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Major Events of April 1981: 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 April 1981 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of April 1981: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Apr 1981 Wayne Gretzky Breaks NHL Assist Record: Edmonton Oilers center Wayne Gretzky breaks Bobby Orr's 10-year record for most assists in a single NHL season, recording his 103rd assist in a 4-4 tie against the Colorado Rockies.
  • 02 Apr 1981 Syrian Military Bombing of Lebanese Christian Areas: Syrian military aircraft conducted bombing raids on Lebanese Christian strongholds in ZahlĂ© and East Beirut, dramatically escalating tensions and reigniting active hostilities in the Lebanese Civil War. These airstrikes represented a significant military escalation in the ongoing sectarian conflict.
  • 03 Apr 1981 Osborne 1: First Successful Portable Computer: The Osborne 1 was unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco, marking a revolutionary moment in personal computing. This groundbreaking device was the first truly portable computer, weighing 24 pounds and featuring a 5-inch CRT monitor.
  • 04 Apr 1981 First Mexican-American Mayor in US History: Henry Cisneros makes history by becoming the first Mexican-American mayor of a major US city, breaking significant ground for Hispanic political representation in the United States.
  • 05 Apr 1981 Reagan Pardons FBI Agents Felt and Miller: President Ronald Reagan pardoned FBI agents W. Mark Felt and Edward S. Miller, who had been convicted of conspiracy to violate civil rights during investigations of the Weather Underground terrorist group. Reagan's pardon statement emphasized national healing and recognized the agents' actions as being motivated by principle during a turbulent period in American history.
  • 06 Apr 1981 Yugoslav Government Sends Troops to Kosovo: The Yugoslav government deployed military troops to Kosovo, signaling rising tensions in the region. This event was part of the complex ethnic and political dynamics that would eventually lead to the breakup of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo War in the 1990s.
  • 07 Apr 1981 End of Soyuz '81 Military Maneuvers: The Warsaw Pact military maneuvers known as 'Soyuz '81' concluded, reducing international tensions and alleviating fears of a potential Soviet invasion of Poland during the Solidarity movement era.
  • 08 Apr 1981 Warsaw Pact Soyuz '81 Military Maneuvers Conclude: The 'Soyuz '81' military maneuvers conducted by Warsaw Pact nations officially ended, reducing international tensions and alleviating fears of a potential invasion of Poland aimed at suppressing the Solidarity labor union movement.
  • 09 Apr 1981 USS George Washington Maritime Incident: The U.S. Navy nuclear submarine USS George Washington accidentally collides with the Japanese cargo ship Nissho Maru, causing the freighter to sink and resulting in the tragic loss of two Japanese sailors' lives.
  • 10 Apr 1981 Bobby Sands Elected to British Parliament: Imprisoned Irish Republican Army (IRA) hunger striker Bobby Sands was elected to the British Parliament in a historic by-election for the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency. This election was a significant moment in the Northern Ireland conflict, highlighting the political tensions and the growing international attention on the IRA's struggle.
  • 11 Apr 1981 Reagan's Hospital Discharge: US President Ronald Reagan returns home to the White House after recovering from an assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981. This marked a significant moment of resilience for the president and the nation.
  • 12 Apr 1981 First Space Shuttle Launch: The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1 mission) was launched from Kennedy Space Center, marking a pivotal moment in space exploration. Astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen piloted the world's first reusable spacecraft, initiating a new era of space transportation. This historic flight represented the first American crewed spaceflight since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975.
  • 13 Apr 1981 Janet Cooke Pulitzer Prize Controversy: Janet Cooke, a journalist for The Washington Post, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her story 'Jimmy's World', a dramatic narrative about an 8-year-old heroin addict. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the story was entirely fabricated. Cooke was forced to admit the story was a hoax and voluntarily returned her Pulitzer Prize, marking a significant ethical breach in journalism.
  • 14 Apr 1981 First Space Shuttle Columbia Returns to Earth: The Space Shuttle Columbia completed its inaugural mission, successfully returning to Earth after a groundbreaking test flight. This historic mission marked a pivotal moment in human spaceflight, demonstrating the capabilities of NASA's new reusable spacecraft technology.
