December 1971
Encyclopedia
January
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The following events occurred in December
1971:
January 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1971.-January 1, 1971 :*Born: Kalabhavan Mani, Indian actor and singer, in Chalakudy, Kerala...
– February
February 1971
January – February 1971 – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in February 1971.-February 1, 1971 :...
– March
March 1971
January – February – March 1971 – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in March 1971.-March 1, 1971 :*A bomb explodes in the men's room at the United States Capitol...
– April
April 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in April 1971.-April 1, 1971 :*The United Kingdom lifts all restrictions on gold ownership....
– May
May 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in May 1971.-May 1, 1971 :*Amtrak begins inter-city rail passenger service in the United States....
– June
June 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in June 1971.-June 1, 1971 :...
– July
July 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in July 1971.-July 1, 1971 :...
– August
August 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in August 1971.-August 1, 1971 :*In New York City, 40,000 people attend the Concert for Bangladesh....
– September
September 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in September 1971:-September 1, 1971 :*The 1971 South Pacific Games begin in Tahiti....
– October
October 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in October 1971: -October 1, 1971 :*Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida....
– November
November 1971
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in November 1971. -November 1, 1971 :*The Toronto Sun begins publication...
– December
The following events occurred in December
December
December is the 12th and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days.December starts on the same day as September every year and ends on the same day as April every year.-Etymology:...
1971:
December 1, 1971 (Wednesday)
- Cambodian Civil WarCambodian Civil WarThe Cambodian Civil War was a conflict that pitted the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and their allies the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Viet Cong against the government forces of Cambodia , which were supported by the United States and the Republic of Vietnam The Cambodian...
: Khmer RougeKhmer RougeThe Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
rebels intensify assaults on CambodiaCambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n government positions, forcing their retreat from Kompong Thmar and nearby Ba Ray, 10 kilometers northeast of Phnom PenhPhnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
. - The French submarine Redoutable (S611) is commissioned, the first SNLE (Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins, "Device-Launching Nuclear Submarine").
- The National Industrial Relations CourtNational Industrial Relations CourtThe National Industrial Relations Court was established on 1 December 1971 under Section 99 of the Industrial Relations Act 1971. The NIRC was created by the Conservative government of Ted Heath as a way to limit the power of trades union in the United Kingdom...
is established in the UK. - The municipality of BuchenbachBuchenbachBuchenbach is a municipality in the south west of the Black Forest. It is located in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is made up of four communities, the main town of Buchenbach and the villages of Falkensteig, Unteribental and Wagensteig...
is formed by the merger of the former political entities of Buchenbach and Falkensteig. - Belgian singing duo Nicole & HugoNicole & HugoNicole & Hugo are a singing duet from BelgiumNicole Josy and Hugo Sigal met in 1970. They become romantically involved and formed a singing duet. In 1971, they entered into the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest...
are married at Wemmel.
December 2, 1971 (Thursday)
- The United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
is founded by the seven Trucial Sheikhdoms of the Persian GulfPersian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and Gulf of OmanGulf of OmanThe Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
. - The Bangladesh Air ForceBangladesh Air ForceThe Bangladesh Air Force , is the air arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh Air Force currently employs more than 22,000 personnel including 600+ Pilots.-History:...
, composed of Bengali pilots and technicians defecting from the Pakistan Air Force, launches attacks on depots and communication lines, flying light aircraft donated by India.
December 3, 1971 (Friday)
- The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971Indo-Pakistani War of 1971The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
begins as Pakistan attacks nine Indian airbases. The next day India launches a massive invasion of East Pakistan. - The IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n navy destroyer INS Rajput sinks PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
PNS GhaziPNS GhaziPNS Ghazi was Pakistan Navy 's first ever submarine, leased from United States in 1963. It saw action in the 1965 and 1971 wars between India and Pakistan. The submarine could be armed with up to 28 torpedoes and, in later years, was re-fitted in Turkey for mine-laying capability...
(former USS Diablo). - Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzuluGoodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzuluGoodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu is the reigning king of the Zulu nation under the Traditional Leadership clause of South Africa's republican constitution....
is installed as eighth monarch of the Zulus at a traditional ceremony at Nongoma, attended by 20,000 people. - Krzysztof PendereckiKrzysztof PendereckiKrzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
's De Natura SonorisDe Natura SonorisDe natura sonoris is the title of two works by the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki.De natura sonoris No. 1 was composed in 1966. The title was inspired by Lucretius's De rerum natura...
No 2 is premièred at the Juilliard School of Music in New York.
