1979 was a significant year with many notable events across politics, culture, and technology. In this article I will be delving into some of them.
I was only two years old back then, so I can’t remember any of these things happening, but I am still intrigued by the 1970s. I find it to be one of the most interesting decades in history.
Here are 15 Notable Events in 1979
1. Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in the UK
On the 4th of May of this year, the now infamous Conservative leader became the first woman to be elected into this position. She eventually stepped out of this position in 1990.
2. John Vorster resigned as State President of South Africa
This happened after an Information Scandal which became known as Muldergate. The scandal involved the misappropriation of government funds and abuse of the parliamentary system by the Department of Information under Minister Connie Mulder.
An investigating commission, the Erasmus Commission, found that Vorster had known about the misuse of funds and helped conceal the abuse. As a result, Vorster resigned the presidency in disgrace on June 4, 1979.
Prior to becoming State President in 1978, Vorster had served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1978. He was succeeded as State President by Marais Viljoen, who served in the largely ceremonial position until 1984.
3. It was the year of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident
On the 28th of March 1979, a partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania (in the USA) led to the release of radioactive gas and iodine into the atmosphere. Fortunately, no deaths were reported.
4. The Iran Hostage Crisis started in 1979
On the 4th of November 1979, Iranian students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage. The hostages were held for 444 days until their release on the 20th of January 1981.
The crisis marked a crucial moment in Iran-US relations, originating from the Iranian Revolution that ousted the pro-American Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The new regime, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, distrusted US influence and demanded the Shah’s return from US asylum. When the U.S. refused, Iranian students seized the embassy and took Americans hostage.
5. It was the year of the Vela Incident
The Vela Incident refers to an unidentified double flash of light detected by an American Vela Hotel satellite on the 22nd of September 1979, over the South Atlantic Ocean near the Prince Edward Islands.
This event has been widely speculated to be a nuclear test conducted by South Africa and Israel, although this has never been confirmed.
6. The Soviet Union Invaded Afghanistan
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began on the 24th of December 1979, to support the struggling communist government of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) against insurgent mujahideen groups.
The Soviet Union aimed to stabilize the PDPA and maintain its influence in the region, but encountered fierce resistance from the mujahideen, who were backed by the United States, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and other nations.
The Soviets eventually withdrew their forces in 1989, marking a significant defeat and highlighting the difficulties of military intervention in Afghanistan, while leaving the country deeply destabilized and setting the stage for future conflicts, including the rise of the Taliban.
7. McDonald’s Launched The Happy Meal
Yes folks, the Happy Meal has been around since 1979. In case you did not know, it’s a child-friendly meal that includes an entrée, a side item, a drink, and a toy, all packaged in colorful, engaging boxes. It often features collectible toys tied to popular media franchises, enhancing its appeal.
Over the years, McDonald’s has incorporated healthier options such as apple slices and low-fat milk to address nutritional concerns. The Happy Meal remains a popular offering, known for its frequent promotions and collaborations with major brands and franchises.
8. Sid Vicious died
Sid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Despite his short career and life, he remains an iconic figure of the punk subculture. Vicious joined the band in 1977, embodying the dark, decadent and nihilistic side of punk.
The Sex Pistols broke up in 1978 partly due to escalating drug use and conflicts, including tension between Vicious and his bandmates.
After the band, Vicious moved to New York with his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, where she was found dead in October 1978. Vicious was charged with her murder but released on bail, and he died of a heroin overdose just four months later in February 1979. He was 21 years old.
 9. It was the year that the controversial Disco Demolition Night event happened
Disco Demolition Night was a promotional event at a Chicago baseball game in July 1979, where fans brought disco records to be blown up on the field for a discounted price. The event attracted more people than expected, leading to chaos as thousands stormed the field after the explosion, postponing the second game.
It is seen by many as contributing to disco’s decline, though some argue it also reflected racism and homophobia against the communities associated with disco. This controversial event highlighted the cultural tensions between disco and rock music fans in the late 1970s.
10. 1979 saw the release of some memorable movies
Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz, Ridley Scott’s Alien, Monty Python’s Life of Brian, Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker, Being There (a dramedy about political rise), Kramer vs. Kramer, Nosferatu the Vampyre, The Warriors, The Amityville Horror, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Escape from Alcatraz was released in this year.
11. The year also saw the release of some great albums
Pink Floyd released The Wall, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers released Damn The Torpedos, The Clash released London Calling, Led Zeppelin released In Through The Out Door, Fleetwood Mac released Tusk, AC/DC released Highway to Hell, Talking Heads released Fear Of Music and Michael Jackson released Off The Wall in 1979.
12. Lord Mountbatten was assassinated
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a bomb on Mountbatten’s fishing boat in Ireland, killing him and three others. Mountbatten was a prominent British royal and naval officer. He was born in 1900 and had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, serving as Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia during World War II.
He was also the last Viceroy of India, overseeing the country’s transition to independence. Mountbatten was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria and the uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (husband of Queen Elizabeth II).
13. Six-year-old Etan Patz vanished in New York City
Etan, who was 6 years old, left his apartment to walk to his school bus stop on the 25th of May 1979. It was the first time he had been allowed to make the two-block walk alone. He never reached the bus stop and was never seen again.
He was one of the first missing children to have their photo printed on milk cartons and the anniversary of his disappearance (the 25th of May) was designated as National Missing Children’s Day. Although Etan’s body was never found, he was legally declared dead in 2001.
In 2012, Pedro Hernandez, a former bodega worker in Etan’s neighborhood, was arrested after confessing to kidnapping and murdering Etan. In 2017 he was convicted – he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
14. Solomon Mahlangu was executed in South Africa
The execution of Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu on April 6, 1979. Mahlangu was an anti-apartheid activist who was convicted and sentenced to death under the Terrorism Act of 1967 for his involvement in an attack that resulted in two deaths.
His execution sparked international outrage and protests against the apartheid regime’s use of the death penalty against political activists.
In the months following Mahlangu’s execution, units of the June 16 Detachment of the ANC’s military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), mounted a series of attacks inside South Africa. This included the Silverton Siege in January 1980, where MK operatives attacked a bank in Silverton, Pretoria.
15. Voyager 2 reached Jupiter in 1979
Voyager 2’s closest approach to Jupiter occurred at 22:29 UT on July 9, 1979. It came within 570,000 km (350,000 miles) of the planet’s cloud tops. The spacecraft reached the planet about 18 weeks after its twin spacecraft Voyager 1 arrived at the gas giant.
Well, there you have it, 15 notable events that happened in 1979. If I’ve left out an important event, feel free to comment below.
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