1st July 1982 – Rumours begin to spread that John Lennon is driving a taxi-cab after alleged sightings in New York City. However, it is soon found that is in fact another 60s musician behind the wheel, specifically John Sebastian, founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful.
10th September 1982 – John Lennon is sighted at a playhouse near Columbia University. There Yoko Ono is directing a production of a minor play by Samuel Beckett. Columbia senior Barry Obama titles his review of the play “After Seeing Lennon”. Geoffrey Stokes is not in the audience. Neither is any other critic.
26th October 1982 – Pope John XXIV suffers a heart attack during a papal visit to the United Kingdom (the first such visit in the history of the Papacy). He is rushed to the Manchester Royal Infirmary where his condition is eventually declared 'stable'.
27th October 1982 – DUP Leader and North Antrim MP Ian Paisley causes controversy when he describes the Pope's heart attack as an example of "God's righteous judgement against the sinful depravity of the Papists" and expresses hope that "the vile Romish Antichrist" will soon be in hell.
30th October 1982 – On the same day that Pope John XXIV is released from the Manchester Royal Infirmary, an attempt on the life of Ian Paisley is made. While Paisley survives the attempt (motivated by his anti-Pope comments several days earlier), he will require the use a walking cane for the rest of his life due to the injuries sustained.
* * *
14th April 1983 – The MN Provence is launched from the DCNS Brest Naval Shipyard.
7th October 1983 – The unofficial (i.e. non-EON) James Bond film ‘Warhead’, starring Roger Moore, is released. The film, originally intended to star Sean Connery in the title role, is the result of a copyright settlement made in the mid-60s between EON and Kevin McClory, one of the original writers of the story Ian Fleming adapted into the ‘Thunderball’ novel, and had been in development since 1975. Upon release, ‘Warhead’ receives favourable reviews and is universally considered a more fitting swansong to Moore’s Bond than the official EON film ‘Moonraker’.
27th October 1983 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is launched from the Newport News Shipbuilding Company.
* * *
4th August 1984 – Following a coup, the ‘Republic of Upper Volta’ changes it’s name to ‘Burkina Faso’. The nation’s flag is also changed.
* * *
10th April 1985 – The MN Bretagne is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
25th October 1985 – The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is commissioned into the United States Navy as the fourth member of the Nimitz-class supercarriers.
* * *
5th April 1986 – The MN Provence is commissioned into the Marine Nationale.
–
–
The Storyteller
Banned
And a few new political entries to consider...
4th November 1983 – President Frank Church announces to the nation that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and, as a result, will not be able to stand for a second term as President.
7th April 1984 – Despite seemingly being in a relatively decent state of health, President Frank Church is unexpectedly hospitalised due to complications concerning his pancreatic tumour. Vice President Reuben Askew assumes the role of ‘Acting President’.
28th April 1984 – After three weeks in hospital, President Frank Church dies at the age of 59. Vice President Reuben Askew assumes office as the 40th President of the United States.
16th July 1984 – The Democratic National Convention opens at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.
19th July 1984 – The Democratic National Covention concludes. President Reubin Askew wins the Presidential Nomination, as expected since his ascension to the Presidency in April. Indiana Senator Birch Bayh is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
20th August 1984 – The Republican National Convention opens at the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas.
23rd August 1984 – The Republican National Convention concludes. Former Vice President Bob Dole secures the Presidential Nomination. Illinois Congressman Phil Crane is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
-
And a few pop culture entries...
15th October 1982 – ‘First Blood’, starring Sylvester Stallone, Kirk Douglas and Brian Dennehy, is released. The film is notable for its grim ending, in which the main character forces his former superior officer to kill him.
19th November 1982 – The Atari 'Advanced Video Computer System' (AVCS), successor to the still-popular VCS, is released.
16th June 1984 – ‘From a View to a Kill’, the second James Bond film starring Timothy Dalton, is released.
4th November 1983 – President Frank Church announces to the nation that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and, as a result, will not be able to stand for a second term as President.
