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Major Events of December 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 December 1972 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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

  • 01 Dec 1972 India-Pakistan Prisoner Exchange: Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, both nations conducted a humanitarian prisoner exchange, returning 542 Pakistani and 639 Indian soldiers. This diplomatic gesture represented a crucial step towards post-war reconciliation and normalization of relations.
  • 02 Dec 1972 Apollo 17 Moon Mission Launch: Apollo 17, carrying astronauts Gene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt, was launched. This historic mission would become the last manned lunar expedition to date, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
  • 03 Dec 1972 Tenerife Aviation Disaster: A Convair 990A charter aircraft crashed in Tenerife, Canary Islands, resulting in a catastrophic loss of 155 lives. This tragic incident highlighted critical aviation safety concerns and prompted significant improvements in flight protocols and emergency procedures.
  • 04 Dec 1972 Military Coup in Honduras: President Ramón Ernesto Cruz was overthrown in a military coup led by the Army. General Oswaldo López Arellano, who had previously transferred power to Cruz after the 1971 election, returned to the presidency, marking a significant political upheaval in Honduras.
  • 05 Dec 1972 Johnny Rodgers Wins 38th Heisman Trophy: Johnny Rodgers, a talented football player from the University of Nebraska, was awarded the prestigious 38th Heisman Trophy, recognizing his outstanding performance as a flanker (FL).
  • 07 Dec 1972 Apollo 17: The Final Moon Mission and Blue Marble Photograph: Apollo 17, the final manned lunar landing mission of the Apollo program, was launched on December 7, 1972. During their departure from Earth, the crew captured the iconic 'Blue Marble' photograph, which became one of the most widely reproduced images in human history. This mission marked the end of NASA's lunar exploration program and represented the last time humans traveled beyond low Earth orbit.
  • 08 Dec 1972 United Airlines Flight 553, a Boeing 737, crashes after aborting its landing attempt at Chicago Midway International Airport, killing 45. This is the first-ever loss of a Boeing 737.
  • 09 Dec 1972 Pilot Marten Hartwell Rescued in Canadian Arctic: Pilot Marten Hartwell was dramatically rescued in the Canadian Arctic after surviving for more than a month following a plane crash near Great Bear Lake. This extraordinary survival story highlights the extreme challenges of wilderness survival in the harsh Arctic environment, demonstrating remarkable human resilience and endurance.
  • 10 Dec 1972 USSR Nuclear Test in Kazakhstan: The Soviet Union conducted a nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeastern Kazakhstan, continuing its Cold War-era nuclear weapons development program.
  • 11 Dec 1972 Apollo 17: Final Moon Landing Mission: Apollo 17 became the sixth and final Apollo mission to land on the Moon, marking a historic conclusion to NASA's lunar exploration program. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt landed in the Taurus-Littrow crater, becoming the 11th and 12th humans to walk on the lunar surface.
  • 12 Dec 1972 First Haitian Boat People Arrive in Florida: A significant migration event occurred when a boatload of 65 Haitian refugees, predominantly Black, landed in Florida. This marked the beginning of the 'boat people' migration from Haiti to the United States, representing an important moment in Caribbean-American immigration history and highlighting the socio-political challenges in Haiti during this period.
  • 13 Dec 1972 Apollo 17: Final Moonwalk of the 20th Century: On December 13, 1972, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt conducted the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) during the Apollo 17 mission. This historic moonwalk marked the last human lunar exploration of the 20th century, representing a significant milestone in space exploration and human achievement.
  • 14 Dec 1972 Last Human Moon Landing of the 20th Century: Apollo 17 mission concludes with Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt completing the final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface. Cernan becomes the last person to walk on the moon in the 20th century, marking a significant milestone in human space exploration.
  • 15 Dec 1972 United Nations Environment Program Established: The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) was created through a unanimous 112-0 vote of the UN General Assembly, marking a significant milestone in global environmental cooperation and policy-making.
  • 16 Dec 1972 Vietnam War Peace Negotiations Collapse: Henry Kissinger announced that North Vietnam had withdrawn from private peace negotiations in Paris, signaling continued tensions and prolonging the Vietnam War conflict.
  • 17 Dec 1972 Wright Brothers Day Commemoration: Annual observance in the United States honoring Orville and Wilbur Wright's groundbreaking achievement of powered flight on December 17, 1903, a pivotal moment in aviation history.