December 4, 1971 (Saturday)
- Beginning of the Battle of BasantarBattle of BasantarThe Battle of Basantar or the Battle of Barapind was one of the vital battles fought as part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western sector of India...
between India and Pakistan. - The MontreuxMontreuxMontreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
Casino burns down during a Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
concert. The event is memorialized in the Deep PurpleDeep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
song "Smoke on the WaterSmoke on the Water"Smoke on the Water" is a song by the British hard rock band Deep Purple. It was first released on their 1972 album Machine Head. In 2004, the song was ranked number 426 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and in March 2005, Q magazine placed "Smoke on the Water"...
". The casino is rebuilt in 1975. - The McGurk's Bar bombingMcGurk's Bar bombingOn 4 December 1971, the Ulster Volunteer Force , a loyalist paramilitary group, exploded a bomb at McGurk's Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The pub was in a mainly Catholic and nationalist area. The explosion caused the building to collapse, killing fifteen Catholic civilians and wounding...
in BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
kills 15.
December 5, 1971 (Sunday)
- The first event in the 1972 Alpine Skiing World Cup1972 Alpine Skiing World CupThe 6th World Cup season began in December 1971 in Switzerland and concluded in March 1972 in France. Gustav Thöni of Italy won his second of three consecutive overall titles...
is held in St Moritz.
December 6, 1971 (Monday)
- The first Auto TrainAuto TrainAuto Train is an scheduled train service for passengers and their automobiles operated by Amtrak between Lorton, Virginia , and Sanford, Florida . Although there are similar services around the world, the Auto Train is the only one of its kind in the United States...
operates under the control of the Auto-Train CorporationAuto-Train CorporationAuto-Train Corporation was a privately owned railroad which used its own rolling stock, and traveled on rails leased from major railroads along the route of its trains, serving central Florida from points in the Mid-Atlantic region near Washington, DC, and the Mid-West near Louisville, Kentucky,...
in the US. - Opening of the 1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular GamesThe 6th Southeast Asian Peninsular Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 6 December - 13 December 1971. In this edition of the games, host country Malaysia joined Singapore in pressuring Thailand to let the SEAP Games Federation expand to include the Philippines and Indonesia, but to no...
in Kuala Lumpur - Born: Richard KrajicekRichard KrajicekRichard Peter Stanislav Krajicek is a Dutch former professional tennis player. In 1996 he won the men's singles title at Wimbledon, the only Dutch player to have done so. In the quarterfinals of that tournament he defeated Pete Sampras. This was Sampras' only singles defeat at Wimbledon between...
, Dutch tennis player, in Muiderberg - Died: Mathilde KschessinskaMathilde KschessinskaMathilda-Marie Feliksovna Kschessinskaya She was known in the West as Mathilde Kschessinska or Matilda Kshesinskaya.- Life :Kschessinska was born at Ligovo, near Peterhof. Like all her Polish family, to whom she was known as Matylda Krzesińska, Mathilde performed at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre...
, 99, Russian ballerina
December 7, 1971 (Tuesday)
- Died: Fernando Quiroga y PalaciosFernando Quiroga y PalaciosFernando Quiroga y Palacios was a Spanish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela from 1949 until his death and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1953 by Pope Pius XII....
, 71, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela
December 8, 1971 (Wednesday)
- U.S. President Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
orders the 7th Fleet to move towards the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. - In Northern Ireland, Sean Russell, an off-duty member of the Ulster Defence RegimentUlster Defence RegimentThe Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
, is shot dead by members of the Irish Republican Army at his home in Belfast, thus becoming the first Catholic member of the UDR to be killed in the conflict.
December 9, 1971 (Thursday)
- The Indian Air ForceIndian Air ForceThe Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
mounts its Meghna Heli Bridge operation to airlift troops of IV Corps of the Indian Army from Brahmanbaria to Raipura and Narsingdi over the River Meghna. - In a television interview, Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
says that both Paramount and Warner Brothers want him "to be in a modernized type of a thing, and they think the Western idea is out, whereas I want to do the Western". - Died: Ralph BuncheRalph BuncheRalph Johnson Bunche or 1904December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. He was the first person of color to be so honored in the history of the Prize...
, 68, American political scientist and Nobel laureate; Sergey KonenkovSergey KonenkovSergey Timofeyevich Konenkov was a famous Russian and Soviet sculptor. He was often called "the Russian Rodin".-Early life:...