7th April 1984 – Despite seemingly being in a relatively decent state of health, President Frank Church is unexpectedly hospitalised due to complications concerning his pancreatic tumour. Vice President Reuben Askew assumes the role of ‘Acting President’.
28th April 1984 – After three weeks in hospital, President Frank Church dies at the age of 59. Vice President Reuben Askew assumes office as the 40th President of the United States.
16th July 1984 – The Democratic National Convention opens at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.
19th July 1984 – The Democratic National Covention concludes. President Reubin Askew wins the Presidential Nomination, as expected since his ascension to the Presidency in April. Indiana Senator Birch Bayh is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
20th August 1984 – The Republican National Convention opens at the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas.
23rd August 1984 – The Republican National Convention concludes. Former Vice President Bob Dole secures the Presidential Nomination. Illinois Congressman Phil Crane is chosen as the Vice Presidential Nominee.
-
And a few pop culture entries...
15th October 1982 – ‘First Blood’, starring Sylvester Stallone, Kirk Douglas and Brian Dennehy, is released. The film is notable for its grim ending, in which the main character forces his former superior officer to kill him.
19th November 1982 – The Atari 'Advanced Video Computer System' (AVCS), successor to the still-popular VCS, is released.
16th June 1984 – ‘From a View to a Kill’, the second James Bond film starring Timothy Dalton, is released.
The Storyteller
Banned
The last post doesn't seem to want me to edit it, so new post I guess.
-
21st May 1980 – The film ‘The Empire’s Revenge’, directed by George Lucas, is released. The film, a sequel to 1977’s ‘Star Wars’ equals the previous film’s success and is considered a worthy sequel, though some criticise the darker tone (the film ending with the Rebellion all but crippled and the hero severely injured).
13th June 1982 – The 1982 FIFA World Cup Tournament begins in Spain.
11th July 1982 – The 1982 FIFA World Cup concludes, with France defeating Argentina in the final. Previous champions Brazil are defeated by Italy in the semi-finals (Italy going on to defeat West Germany in the third-place playoff), while host nation Spain are eliminated in the Second Round (officially finishing in ninth place).
25th May 1983 – The film ‘The Rebel Gambit’, the third ‘episode’ in the Star Wars series (the original film now being subtitled ‘Episode I: The New Hope’) is released. The film, directed by Irvin Kershner (with George Lucas taking a backseat role as a Producer), despite some criticism of certain plot elements (primarily the second ‘Death Star’) as being derivative of the previous films, is a success like it’s predecessors and expectations are high for the next & final instalment of the series.
8th February 1984 – The 1984 Winter Olympics commence in Sapporo, Japan.
28th July 1984 – The 1984 Summer Olympics commence in Los Angeles, California, USA. The games are notable for being the first time the games have been held in the same city on two separate occasions (the previous occasion being the 1932 Summer Olympics).
14th June 1985 – The film ‘The Lost Ark’, directed by George Lucas, is released. The film, in addition to being George Lucas’s final directorial credit, becomes the first in a trilogy referred to as ‘The Adventures of Indiana Jones’.
14th May 1986 – ‘The Final Triumph’, the fourth and final ‘episode’ of the Star Wars series is released. Again directed by Irvin Kershner, the film is yet another smash hit, cementing Star Wars as arguably the most successful film series of all time.
20th May 1987 – The film ‘The Monkey King’, the second instalment of the ‘Adventures of Indiana Jones’, is released. The film is directed by Stephen Spielberg and produced by George Lucas. The film proves to be a bigger hit than the original.
24th May 1989 – The film ‘The Crystal Skulls’, the third and final instalment of the ‘Adventures of Indiana Jones’ is released. Like the previous instalment, the film is directed by Stephen Spielberg and produced by George Lucas. While the film is a success, like it’s predecessors, some criticism is levelled towards the deliberately ambiguous nature of the titular skulls.
