G6 80's Culture: Politics

From Reaganism to The Cosby Show

In 1980, confidence in the American economy and government hit rock bottom. Looking for a change and the promise of a better future, voters turned to RONALD REAGAN for answers.

U.S. political scandal in which the National Security Council (NSC) became involved in secret weapons transactions

Open warfare began on September 22, 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran along the countries’ joint border

Sadat was assassinated by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad during the Armed Forces Day military parade

In the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip, the first riots of the Palestinian intifada, or “shaking off” in Arabic, begin one day after an Israeli truck crashed into a station wagon carrying Palestinian workers

In 1989 Beijing's Tiananmen Square became the focus for large-scale protests, which were crushed by China's Communist rulers.

A mass protest against the South Korean military government that took place in the southern city of Kwangju between May 18 and 27, 1980.

a nationwide pro-democracy movement in South Korea that generated mass protests from June 10 to June 29, 1987. The demonstrations forced the ruling government to hold elections and institute other democratic reforms

On 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, was killed by her Sikh bodyguards

The Communist government in Russia disintegrated due to economic pressures, the war in Afghanistan and revolt in Eastern Europe. Both Gorbachev and Reagan played major roles in ending the Cold War.

World events often move fast, but it is hard to match the pace and power of change in 1989.

The Falklands Conflict was a short undeclared war between Argentina and Britain over who "owned" the Falkland Islands