1972
Nixon goes to China
Richard Nixon stepped off Air Force One in Beijing and shook hands with Zhou Enlai…
Watergate burglary
Five men in business suits were caught breaking into Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington in the early hours of a June morning.
Munich Olympics massacre
Eight Palestinian Black September gunmen took eleven Israeli athletes hostage at the Munich Olympic Village.
Uganda expels its Asians
Idi Amin gave ninety days for all Ugandan Asians, mostly of Indian and Pakistani origin, to leave the country.
Bloody Sunday in Derry
British paratroopers opened fire on Catholic civil rights marchers in the Bogside area of Derry, killing thirteen unarmed civilians on a January afternoon.
Pong arrives in bars
Atari's Nolan Bushnell placed a prototype of a two-paddle video ping-pong game in a Sunnyvale tavern.
Managua earthquake
Three days before Christmas, a 6.3 quake hit the Nicaraguan capital, killing perhaps ten thousand, leveling most of the city, and leaving three hundred…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1972?
Saeculum lists 7 events from 1972. The most significant is Nixon goes to China: Richard Nixon stepped off Air Force One in Beijing and shook hands with Zhou Enlai.
What era was 1972 part of?
1972 falls within the Modern Era (1901-2000). World wars, cold war, and the splitting of the atom.
Which regions saw notable events in 1972?
The events from 1972 span East Asia, North America, Europe and Africa.