-
-
21st May 1980 – The film ‘The Empire’s Revenge’, directed by George Lucas, is released. The film, a sequel to 1977’s ‘Star Wars’ equals the previous film’s success and is considered a worthy sequel, though some criticise the darker tone (the film ending with the Rebellion all but crippled and the hero severely injured).
13th June 1982 – The 1982 FIFA World Cup Tournament begins in Spain.
11th July 1982 – The 1982 FIFA World Cup concludes, with France defeating Argentina in the final. Previous champions Brazil are defeated by Italy in the semi-finals (Italy going on to defeat West Germany in the third-place playoff), while host nation Spain are eliminated in the Second Round (officially finishing in ninth place).
25th May 1983 – The film ‘The Rebel Gambit’, the third ‘episode’ in the Star Wars series (the original film now being subtitled ‘Episode I: The New Hope’) is released. The film, directed by Irvin Kershner (with George Lucas taking a backseat role as a Producer), despite some criticism of certain plot elements (primarily the second ‘Death Star’) as being derivative of the previous films, is a success like it’s predecessors and expectations are high for the next & final instalment of the series.
8th February 1984 – The 1984 Winter Olympics commence in Sapporo, Japan.
28th July 1984 – The 1984 Summer Olympics commence in Los Angeles, California, USA. The games are notable for being the first time the games have been held in the same city on two separate occasions (the previous occasion being the 1932 Summer Olympics).
14th June 1985 – The film ‘The Lost Ark’, directed by George Lucas, is released. The film, in addition to being George Lucas’s final directorial credit, becomes the first in a trilogy referred to as ‘The Adventures of Indiana Jones’.
14th May 1986 – ‘The Final Triumph’, the fourth and final ‘episode’ of the Star Wars series is released. Again directed by Irvin Kershner, the film is yet another smash hit, cementing Star Wars as arguably the most successful film series of all time.
20th May 1987 – The film ‘The Monkey King’, the second instalment of the ‘Adventures of Indiana Jones’, is released. The film is directed by Stephen Spielberg and produced by George Lucas. The film proves to be a bigger hit than the original.
24th May 1989 – The film ‘The Crystal Skulls’, the third and final instalment of the ‘Adventures of Indiana Jones’ is released. Like the previous instalment, the film is directed by Stephen Spielberg and produced by George Lucas. While the film is a success, like it’s predecessors, some criticism is levelled towards the deliberately ambiguous nature of the titular skulls.
-
Some PoDs
5th October 1982 - Socialist coup in Honduras that turned into civil war begins
23rd December 1982 - Polish Crisis began after the escalation of conflict between Polish Government and Solidarity movement
9th February 1984 - Soviet General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko was died. Mikhail Gorbachev became a new General Secretary
3rd March 1985 - Honduran Civil War: Socialist forces captured Trujillo
5th October 1982 - Socialist coup in Honduras that turned into civil war begins
23rd December 1982 - Polish Crisis began after the escalation of conflict between Polish Government and Solidarity movement
9th February 1984 - Soviet General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko was died. Mikhail Gorbachev became a new General Secretary
3rd March 1985 - Honduran Civil War: Socialist forces captured Trujillo
Some random stuff, if you want:
May 26th, 1977: Burgeoning Disco club Studio 54 is shut down by New York authorities, a month after it opened, after it was found not to have a proper liquor license.
November 27th, 1978: Dan White kills San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, and then attempts to also kill City Supervisor Harvey Milk, but is caught before he reach Milk.
January 3rd, 1980: The Janata Party wins a majority in the Indian General election, and Charan Singh is elected to a second term as Prime Minister.
May 26th, 1977: Burgeoning Disco club Studio 54 is shut down by New York authorities, a month after it opened, after it was found not to have a proper liquor license.
November 27th, 1978: Dan White kills San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, and then attempts to also kill City Supervisor Harvey Milk, but is caught before he reach Milk.
January 3rd, 1980: The Janata Party wins a majority in the Indian General election, and Charan Singh is elected to a second term as Prime Minister.
