On December 20, 1989, the United States Armed Forces invaded Panama in Operation Just Cause. As a result of the invasion, dictator Manuel Noriega was deposed, the Panamanian Defense Force dissolved, and president-elect Guillermo Endara was sworn into office. The U.S. relationship with Noriega had started out on a more … Continue reading
The Grateful Dead were an American rock band from California that first came together in 1965. The band was known for live performances of long musical improvisation, and have sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. In 1994, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. … Continue reading
The Bhopal disaster, widely considered to be the world’s worst industrial disaster, was a gas leak that took place on the night of December 2, 1984, in Bhopal, India. The Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant exposed over half a million people to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas.
Benazir Bhutto served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for two non-consecutive terms from 1988-1990 and from 1993-1996. She was the eldest daughter of former Pakistani prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. With her election in 1988, Bhutto became the first female leader of a Muslim country. This video shows coverage … Continue reading
On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the USSR), experienced a catastrophic nuclear accident in which an explosion and fire released radioactive particles into the atmosphere. The Chernobyl disaster is the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, both in terms of cost … Continue reading
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedication took place on November 13, 1982. The largest part of the memorial, the Memorial Wall, lists the name of every serviceperson to be confirmed KIA (killed in action) or remain classified as MIA (missing in action). As of May 2011, there are 58,272 names inscribed … Continue reading
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are childhood friends who went on to form one of the most popular American folk rock duos of the 1960s. In this video, Paul Simon discusses his relationship with Art Garfunkel, saying: “Periodically, we got on each other’s nerves. When I say periodically I mean, … Continue reading
Michael Jackson’s thirteen minute video for his song Thriller was released in 1982, and is still widely considered to be the most influential music video of all time. In this clip, Rick Baker, makeup artist for the music video, discusses the inspiration behind it. Of Jackson, he says: “Michael Jackson … Continue reading
Stephanie Fae Beauclair, better known as Baby Fae, became the first infant to receive a heart transplant from a baboon on October 26, 1984. Baby Fae was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition which at the time was fatal without a heart transplant. In this video, hospital staff … Continue reading
Early on October 25, 1983, the United States led an invasion of the Caribbean island of Grenada. It was the first major military action taken by the United States since the Vietnam War. The mission was known as Operation Urgent Fury, and was undertaken by the US for a few … Continue reading