, 97, Russian sculptor; Iftikhar JanjuaIftikhar JanjuaMajor General Iftikhar Khan Janjua, HJ & Bar, SPk, SQA, of the Pakistan Army is the most senior Pakistani officer to have been killed in action. He is known in Pakistan as the hero of Rann of Kutch, as he was a brigadier in command of 6 Brigade, during the fighting in April 1965 prior to the...
, Pakistani general (killed when his OH-13S (Sioux) helicopter was attacked by Indian forces).
December 10, 1971 (Friday)
- The John Sinclair Freedom RallyJohn Sinclair Freedom RallyThe John Sinclair Freedom Rally was a protest and concert in response the imprisonment of John Sinclair for possession of marijuana held on December 10, 1971, in Crisler Arena at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
is held at the University of Michigan. Performers include John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Yoko OnoYoko Onois a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
.
December 11, 1971 (Saturday)
- The 2nd Parachute Battalion Group of the Indian Army carries out the Tangail AirdropTangail AirdropThe Tangail Airdrop was an airborne operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the 2nd Parachute Battalion Group of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The main objective of the operation was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna which would cut off the 93 Brigade of...
, aiming to take Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna and cut off the retreat of the 93 Brigade of the Pakistani Army. - Nihat ErimNihat ErimIsmail Nihat Erim was a Turkish politician and jurist. Nihat Erim was born in Kandıra to Raif Erim and Macide Erim. He served as the prime minister of Turkey from 1971 until 1972, for almost 14 months...
forms the new government of TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(34th government, Nihat Erim had previously served twice as prime minister). - The Libertarian Party (United States)Libertarian Party (United States)The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
is established.
December 12, 1971 (Sunday)
- Bob GoalbyBob GoalbyRobert George Goalby is a former American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, who won the 1968 Masters Tournament, his lone major championship among 11 Tour wins achieved between 1958 and 1971....
wins the Bahamas National Open, the last event in golf's 1971 PGA Tour1971 PGA TourThe 1971 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to December 12. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, six, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
.
December 13, 1971 (Monday)
- The closing ceremony of the 1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular GamesThe 6th Southeast Asian Peninsular Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 6 December - 13 December 1971. In this edition of the games, host country Malaysia joined Singapore in pressuring Thailand to let the SEAP Games Federation expand to include the Philippines and Indonesia, but to no...
takes place in Kuala Lumpur. - The Socialist Party of IrelandSocialist Party of Ireland (1971)The Socialist Party of Ireland was a minor left-wing political party which existed in Ireland from 1971 to 1982.The SPI was set up by ex-members of Official Sinn Féin. It was formed on 13 December 1971 in Dublin and published its political manifesto on 19 January 1972...
is formed in Dublin. (It is dissolved in 1982.) - Died: Ivan Hristov BashevIvan Hristov BashevIvan Hristov Bashev , was a Bulgarian diplomat who was Foreign Minister of Bulgaria from 1962 to 1971. Bashev headed the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry until his death on December 13, 1971 and was considered one of "most remarkable foreign ministers of Bulgaria." - Biography :Ivan Bashev was born...
, Bulgarian politician and diplomat, 55 (died of exposure after being caught in a snowstorm while skiing on Mount Vitosha)
December 14, 1971 (Tuesday)
- Facing defeat, the Pakistan ArmyPakistan ArmyThe Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
kills 1,500 Bangladeshi intellectuals.
December 15, 1971 (Wednesday)
- Born: Jeev Milkha SinghJeev Milkha SinghJeev Milkha Singh is the first Indian professional golfer to become a member of the European Tour. He is the highest ranked Indian golfer in the world and first broke into the top 100 in October 2006.-Early life:...
, Indian golfer, in Chandigarh - Died: Paul Pierre LévyPaul Pierre LévyPaul Pierre Lévy was a Jewish French mathematician who was active especially in probability theory, introducing martingales and Lévy flights...
, 85, French mathematician
December 16, 1971 (Thursday)
- Victory Day of Bangladesh: The Pakistan ArmyPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
surrenders to the Joint Force, i.e. Mukti BahiniMukti BahiniMukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
(Freedom Force) and Indian Armed ForcesIndian Armed ForcesThe Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
, ending the Bangladesh Liberation WarBangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
. - The United African National CouncilUnited African National CouncilThe United African National Council is a political party in Zimbabwe.In 1979, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, the UANC Party held formal power in Zimbabwe during the short-lived period of the Internal Settlement...
is set up in RhodesiaZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
as a temporary non-political body under Bishop Abel MuzorewaAbel MuzorewaBishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia from the Internal Settlement to the Lancaster House Agreement in 1979...
to oppose the terms of the settlement between Ian SmithIan SmithIan Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
and UK Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-HomeAlec Douglas-HomeAlexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
. - Died: Richard MulcahyRichard MulcahyRichard James Mulcahy was an Irish politician, army general and commander in chief, leader of Fine Gael and Cabinet Minister...
