What Was the Top News Story From The Year You Were Born?

From civil rights to the Vietnam War, the ’60s were a time of paradox. The prosperity of the post-war years was widespread, but still many American citizens were left in the cold, as evidenced with the riots that made the news. But, it was also a new era for hope because we were headed for the moon and no one was going to stop us!

1965 Watts Riots

Following the arrest of Marquette Frye and several of his family members in Los Angeles on August 11, 1965, massive rioting broke out and lasted for 6 days. At the time, the rioting was condemned by the press as the work of hoodlums, but later interviews with residents revealed that the cause was also linked to massive discontent with the schools, employment, and infrastructure of the under-served area of Watts.

1966 Vietnam War Protests

As news coverage of the Vietnam War began to reach the public at greater frequency, protest actions became more common. Protests, sit-ins, and other acts of protest marked 1965. Sit-ins, black armbands, burning of draft cards, and self-immolation were among the many forms that the protests took.

1967 Apollo 1

While grounded on the Cape Kennedy launchpad, the spacecraft Apollo 1 spontaneously caught fire, killing the 3 astronauts on board: Virgil Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. This was the first NASA tragedy that would rock the nation.

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1968 USS Pueblo

USS Pueblo was captured by the North Koreans during a siege at sea. A North Korean sub chaser, 3 torpedo boats, and 2 MiG-21 fighter planes approached the Navy vessel. The crewmen aboard were taken hostage in an international crisis that continued on for 11 long months. The vessel was seized and the crewmen taken to POW camps, where they were tortured. Only after an admission of spying by the U.S. government and a pact that spying on North Korea would end, were the crew members released to South Korea.

Only one week later began the Tet Offensive, one of the most surprising attacks of the Vietnam War. The Tet Offensive combined with President Johnson’s decision not to send more troops in 1968 led many to believe that we had already lost the war.

1969 Moon Landing

Finally, the fruits of years of labor and many hopes and promises was coming true! Apollo 11 landed 12 men on the moon’s surface in one of the most historic space travel moments in human history. You can watch footage of the space centers and Buzz Aldrin below.

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1970 Cambodian Campaign

President Nixon’s Cambodian Campaign, in which Cambodia was covertly invaded, sparked widespread anti-war protests since Nixon had promised to de-escalate the military action. During a protest at Kent State University in Ohio, 13 students were shot by National Guard, 4 of which died.

1971 Disney World

Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida, 6 years after plans were first announced. The new theme park at the time charged a park entrance fee which was separate from the fee to board the rides.

1972 Watergate

Following the burglary in the Watergate Complex of the Democratic National Convention’s papers, President Nixon’s covert operations to spy on opponents and his subsequent cover-ups were exposed to the public. The media coverage was ongoing and relentless despite the fact that concrete evidence was still 2 years away.

1973 Case-Church Amendment

An official cease-fire agreement is reached between the U.S. and the Case-Church Amendment was approved through Congress. This effectively ended the U.S. involvement for the most part until after Saigon was taken by the Viet Cong in 1975. 1973 also saw the first oil crisis hit the world. Lines to gas stations were backed up around the block and the Federal Energy Office was very close to issuing gas ration coupons.

1974 Nixon Resigns

Following the “smoking gun” tapes that revealed the President Nixon knew about the Watergate burglary, Senate hearings, and then impeachment papers filed by the House Judiciary Committee, President Nixon tendered his resignation on national TV on September 8, 1974.

Click “Next Page” to see historic news stories from 1975-1985!