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Major Events of November 1978: 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 November 1978 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of November 1978: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Nov 1978 Uganda-Tanzania War Begins: Ugandan President Idi Amin provocatively annexed 710 square miles (1,800 km²) of Tanzanian territory known as the Kagera Salient, located across the Kagera River. In direct response, Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere declared a state of war and mobilized the Tanzania People's Defence Force, escalating tensions into a full-scale military conflict.
  • 02 Nov 1978 Wayne Gretzky Joins Edmonton Oilers: Wayne Gretzky is traded to the Edmonton Oilers after playing just 8 games with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA). He impressively scores 104 points in 72 games and is named WHA Rookie of the Year.
  • 03 Nov 1978 Dominica Gains Independence from United Kingdom: The Caribbean island nation of Dominica gained its independence from the United Kingdom on November 3, 1978. In a historic ceremony at the capital, Roseau, Patrick John, who had been Premier of the colony since 1974, took office as the nation's first Prime Minister. Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue, the last colonial Governor serving since 1968, became the first President of Dominica. The transition was symbolically marked by Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II, accepting the lowered British flag and delivering a message of congratulations.
  • 04 Nov 1978 1978 United States Presidential Election: The United States presidential election was held, with Jimmy Carter (Democratic Party) defeating Republican candidate Ronald Reagan. This election marked a significant moment in American political history, with Carter winning the presidency and serving from 1977 to 1981.
  • 05 Nov 1978 Iranian Revolution Tensions Escalate: Followers of Ayatollah Khomeini attack the British Embassy and El Al office in Tehran, reflecting growing anti-Western sentiment during the Iranian Revolution.
  • 06 Nov 1978 Creation of 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan: The Revenue Act of 1978 is signed into law, establishing the 401(k) retirement savings plan, which would revolutionize personal retirement savings in the United States by allowing employees to save and invest a portion of their paycheck before taxes.
  • 07 Nov 1978 Marion Barry Elected First African American Mayor of Washington, D.C.: Marion Barry Jr. made history by becoming Washington, D.C.'s first African American mayor, a significant milestone in the city's political representation and civil rights progress.
  • 09 Nov 1978 British Labour Government Survives No-Confidence Vote: Prime Minister James Callaghan's Labour Party government narrowly survives a parliamentary vote of no confidence, with 312 members supporting the government against 300 who expressed no confidence. This vote prevented an immediate call for new elections and maintained the government's stability.
  • 10 Nov 1978 Israel Withdraws from Peace Negotiations: Israel's top negotiators unexpectedly broke away from ongoing Middle East peace talks, signaling potential diplomatic tensions and challenges in regional conflict resolution.
  • 11 Nov 1978 Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Becomes President of Maldives: On November 11, 1978, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom succeeded Ibrahim Nasir as the president of the Republic of Maldives. Gayoom would go on to become one of the longest-serving presidents in the country's history, being re-elected for six consecutive 5-year terms, effectively ruling the Maldives for 30 years until 2008.
  • 12 Nov 1978 Operation Condor Kidnapping of Lilián Celiberti: As part of the Operation Condor agreement, Uruguayan agents kidnapped activist Lilián Celiberti, her partner Universindo Rodríguez, and their two children from their home in Porto Alegre, Brazil. With Brazilian military government's consent, they were forcibly taken to Uruguay. The children were placed with Celiberti's parents, while she and Rodriguez were imprisoned for five years, representing a severe human rights violation during the region's military dictatorships.
  • 13 Nov 1978 NASA Launches High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO): NASA successfully launched the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) mission, a significant space exploration initiative designed to study high-energy astronomical phenomena using advanced X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes.
  • 15 Nov 1978 Tragic Plane Crash in Sri Lanka: A chartered Douglas DC-8 aircraft crashed near Colombo, Sri Lanka, resulting in a devastating loss of 183 lives. The majority of passengers were Muslim pilgrims returning from the Hajj pilgrimage, making this one of the deadliest aviation accidents of the year.
  • 16 Nov 1978 Major Indoor Soccer League holds its first draft.
  • 17 Nov 1978 Operation Galaxia Coup Plot Foiled: Spanish authorities successfully uncovered and thwarted 'Operation Galaxia,' a planned military coup against the government. The plotters were promptly arrested, preventing a potential destabilization of Spain's emerging democratic system in the post-Franco era.
  • 18 Nov 1978 Jonestown Mass Suicide: On November 18, 1978, in Jonestown, Guyana, cult leader Jim Jones orchestrated a horrific mass murder-suicide of his Peoples Temple followers. 913 people died, including 276 children, in what became one of the largest single losses of American civilian life in a deliberate act before 9/11. The event involved widespread cyanide poisoning and was a result of Jones' manipulative and destructive leadership.
  • 19 Nov 1978 First U.S. Take Back the Night March in San Francisco: The inaugural Take Back the Night march takes place in San Francisco, marking a significant moment in the feminist movement's campaign against sexual violence. This grassroots demonstration aims to raise awareness about violence against women and reclaim public spaces, symbolizing women's right to safety and freedom from fear.
  • 20 Nov 1978 End of Commercial Whaling in Australia: On November 20, 1978, the Cheyne Beach Whaling Company marked the end of commercial whaling in Australia by killing its final whale. This event represented a significant milestone in marine conservation, signaling a shift in national attitudes towards marine wildlife protection and ecological preservation.
  • 21 Nov 1978 Bob Horner Wins NL Rookie of the Year: Bob Horner of the Atlanta Braves was awarded the National League Rookie of the Year Award on November 21, 1978. The young third baseman had an impressive debut season, showcasing exceptional batting skills and promising potential for the Braves franchise.
  • 23 Nov 1978 Deadly Cyclone in Sri Lanka: A catastrophic cyclone struck the eastern coastal regions of Sri Lanka, causing widespread devastation and claiming approximately 1,000 lives. The natural disaster resulted in significant loss of human life, infrastructure damage, and humanitarian crisis in the affected areas.
  • 25 Nov 1978 American Airlines DC-10 Crash in Chicago: A catastrophic American Airlines DC-10 crash during takeoff from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport resulted in the tragic loss of 275 lives, marking one of the deadliest aviation accidents of 1978.
  • 26 Nov 1978 Deadly Holiday Inn Fire in Rochester, New York: A tragic fire erupted at a Holiday Inn in Rochester, New York, resulting in ten fatalities. The incident highlighted the critical importance of fire safety protocols and emergency preparedness in public accommodations.
  • 27 Nov 1978 Assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk: In a tragic event that shocked San Francisco and the nation, city mayor George Moscone and openly gay city supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated inside San Francisco City Hall by former supervisor Dan White. This event was a significant moment in LGBTQ+ political history and civil rights, highlighting the tensions and violence faced by progressive political figures in the late 1970s.
  • 28 Nov 1978 First Night Cricket Match: A groundbreaking moment in cricket history occurred with the first-ever 'night game' played under floodlights as part of the innovative World Series Cricket competition, revolutionizing the traditional daytime sport.
  • 29 Nov 1978 Mexico City Earthquake: A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mexico City, successfully forecast in advance, resulting in significant structural damage and tragically claiming eight lives. This event highlighted the importance of seismic prediction and preparedness.
  • 30 Nov 1978 The Times Newspaper Suspension: The publication of the prestigious British newspaper 'The Times' was suspended due to significant labor disputes and industrial action, interrupting its continuous publication for nearly a year. This suspension highlighted the intense labor tensions in the British media industry during the late 1970s.