The Storyteller
Banned
OlegBabkinSU said:
I notice you've given Andropov's death date to Chernenko. Is this deliberate?
Assuming killing Chernenko off a year earlier is deliberate, this gives Gorbachev a year's head-start on his leadership and any reforms he may have planned TTL. Enough of a head-start to potentially save the Soviet Union, perhaps?
The other suggestions seem fine.
Mr. E said:
All of these seem fine.
Now, Kurt Waldheim's second term as UN Secretary General is up at the end of 1981 - any ideas on an alternate successor? Or perhaps any butterflies that give him a third term (vetoed by China OTL)?
Also, a few issues that still need addressing...
- South Africa under Pik Botha.
- The Israel-Egypt Peace Process.
- (Potential) Soviet involvement in Afghanistan
- The (Potential) Iranian Revolution
- The 'German Autumn' of 1977.
- Idi Amin and Uganda.
- The Punk movement.
---
12th June 1981 – ‘Night Skies’, a science-fiction horror film directed by Steven Spielberg, is released. The film is a modest commercial success.
1st February 1982 – The ‘Senegambia Confederation’, a loose confederation between the West African nations of Senegal and The Gambia, is officially established.
10th June 1983 – ‘Buddy’, directed by Steven Spielberg, is released. The film, which centres around a friendly alien who befriends a little boy, is based on material originally planned for ‘Night Skies’. The film is a massive success and goes on to become on of Spielberg’s best known films.
---
Last edited:
Some more:
March 31st, 1981: John Hinkley attempts to assassinate President Frank Church, while the latter was speaking at an AFL-CIO meeting. However, the Secret Service subdue Hinkley, and Church manages to escape unharmed.
June 20th, 1981: President Church expresses support for sanctions against Apartheid South Africa. This coincides with growing bipartisan and popular support against Apartheid.
July 10th, 1981: Escape from New York, directed by John Carpenter and starring Tommy Lee Jones as Snake Plissken, debuts in theaters.
August 1st, 1981: MTV (Music Television) begins transmission, a channel dedicated to airing music videos. The first music video is John Lennon-penned "This is It", performed by Ringo Starr, another single from the poorly selling "Can't Stop the Lightning". The video eventually allows the album to resurge in sales, eventually reaching #89 on the Top 100.
October 6th, 1981: The Egyptian Islamic Jihad attempts to assassinate Anwar Sadat in response to the Camp David Accords. However, Sadat survives.
March 31st, 1981: John Hinkley attempts to assassinate President Frank Church, while the latter was speaking at an AFL-CIO meeting. However, the Secret Service subdue Hinkley, and Church manages to escape unharmed.
June 20th, 1981: President Church expresses support for sanctions against Apartheid South Africa. This coincides with growing bipartisan and popular support against Apartheid.
July 10th, 1981: Escape from New York, directed by John Carpenter and starring Tommy Lee Jones as Snake Plissken, debuts in theaters.
August 1st, 1981: MTV (Music Television) begins transmission, a channel dedicated to airing music videos. The first music video is John Lennon-penned "This is It", performed by Ringo Starr, another single from the poorly selling "Can't Stop the Lightning". The video eventually allows the album to resurge in sales, eventually reaching #89 on the Top 100.
October 6th, 1981: The Egyptian Islamic Jihad attempts to assassinate Anwar Sadat in response to the Camp David Accords. However, Sadat survives.
Might as well:
June 1st, 1980: CNN (Central News Network) is founded by Turner Broadcasting System.
July 31st, 1981: The first two Donkey Kong arcade machines are installed in two bars in Seattle, Washington, and are major successes.
March 3rd, 1983: In a speech before the United Nations, Pik Botha expresses his desire to reform the Apartheid system.
June 1st, 1980: CNN (Central News Network) is founded by Turner Broadcasting System.
July 31st, 1981: The first two Donkey Kong arcade machines are installed in two bars in Seattle, Washington, and are major successes.
March 3rd, 1983: In a speech before the United Nations, Pik Botha expresses his desire to reform the Apartheid system.