The US invades Panama. Manuel Noriega is deposed as leader and surrenders to the American forces.
After 26 years in prison, Nelson Mandela is freed. South Africa ends segregation of libraries, trains, buses, toilets, swimming pools, and other public facilities.
In 1979, to stabilize the politics of Afghanistan, the Soviet Army sent in troops. After more than 8 years of conflict, and the disruption of detente with the US, the Soviet Army now begins withdrawing from Afghanistan.
The Arab Al-Qaeda militant group is founded as terrorists to oppose the Soviet move into Afghanistan.
Space shuttle “Challenger” explodes on takeoff killing 7 astronauts, including schoolteacher, Christa McAuliffe.
A mishandled safety test at Chernobyl, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union, sends radioactive particles over Europe, kills over 4000 people and damages almost 7 billion in property.
Ronald Reagan is privately sworn in as President for his second term. Secretly, military arms are sent to Iran in exchange for U. S. hostages in Lebanon and to fund Nicaraguan Contras.
Mikhail Gorbachev, as Secretary General of the the Soviet Communist Party, begins “glasnost” policies in USSR allowing more civil freedom.
President Reagan dubs the USSR an “evil empire” and proposes a defense system “Star Wars”. The US continues to support the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Reagan announces that GPS will be made available for civilian use.
