January

2 - South Africa - Dr Christian Barnard completes world’s second heart transplant. United States – Actress Sharon Tate marries Roman Polanski.

5 - Czechoslovakia: Liberal, Alexander Dubcek (46) takes over the Communist party.

23 - North Korea – The Pueblo, a US inteligence gathering ship is seized and crew held as spies.

31 - Mauritius became indpendent of Britain, the Beatles ‘Apple’ boutique in London’s West Endcontinued it’s success since the January 1 launch. Vietnam: North Vietnamese Tet offensive hits all major cities in South Vietnam and the US Embassy taken over by Vietcong guerillas.

February

1. Former US Vice-President Richard Nixon announces he is to run for Presidency.

6. France – the Winter Olympics open in Grenoble. US – Democrat George Wallace announces he is to seek nomination for the Presidency.

1. US – Lockheed presents the world largest aircraft – the Galaxy.

6. Poland – police clash with students demonstrating for greater freedom.

10. New Zealand – 200 dead following a car ferry capzise in Wellington harbour.

12. Poland – hundreds arrested following pro-democracy riots.

13. Czechoslovakia – press censorship relaxed by Dubcek along with the arrest of the head of the Czech secret police.

14. US – Senator Robert Kennedy annouces he will not support President Johnson for re-election.

15. US – President Johnson announces that between 35,000 – 50,000 US troops are being sent to Vietnam. Robert Kennedy, younger brother of assasinated US President, J.F.Kennedy, announced that he would be seeking the Demorcatic Party nomination for the US Presidency. London – violent anti-Vietnam demos in London as 80,000 protest. 300 were arrested and 90 policemen injured in violent clashes outside the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square.

27. UK – British Foreign Secretary states that the sovereignity of the Falkland Islands will not be transferred without the islanders consent. USSR – First man in space, Yuri Gagarin killed in an air crash.

29. UK – the biggest British aviation contract to date was won by Rolls Royce in a £150million contract order from Lockheed to buld the RB2-11 engines

UK – ‘Red Alligator’ wins the Grand National.

30. US – President Johnson announces he will not run for a second term as US President.

4 US - Martin Luther King shot dead in Mephis, Tennesse.

6 Canada – Pierre Trudeau takes over as Prime Minister

11. US – President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Bill making it illegal to refuse housing on grounds of race

20. South Africa – 122 dead when a London bound Boeing 707 crashes.

7. France – Rioting students bring Paris to a halt with the worst street fighting since 1944.

8. UK – the Kray twins arrested on charges of conspiracy to murder and fraud.

9 Czechsoslovakia – Soviet troops and reinforcements moved to the Czech border following growing liberalisation in the Soviet sattelite.

10. UK – a seven sided 50p piece is introduced to replace the 10 shilling note.

15. UK – West Bromwich Albion beat Everton 1-0 in the FA final.

21. France – Workers back student demands with snap strikes throughout the country.

27. UK – ‘Sir Ivor’ wins the Derby – Manchester United beat Benefica 4-1 at Wembley.

6. US – Presidential candidate, Robert Kennedy was assisinated in Los Angeles, hours after winning the Californian Democratic primary elections. London – James Earl Ray wanted for the murder of Martin Luther King, arrested in the city.

23. Australia – British comedian Tony Hancock dies aged 44.

30. France – Landslide victory for De Gaulle in the nations general election.

1. Common Market countries remove their last customs barriers. Ireland and the UK remain out of the EEC.

6. UK – Rod Laver and Billie Jean-King win Wimbeldon.

29. Czechesolvakia – over 1,000 Soviet tanks and 75,000 troops were placed on standby. Rome- Pope Paul VI refused any concessions on birth control.

1. US – Presidential candidate, Richard Nixon calls for US involvement in Vietname to be scaled down  – Sirhan Sirhan pleads not guilty to the murder of Robert Kennedy.

5. US – Govenor of California, Ronald Regan announces he will run for the Presidency.

6. US – Richard Nixon wins the Republican nomination for Preidency. Spiro Agnew to be his running mate. West Germany – 48 dead as a British Eagle Airways Viscount crashes on the Munich-Nuremberg autobahn.

19. Nigeria – final assault mounted on the rebel Biafra state.

20. Czechoslovakia – Soviet tanks and troops cross the Czech borders to ‘restore order’ – street fighting throughout Prague as Soviet troops and tanks enter the city. Dubcek and other liberal communists were arrested and taken away.

2. Iran – over 11,000 killed in earthquakes.

6. US – the Epidural, a new methold of relieving childbirth pain was reported today. As one press announcement commented ‘A woman can read a paper whie having a baby, with a mirror to watch the birth’

13. Prague – Press censorship reimposed by pro-Soviet provisional Government.

26. UK – Jaguar unveils the new XJ-6 luxury saloon car. 

5. Derry, Northern Ireland – 100 Catholics injured following civil rights protests against sectarian discrimination in housing and employment in Northern Ireland.

6. Mexico – the Olympic Games open.

27. London – 250,000 anti-Vietnam protestors marched on the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square.

28. Prague – 90,000 Czechs demonstrate against Soviet occupation of Czechesolvakia.

29. US – President Johnson declares a halt to the US bombing of North Vietnam. 

5. US – Shirley Chisholm becomes the first African-American person to be elected to the House of Representatives  – Richard Nixon elected President of the United States. UK – British Eagle airlines went into recievership. Prague – crowds burn the Soviet flag and battle with police.

14 UK – Opposition leader, Ted Heath appoints Margaret Thatcher as shadow Transport Minister.

28 UK – British author, Enid Blython dies aged 71.

30. Ulster – Loyalist extremists take over the centre of Armagh.

20. US – Author John Stienbeck dies aged 66.

21. US – Apollo 8 is launched from Cape Kennedy.

27. US – After a 6 day flight including 10 orbits of the moon, the Apollo 8 spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific.