previous year1969
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
1980next year

Major Events of August 1972: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from August 1972 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of August 1972: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Aug 1972 Washington Post Breaks Watergate Scandal: The first groundbreaking article by Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward is published, exposing the Watergate scandal that would ultimately lead to President Richard Nixon's resignation. This investigative journalism piece marks a pivotal moment in American political history, revealing systematic corruption within the Nixon administration.
  • 02 Aug 1972 Death of President Warren G. Harding: President Warren G. Harding died unexpectedly, leading to the succession of Vice President Calvin Coolidge to the presidency. This sudden transition marked a significant moment in early 20th-century American political history.
  • 03 Aug 1972 US Senate Ratifies Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty: The United States Senate officially ratified the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, a significant arms control agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War era, aimed at limiting anti-ballistic missile systems.
  • 04 Aug 1972 Unprecedented Solar Storm Disrupts Global Systems: A historically powerful solar storm creates massive geomagnetic disturbances, causing widespread disruptions to electric and communication grids. The coronal mass ejection (CME) reached Earth in a record 14.6 hours, accidentally triggering the detonation of U.S. naval mines near Haiphong, North Vietnam. This event highlighted the potential technological vulnerabilities to solar activity.
  • 05 Aug 1972 Uganda's Mass Expulsion of Asian Residents: Ugandan President Idi Amin orders the expulsion of approximately 80,000 Asian residents from Uganda, a controversial and racially motivated policy that would dramatically alter the country's demographic and economic landscape.
  • 06 Aug 1972 Hank Aaron Breaks MLB Team Home Run Record: Hank Aaron hits his 660th and 661st home runs for the Atlanta Braves, surpassing Babe Ruth's record for most home runs by a single player with one team. This milestone highlights Aaron's exceptional consistency and power as a baseball legend.
  • 07 Aug 1972 Moroccan Royal Assassination Attempt: King Hassan II of Morocco narrowly survived a dramatic assassination attempt by rebels within the Moroccan Air Force. While returning from a meeting with French President Pompidou, his Boeing 727 was fired upon by military conspirators. Despite the attack and simultaneous bombing of the royal palace, the King escaped unharmed. Defense Minister Mohammed Oufkir, who orchestrated the coup attempt, died the following day under suspicious circumstances - officially ruled a suicide, but widely believed to have been executed by the King himself.
  • 08 Aug 1972 Nixon's Diplomatic Meeting: President Nixon met with key diplomatic figures including Henry Kissinger, Soviet diplomats Dobrynin and Petrovsky, and other officials, likely discussing international relations during the Cold War.
  • 09 Aug 1972 Final U.S. Ground Combat Units Withdraw from Vietnam: On August 9, 1972, the United States completed a significant phase of its Vietnam War withdrawal with the deactivation of the 3rd Battalion of the 21st U.S. Infantry. The 1,043-man unit, stationed at the Da Nang airbase, represented the last American ground combat units to leave South Vietnam, marking a crucial moment in the conflict's conclusion.
  • 10 Aug 1972 The Great Daylight Fireball of 1972: A remarkable Earth-grazing fireball, also known as the Grand Teton Meteor, passed incredibly close to Earth's surface at 20:29 UTC on August 10, 1972. The meteor entered the atmosphere over Utah, United States at 14:30 local time, traveling at an astonishing speed of 15 kilometers per second. It traversed northward, coming within just 57 kilometers of Earth's surface before exiting over Alberta, Canada. The event was widely observed by numerous witnesses and was captured on film and by space-borne sensors, making it a significant astronomical event.
  • 11 Aug 1972 Last US Ground Combat Unit Leaves Vietnam: The United States withdrew its final ground combat unit from South Vietnam, marking a significant milestone in the Vietnam War. This event signaled the gradual reduction of direct American military involvement in the conflict, though air and naval operations and approximately 40,000 U.S. servicemen remained in the region.
  • 12 Aug 1972 Last U.S. Ground Troops Withdrawn from Vietnam: On this historic day, the United States completed its ground troop withdrawal from Vietnam, marking a significant turning point in the Vietnam War and American military involvement in Southeast Asia. This event symbolized the gradual de-escalation of direct U.S. military engagement following years of controversial conflict.
  • 13 Aug 1972 Hani Hanjour - 9/11 Hijacker Profile: Biographical information about Hani Hanjour, one of the hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Hanjour was a Saudi Arabian national who piloted American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon during the coordinated terrorist attacks.
  • 14 Aug 1972 Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland: On August 14, 1972, British soldiers fired into a crowd in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 unarmed civil rights protesters. This event became a pivotal moment in the Northern Ireland conflict, significantly escalating tensions between the British military and the local Catholic community.
