What Happened in 1982?

1982 was a year in which probably plenty of you out there were born – and while that’s a momentous enough occasion, it’s also one of the most eye-opening years on the political and social stages worldwide.

The start of the 80s was a very exciting yet scary time for people all over the world – and yet, many people claim it was this period of time that helped to produce some of the best music, movies, TV, and even fashion!

But, how much do you remember or even know about this incredible year? Here are some of the biggest things that took place in 1982.

In this year

1January

At the end of January, the first-ever computer virus, known as the Elk Cloner, was found. It infected original Apple II computers via floppy disk – remember those? The infamous virus was written by then-15-year old Rich Skrenta. Thanks, Rich…

2February

In major changes to discipline laws in Europe, February 25th, 1983 saw the European Court of Human Rights declare that teachers caning and belting children (against parental wishes) would be in breach of the Rights Convention. A new revolution in discipline, therefore, soon followed.

3March

France underwent major decentralization in early March 1982 – when council powers changed across the country. The move was seen as complex in many ways – but it was a pivotal moment in the way the government and its agencies managed French areas.

4April

Argentinian forces landed close to Stanley, in the Falkland Islands, on April 3rd, 1982. This act is seen to be the trigger event for the Falklands War that followed. To this day, there is still tension regarding who has clear ownership over the islands.

5May

Pope John Paul II narrowly avoided a brutal assassination attempt on May 12th, 1983, as Juan María Fernández y Krohn, a Spanish priest, had attempted to stab the leader of the Vatican with a bayonet. The Pope was, at the time, making a pilgrimage to the shrine at Fátima.

6June

As of June 6th, 1982, the Lebanon War officially began – when then-Defense Minister for Israel, Ariel Sharon, started an invasion into the south of Lebanon, under a mission referred to as “Operation Peace for the Galilee.” The event led to the UN Security Council demanding Israel remove its troops from the area, with invaders reaching the capital of Beirut.

7July

Keep your eyes peeled! The officially-longest lunar eclipse of the 20th century took place on July 6th, 1982 – lasting a staggering 106 minutes. The most ardent of astronomers, of course, made sure to take it all in!

8August

In Hong Kong, new health warnings on cigarette packets became law – in an attempt to deter people from taking up smoking as a habit. Now, in many countries around the world, cigarette packets have health warnings and even boast shocking images to deter buyers.

9September

As of September 21st, 1982, the United Nations declared the world’s first International Day of Peace. It’s been marked every September 21st since 2001. It’s a day during which people all over the world are encouraged to do their part to help aid world peace – and reports are published each year to help measure ceasefire initiatives.

10October

Sony released the first-ever compact disc player to the mass market – the CDP-101 was the first model of its kind, meaning people could now play music on strange, circular discs that used lasers rather than a needle on vinyl. It became the standard for music collectors everywhere until at least the 00s, when MP3s changed music even further. And then, came streaming in the 10s…

11November

A big change at the head of Cameroon’s government took place on November 6th, 1982 – as Ahmadou Ahidjo resigned as the President. Paul Biya took his place – and, here’s the fascinating part. Biya is still in charge at the time of writing, meaning he’s been the leader of Cameroon for over 40 years!

12December

Barney Clark, a retired dentist, became the world’s first recipient of an artificial heart, fitted for permanent support. The project and operation took place at the University of Utah – and while Clark only lived for another 112 days, the event is still considered an essential benchmark for organ transplantation the world over.

1982 was the year of the…Dog!

Like 1946, 1958, 1970, 1994, 2006, and 2018, 1982 celebrated Dogs everywhere – according to followers of the Chinese Zodiac. People born in Dog years are friendly, fiercely loyal, very honest and considerate, patient, and kind. The next Dog year won’t be until 2030.

Celebrity Births in 1982

• Eddie Redmayne, British actor, born January 6th, 1982
• Kirsten Dunst, American actor, born April 30th, 1982
• Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Indian actor, born July 18th, 1982
• Sebastian Stan, Romanian-American actor, born August 13th, 1982
• Anne Hathaway, American actor, born November 12th, 1982

Famous People We Lost in 1982

• Dominique Dunne, American actor, died aged 22
• Grace Kelly, American actor, and princess of Monaco, died aged 52
• Henry Fonda, American actor, died aged 77
• Ingrid Bergman, Swedish actor, died aged 67
• John Belushi, American comedian and actor, died aged 33