Mood:
"Crisis dominates economic and political life."
Events: "Oil crisis hits and U.S. withdraws from Vietnam."
Events: "Oil crisis hits and U.S. withdraws from Vietnam."
- Jan 22: Roe v. Wade Decision – In a highly controversial and incredibly historic 7-2 decision, the US Supreme Court rules that the Constitution fiercely protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
- Jan 27: Paris Peace Accords – The United States, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the Viet Cong formally sign the Paris Peace Accords, officially ending direct, active US military combat involvement in the deeply divisive Vietnam War.
- Apr 4: World Trade Center Opens – The iconic Twin Towers of the World Trade Center are officially dedicated in Lower Manhattan. At the time of their completion, they proudly stand as the tallest buildings in the entire world.
- May 14: Skylab Launched – The United States successfully launches Skylab, its very first space station, into low Earth orbit. Despite early severe damage during launch, multiple crews successfully repair and inhabit the station for scientific research.
- Sep 11: Chilean Coup d'État – General Augusto Pinochet leads a violent, CIA-backed military coup that successfully overthrows the democratically elected socialist government of Chilean President Salvador Allende, initiating a brutal, decades-long right-wing dictatorship.
- Oct 6: Yom Kippur War – A massive coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria launches a highly coordinated surprise attack against Israel on the holiest day in Judaism, sparking a brief but incredibly intense and bloody regional conflict.
- Oct 17: OPEC Oil Embargo – Arab members of OPEC proclaim a harsh oil embargo against nations that supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War. This severely disrupts global energy supplies, drastically spiking prices and causing a worldwide economic crisis.
- Oct 20: Saturday Night Massacre – In a shocking abuse of executive power amid the Watergate scandal, President Nixon fires the special prosecutor and accepts the resignations of his top two Justice Department officials, severely turning public opinion against him.