  • 15 Apr 1981 First Space Shuttle Landing in California: Space Shuttle Columbia completes a historic mission, becoming the first crewed orbital spacecraft to land in California. Despite multiple technical challenges including thermostat malfunctions, cargo door issues, zero-G toilet problems, and heat-shielding tile loss, the mission represents a significant milestone in space exploration.
  • 16 Apr 1981 First Space Shuttle Mission Concludes: The Columbia space shuttle, NASA's first reusable spacecraft, successfully completes its maiden voyage, returning to Earth after a groundbreaking mission that marked a new era in space exploration.
  • 17 Apr 1981 Tragic Air U.S. Flight 716 Collision: A devastating mid-air collision occurred between Air U.S. Flight 716 (traveling from Denver to Gillette, Wyoming) and a Cessna airplane carrying parachutists from the Skies West Skydiving Club. The accident resulted in 13 fatalities on the airliner and 2 skydiver deaths, while the remaining skydivers successfully parachuted to safety.
  • 18 Apr 1981 Longest Professional Baseball Game in History: A historic Minor League baseball game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, sets the record for the longest professional baseball game ever played. The marathon match lasted an extraordinary 8 hours and 25 minutes, spanning 33 innings. The game was uniquely suspended at 4:00 AM and was ultimately completed on June 23rd, creating a legendary moment in baseball history.
  • 19 Apr 1981 Historic Baseball Game Suspension: The Rochester Red Wings and Pawtucket Red Sox played an extraordinary baseball game that was suspended after 32 innings, with the score tied at 2-2, ending at 4:07 AM - a testament to the players' endurance.
  • 20 Apr 1981 Boston Marathon Men's Race: The 85th Boston Marathon was won by Toshihiko Seko of Japan, who completed the race in a remarkable time of 2:09:26.
  • 21 Apr 1981 US Arms Deal with Saudi Arabia: The United States provided a significant military aid package of US$1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia, reinforcing strategic military cooperation in the Middle East during the early 1980s.
  • 22 Apr 1981 USSR Nuclear Test in Kazakhstan: The Soviet Union conducted a nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan, continuing its Cold War-era nuclear weapons development program.
  • 23 Apr 1981 Reagan Announces Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI): US President Ronald Reagan delivered a landmark national security address, introducing the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as 'Star Wars'. This ambitious satellite-based defense system was designed to intercept and destroy incoming nuclear missiles and warheads in space, representing a significant shift in Cold War military strategy.
  • 24 Apr 1981 IBM Personal Computer Introduced: IBM launches its first personal computer (IBM PC), a groundbreaking moment in personal computing history that would revolutionize the technology industry and set standards for future personal computer design.
  • 25 Apr 1981 Radiation Exposure at Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant: A significant radiation exposure incident occurred during repairs at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, affecting over 100 workers and highlighting potential safety risks in nuclear facility maintenance.
  • 26 Apr 1981 World's First Human Open Fetal Surgery: Dr. Michael R. Harrison of the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center successfully performed the groundbreaking first human open fetal surgery, marking a significant milestone in medical science and prenatal care.
  • 27 Apr 1981 Xerox Star Information System Launch: Xerox introduced the groundbreaking Xerox 8010 Star Information System, a pioneering personal computer featuring advanced technologies like graphics display, word processor, mouse, laser printer, and Ethernet. Despite its innovative design and production of 100,000 units, the system was not commercially successful, priced at approximately $16,000.
  • 28 Apr 1981 Reagan Presents Economic Recovery Program to Congress: President Ronald Reagan delivered a pivotal address to the United States Congress, outlining his comprehensive Program for Economic Recovery, which would later become known as 'Reaganomics'.
  • 29 Apr 1981 Yorkshire Ripper Confession: Peter Sutcliffe, notorious serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper, officially admitted to murdering 13 women in a shocking confession that brought closure to a terrifying series of crimes that had gripped the United Kingdom during the late 1970s.
  • 30 Apr 1981 South African Volksraad Elections: The ruling National Party secured a significant majority in the elections for the Volksraad, capturing 131 out of 165 seats in the lower house of South Africa's Parliament. This election further consolidated the apartheid regime's political control during a tumultuous period in South African history.