, 85, Irish politician
December 17, 1971 (Friday)
- The latest James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Diamonds are ForeverDiamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever may refer to:In literature;* Diamonds Are Forever , the fourth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series* Diamonds Are Forever, a 2004 short novel by Ryk E...
, is released in the US and Denmark.
December 18, 1971 (Saturday)
- The U.S. dollar is devalued for the second time in history.
- The world's largest hydroelectric plant in KrasnoyarskKrasnoyarskKrasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia, with the population of 973,891. Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia's largest producers of...
, Russia, begins operations. - Three members of the Irish Republican ArmyIrish Republican ArmyThe Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
(IRA), James Sheridan, John Bateson and Martin Lee, are killed when a bomb they are carrying explodes in MagherafeltMagherafeltMagherafelt is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,372 people recorded in the 2001 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of County Londonderry and is the social, economic and political hub of the area...
, County LondonderryCounty LondonderryThe place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
.
December 19, 1971 (Sunday)
- The Clube Atletico MineiroClube Atlético MineiroClube Atlético Mineiro , are a Brazilian football club based in Belo Horizonte, the oldest in the city. Founded in 1908, they play in the Campeonato Mineiro and Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão. Atlético Mineiro have been Brazilian champions once, state winners a record 40 times and...
wins the first Brazil Football Championship. - Intelsat IV (F3) is launched; it enters commercial service over the Atlantic Ocean February 18, 1972.
December 21, 1971 (Tuesday)
- The United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
passes Resolution 307, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. - The Crown of GayaCrown of GayaThe crowns of Gaya refers to two excavated pieces that are believed to be the headgear of the elite of the Gaya Confederacy. These crowns share the general traditions of Korean crowns, such as the use of diadems, which follows the tradition of the Baekje and the use of headbands with uprights,...
is designated a National Treasure of South KoreaNational treasures of South KoreaThe National Treasures of Korea are a numbered set of tangible treasures, artifacts, sites, and buildings which are recognized by South Korea as having exceptional artistic, cultural and historical value...
.
December 22, 1971 (Wednesday)
- Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Mujibur RahmanSheikh Mujibur RahmanSheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
is transferred from prison to house arrest.
December 23, 1971 (Thursday)
- The Ordonnance réglant l'utilisation du nom «Suisse» pour les montres defines a Swiss watch and the circumstances under which a watch movement may be considered Swiss made.
- Born: Tara Palmer-TomkinsonTara Palmer-TomkinsonTara Palmer-Tomkinson also known as T P-T, is an English socialite, "it girl", television presenter, columnist and model...
, English socialite, in Hampshire
December 24, 1971 (Friday)
- LANSA Flight 508LANSA Flight 508LANSA Flight 508 was a Lockheed L-188A Electra turboprop, registered OB-R-941, operated as a scheduled domestic passenger flight by Lineas Aéreas Nacionales Sociedad Anonima , that crashed in a thunderstorm en route from Lima, Peru to Pucallpa, Peru, on December 24, 1971, killing 91 people –...
crashes in a thunderstorm en route from Lima to Pucallpa, Peru, killing 90 of the 91 people aboard. A 17-year-old girl, Juliane Koepcke, survives, falling into the Amazon rainforestAmazon RainforestThe Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
strapped to her seat and walking through the jungle for 10 days until rescued by local lumbermen. Those killed in the crash include Juliane's mother, noted ornithologist Maria Koepcke. - Giovanni LeoneGiovanni LeoneGiovanni Leone was an Italian politician. He was the 38th Prime Minister of Italy from 21 June 1963 to 4 December 1963 and again from 24 June 1968 to 12 December 1968. He also served as the sixth President of the Republic from 1971 to 1978.-Biography:...
is elected President of the Italian RepublicPresident of the Italian RepublicThe President of the Italian Republic is the head of state of Italy and, as such, is intended to represent national unity and guarantee that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The president's term of office lasts for seven years....
. - Cyclone Althea hits Townsville, QueenslandTownsville, QueenslandTownsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
, Australia, and surrounding islands, killing three people. - Born: Ricky MartinRicky MartinEnrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
, Puerto Rican singer, in San Juan
December 25, 1971 (Saturday)
- Fire at a 22-storey hotel in SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, kills 158 people. - In the longest game in NFL history, the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
beat the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. - The FIBA Africa Championship 1972FIBA Africa Championship 1972The FIBA Africa Championship 1972 was hosted by Senegal from December 25, 1971 to January 2, 1972. The games were played in Dakar. Senegal won the tournament, its second African Championship, by beating Egypt in the final...
football competition begins in Senegal. - Born: DidoDido (singer)Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong , known as Dido, is an English singer-songwriter.Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel...