  • 15 Aug 1972 Attempted Assassination of King Hassan II of Morocco: On August 15, 1972, King Hassan II of Morocco narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during his return from a diplomatic meeting with French President Pompidou. A group of rebels within the Moroccan Air Force fired upon the King's Boeing 727. Despite several people being wounded, the King remained unharmed, and the skilled pilot managed to land the aircraft safely by strategically claiming that Hassan had been killed, which likely prevented further attacks.
  • 16 Aug 1972 Attempted Assassination of King Hassan II: On August 16, 1972, the Royal Moroccan Air Force attempted to assassinate King Hassan II of Morocco by firing upon his plane while he was traveling back to Rabat after a meeting with French President Pompidou. Despite the attack, the King survived, and the pilot managed to land the aircraft safely by strategically claiming the King had been killed.
  • 17 Aug 1972 Discovery of Gold in Klondike Valley: George Washington Carmack discovered gold in Bonanza Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River in Yukon, Canada, triggering the historic Klondike Gold Rush and sparking a massive migration of prospectors seeking fortune.
  • 18 Aug 1972 Inter-Korean Communication Hotline Established: On August 18, 1972, a historic communication hotline was established between South Korea and North Korea, reopening direct telephone links between Seoul and Pyongyang. This rare diplomatic channel represented a significant moment of potential dialogue during the Cold War era, offering a potential pathway for communication between two technically still-at-war nations.
  • 20 Aug 1972 USSR Conducts Underground Nuclear Test: The Soviet Union conducted an underground nuclear test as part of its ongoing nuclear weapons development and Cold War strategic posturing. This test was part of the broader nuclear arms race between the USSR and the United States during the height of the Cold War.
  • 21 Aug 1972 Copernicus Astronomy Observatory Launched: NASA successfully launched the Copernicus orbiting astronomy observatory, a significant advancement in space-based astronomical research and observation capabilities.
  • 22 Aug 1972 John Wojtowicz, 27, and Sal Naturile, 18, hold several Chase Manhattan Bank employees hostage for 17 hours in Gravesend, Brooklyn, N.Y, an event later dramatized in the film ''Dog Day Afternoon''.
  • 23 Aug 1972 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach: The 1972 Republican National Convention was held in Miami Beach, Florida, where President Richard Nixon was officially nominated for re-election. During his acceptance speech on August 23, 1972, Nixon reflected on the achievements of his first term and articulated his vision for future peace and international cooperation.
  • 24 Aug 1972 Hockey Legends Inducted into Hall of Fame: Gordie Howe and Jean Béliveau, two iconic ice hockey players, were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Howe, known as 'Mr. Hockey', and Béliveau, a legendary Montreal Canadiens player, were honored for their extraordinary contributions to the sport.
  • 25 Aug 1972 Walmart Goes Public on NYSE: Walmart Stores, Inc. made its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange, marking a significant milestone in the company's corporate history. The stock closed at $33 per share on its opening day, signaling strong investor confidence in the emerging retail giant.
  • 26 Aug 1972 Munich Olympic Games Begin: The Games of the XX Olympiad officially open in Munich, West Germany, marking a significant international sporting event. These Olympics would later become tragically known for the terrorist attack on Israeli athletes, which would dramatically alter international sports security protocols.
  • 27 Aug 1972 Attempted Assassination of King Hassan II of Morocco: A dramatic assassination attempt against King Hassan II occurred when rebels within the Moroccan Air Force fired upon his Boeing 727 during his return from a meeting with French President Pompidou. The King survived unharmed, with the pilot's strategic communication preventing further escalation.
  • 28 Aug 1972 Mark Spitz Wins First Olympic Gold Medal: During the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, legendary American swimmer Mark Spitz achieved a historic milestone by winning his first of seven gold medals in swimming events, setting a remarkable record for individual Olympic performance.
  • 29 Aug 1972 Jim Barr's Historic Pitching Performance: On August 29, 1972, San Francisco Giants pitcher Jim Barr set a remarkable Major League Baseball record by retiring 39 consecutive batters in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This extraordinary performance demonstrated exceptional pitching precision and control, showcasing Barr's ability to dominate on the mound.
  • 30 Aug 1972 Nixon's Controversial Watergate Statement: President Richard Nixon publicly announced that John Dean had completed an investigation into the Watergate buggings, claiming that no White House staff were implicated. This statement would later be proven false, becoming a critical moment in the unfolding Watergate scandal that would ultimately lead to Nixon's resignation.
  • 31 Aug 1972 Lasse Viren's Olympic 10,000m Record: Finnish long-distance runner Lasse Viren set an Olympic and world record in the 10,000 meters event, completing the race in an extraordinary time of 27:38.4 at the Munich Olympics.