What Happened in 1975?

Let’s take a look back at 1975. Jaws had us all terrified to go into the water. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was making us all do the Time Warp Again, and Monty Python had us all cackling like crazy people! But it was also a year of extraordinary political changes and even some earth-shattering natural disasters.

Here are some of the biggest things that took place in 1975.

In this year

1January

The infamous Watergate scandal in the US came to a head, with John Ehrlichman, John N Mitchell, and H.R. Haldeman all being found guilty of cover-ups. The scandal, of course, implicated former US President Richard Nixon, who left office under a cloud of controversy.

2February

The Hachieng earthquake, taking place in Liaoning, China, killed 2,041 people on February 4th, 1975. Around 27,538 more people were injured. This earthquake was also notable because it’s the first on record to ever have been successfully predicted.

3March

During the Vietnam War, in South Vietnam, then-President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu declared that the Central Highlands should be evacuated. This eventually became a mass exodus of sorts, involving the exit of both assigned troops and civilians from the region. The event would go down in history as the “Convoy of Tears.”

4April

The Vietnam War officially came to an end as of April 30th, 1975, with Communist forces surging forward to take Saigon, traveling from the north. This led to mass evacuations, and South Vietnam surrendered to a new government. The event was known as the “Fall of Saigon.”

5May

In the midst of apartheid, major steps toward racial equality were taken in South Africa on May 6th, 1975. It was on this day that the country’s government announced it would provide free, compulsory education for all black children.

6June

June 1975 saw the announcement of The Emergency in India, when then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched a state of emergency as a result of internal disturbances. The Emergency effectively ended elections and even suspended civil liberties – Gandhi effectively ruled by decree until 1977.

7July

In one of the biggest breaks of independence in modern history, Cape Verde officially became an independent state from Portugal after the latter had controlled the region for over 500 years! July 5th, therefore, is the country’s independence day.

8August

A major step forward in organizing borders and establishing human rights took place on August 1st, 1975, as Finland oversaw the signing of the Helsinki Accords.

9September

The “Thrilla in Manila” boxing match, taking place on September 30th, became the first event in US broadcast history to be delivered continuously through a paid network. Specifically, it was Home Box Office (HBO) that hosted the match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The match officially ended on October 1st in Filipino time, watched by 100 million people around the world.

10October

The King of Spain – Juan Carlos I, as he would be known the month after – took control as head of state as dictator Francisco Franco became too ill to continue holding office. His death, which would occur in November, effectively ended his dictatorship – and within a few years, the nation would draw up a new constitution and leave military rule after four decades.

11November

“Microsoft” is used as a term for the first time when eventual CEO Bill Gates writes to Paul Allen regarding the future computer empire. Within a year, Gates would register Microsoft as a copyright, officially marking the start of the company’s rise to prominence.

12December

The Laotian Civil War officially came to an end as of December 2nd, with Pathet Lao’s Communist Party defeating the Kingdom of Laos. This led to the forced abdication of King Sisavang Vatthana. The event would, of course, lead to the creation of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in its stead.

1975 was the year of the…Rabbit!

Like 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1987, 1999, 2011, and 2023, 1975 marked the year of the Rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac. People born in Rabbit years are usually curious and very energetic. They are very affectionate but can be shy, so let them come to you! The next Rabbit year won’t be until 2035.

Celebrity Births in 1975

• Bradley Cooper, American actor, and director, born January 5th, 1975
• Pedro Pascal, Chilean-American actor, born April 2nd, 1975
• Angelina Jolie, American actor, and director, born June 4th, 1975
• Charlize Theron, South African actor, born August 7th, 1975
• Taika Waititi, New Zealand director, and actor, born August 16th, 1975

Famous People We Lost in 1975

• Josephine Baker, French dancer, and singer, died aged 68
• Tim Buckley, American musician, died aged 28
• Moe Howard, American comedian and actor, died aged 77
• Rod Serling, American screenwriter, and producer, died aged 50
• Susan Hayward, American actress, died aged 57