, English singer (as Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong), in London
December 26, 1971 (Sunday)
- The 60th Australian Open1972 Australian OpenThe 1972 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne in Australia. It was the 60th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 26 December 1971 to 3 January 1972.-Men's Singles:...
tennis tournament opens in Melbourne. - The first reported sighting of the so-called Nullarbor NymphNullarbor NymphThe Nullarbor Nymph, referring to supposed sightings of a half naked woman living amongst kangaroos on the Nullarbor Plain, was a hoax perpetrated in Australia between 1971 and 1972....
; the story travels around the world, but turns out to be a hoax. - Born: Jared LetoJared LetoJared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
, American actor and musician, in Bossier City, Louisiana
December 27, 1971 (Monday)
- A Soyuz-MSoyuz-MThe Soyuz-M , GRAU index 11A511M was a Soviet expendable carrier rocket designed by OKB-1 and manufactured by State Aviation Plant No. 1 in Samara, Russia. It was originally built to launch manned Soyuz 7K-VI spacecraft for the Soviet armed forces. Following the cancellation of this programme,...
rocket is launched by the Soviet Union, the first to carry the Zenit 4 MT satellite. - Born: Sergei Bodrov, Jr.Sergei Bodrov, Jr.Sergei Bodrov Jr. was a Russian actor who had lead roles in the movies Brother, Prisoner of the Mountains, The Stringer and Brother 2. He was the son of the Russian playwright, actor, director and producer Sergei Bodrov...
, Russian actor (killed in accident 2002)
December 28, 1971 (Tuesday)
- In the final of the 1971 Tangerine Bowl1971 Tangerine BowlThe 1971 Tangerine Bowl was held on December 28, 1971 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The Toledo Rockets of the Mid-American Conference defeated the Richmond Spiders of the Southern Conference by a score of 28–3. The Tangerine Bowl is a former name of what is now called the Capital One...
, held in Orlando, Florida, the Toledo RocketsToledo RocketsThe Toledo Rockets are the athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play in the Mid-American Conference . The school's colors are midnight blue and gold.Toledo's...
of the Mid-American Conference defeat the Richmond SpidersRichmond SpidersThe Richmond Spiders represent the University of Richmond, a member of the NCAA's Division I and a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football and women's golf, which participate as members of the Colonial Athletic Association....
of the Southern Conference 28–3.
December 29, 1971 (Wednesday)
- The United Kingdom gives up its military bases in MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. - Died: John Marshall Harlan II, 72, American lawyer, Justice of the Supreme Court
December 30, 1971 (Thursday)
- The GetxoGetxoGetxo is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in the north of Spain.It is part of the metropolitan area of Bilbao , and has about 83,000 inhabitants...
boat club in the Basque region of Spain is attacked by an ETAETAETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
bomb, the second of three such attacks on the same club over the years. - Born: Paras, Crown Prince of NepalParas, Crown Prince of NepalParas Bir Bikram Shah Dev was the heir-apparent to the throne of Nepal from 2001 until the monarchy was abolished by the Interim Constituent Assembly in 2008 following Constituent Assembly elections.-Early life:...
, in Kathmandu - Died: Vikram SarabhaiVikram SarabhaiVikram Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian physicist. He is considered to be the father of the Indian space program; legendary Homi Bhabha’s successor as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission; and was as at home in the world of the arts as in his favourite laboratory. His interests were vast and...
, 52, Indian physicist and space scientist
December 31, 1971 (Friday)
- Opening of the Turgenevskaya station on the Moscow Metro.
- U ThantU ThantU Thant was a Burmese diplomat and the third Secretary-General of the United Nations, from 1961 to 1971. He was chosen for the post when his predecessor, Dag Hammarskjöld, died in September 1961....
completes his 11-year tenure as Secretary-General of the United Nations. - Died: Pete DuelPete DuelPete Duel was an American actor, best known for his role in the television series Alias Smith and Jones.-Early life:Peter Ellstrom Deuel was born in Rochester, New York, and grew up in nearby Penfield....
, 31, American actor, shoots himself at his home in Glen Green, Hollywood.; Marin SaisMarin SaisMarin Sais was an American motion picture actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s...
, 81, American silent film actress