  • 18 Dec 1972 Operation Linebacker II: Nixon's Christmas Bombing Campaign: During the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon ordered a massive aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam after peace negotiations with Hanoi broke down. The operation, known as Operation Linebacker II or the 'Christmas Bombing', involved intense strategic bombing of military and industrial targets in North Vietnam, aimed at forcing the North Vietnamese back to peace talks.
  • 19 Dec 1972 Apollo 17: Last Moon Landing Mission Returns to Earth: The Apollo 17 mission, marking the final lunar landing of NASA's historic Apollo program, successfully returned to Earth. Astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt completed the last human expedition to the Moon, concluding a groundbreaking era of space exploration.
  • 20 Dec 1972 Derry Bar Shooting Incident: A tragic gun attack occurred at the Top of the Hill Bar in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in the deaths of five civilians: four Catholics and one Protestant. This event highlights the ongoing sectarian tensions during the Northern Ireland conflict.
  • 21 Dec 1972 CSCE Preparatory Meeting Begins: The preparatory meeting for the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) commenced in Helsinki, bringing together 34 countries including the United States and Canada. This meeting was a crucial diplomatic effort to improve relations between Eastern and Western bloc countries during the Cold War.
  • 22 Dec 1972 Devastating Managua Earthquake: A catastrophic 6.25 magnitude earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua, causing widespread destruction and resulting in the tragic loss of over 12,000 lives. The earthquake decimated the city's infrastructure, leaving thousands homeless and marking one of the most significant natural disasters in Nicaragua's modern history.
  • 23 Dec 1972 Andes Flight Disaster Survivors Rescued: After 70 days of extraordinary survival in the harsh Andes Mountains, all 16 survivors of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 were rescued. The survivors famously resorted to cannibalism to stay alive, enduring extreme cold, isolation, and limited resources before their miraculous rescue.
  • 24 Dec 1972 Temporary Halt in US Bombing of North Vietnam: On Christmas Eve, the United States temporarily suspended bombing operations in North Vietnam for a 36-hour period, beginning at 8:00 am local time. Despite the cessation of US air raids, Radio Hanoi continued its regular broadcasting.
  • 25 Dec 1972 Christmas Bombing of North Vietnam: During the Vietnam War, the United States conducted a massive aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam, known as Operation Linebacker II. From December 18-29, 1972, President Richard Nixon ordered intense bombing raids targeting Hanoi and Haiphong, aiming to force North Vietnam into peace negotiations. The campaign involved over 700 bombing sorties by B-52 strategic bombers, causing significant destruction and civilian casualties. These raids were widely condemned internationally as disproportionate and inhumane, creating substantial political backlash against the Nixon administration.
  • 26 Dec 1972 Death of President Harry S. Truman: Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, passed away on December 26, 1972, in Kansas City at the age of 88. He had been hospitalized since December 5 with pneumonia and suffered multiple medical complications leading to his death. Truman was a pivotal figure in 20th-century American history, known for his leadership during World War II and the early Cold War period.
  • 27 Dec 1972 Vietnamese Forces Down B-52 Bombers: During the Vietnam War, North Vietnamese troops demonstrated significant aerial combat capabilities by shooting down 14 aircraft, including five strategic B-52 bombers, in a single day of intense conflict.
  • 28 Dec 1972 Kim Il-sung Becomes President of North Korea: Kim Il-sung officially became the first and only president of North Korea under a newly amended constitution, marking a significant moment in the country's political history.
  • 29 Dec 1972 Operation Linebacker II Concludes: The massive U.S. bombing campaign against North Vietnam effectively concludes, marking a significant turning point in the Vietnam War and signaling the United States' strategic withdrawal from the conflict.
  • 30 Dec 1972 Operation Linebacker II Concludes: Operation Linebacker II, a massive and controversial aerial bombardment campaign by the United States against North Vietnam, officially ended on December 30, 1972. This strategic bombing operation was one of the most intense air campaigns of the Vietnam War, targeting military and industrial infrastructure in Hanoi and Haiphong.
  • 31 Dec 1972 Roberto Clemente's Tragic Death During Humanitarian Mission: Pittsburgh Pirates' outfielder Roberto Clemente, a legendary baseball player, was tragically killed at age 38 when a cargo plane crashed during a humanitarian relief effort to bring supplies to victims of the Nicaraguan earthquake. His selfless mission to help earthquake survivors ended in a devastating accident, highlighting his commitment to humanitarian causes.