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Eyewitness to History Timeline
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Saturday Night Massacre
Nixon discharged Archibald Cox and recieved the resignations of Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus. He also fired the special prosecutor and handed over the Watergate case to the Justice Department. All the resignations and firings made the whole thing seem very suspicious. -
Nixon Resigns
President Nixon resigns as a result of the Watergate scandal. Nixon knew that if he didn't resign he would be impeached. -
Saigon Falls
North Vietnam reaches Saigon and the US evacuates all American soldiers. South Vietnam surrenders Saigon to North Vietnam. There are so many soldiers and refugees on the hangers they have to fly helicopters into the ocean. -
Jimmy Carter Elected President
Jimmy Carter was the first president elected since the Watergate scandal. He beat out previous president, Gerald Ford. -
Hostages Taken in Tehran
Iranian militants take approximately fifty American captives from the United States Embassy in Tehran . The American hostages were kept 444 days. -
Ronald Reagan Elected
America is facing inflation, unemployment, gas shortages and several other major problems. Reagan says America is "a shining city on a hill" and helps America get back on its feet. He wins in a landslide against former president, Jimmy Carter. -
John Lennon Shot
Former Beatle, John Lennon, was shot by crazed fan, Mark David Chapman, while coming from a recording studio. Lennon was rushed to a hospital and died later that evening. -
Reagan Assassination Attempt
As the president was leaving the Washington Hilton after giving a speech, John Hinckley shot at him six times. One bullet entered his chest, seriously wounding him. He was released 12 days later, and tried to appear to the public, as if he was healing quickly, when, in fact he was not. -
Challenger Explosion
The Challenger was supposed to be the first flight for the new program TISP, Teachers In Space Program. But, from the beginning The Challenger was faced with many problems and the flight was delayed several times. Less than two minutes after lift off The Challenger exploded, killing the entire crew. -
Berlin Wall Comes Down
The Berlin Wall came down and people could move freely in and out of East and West Germany. This symbolized the end of the Cold War. -
Desert Storm
Iraq invades Kuwait, a major oil supplier to the US. The US sends over 500,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to keep Iraq from gaining control over oil. Less than 100 hours after a US attack begins Kuwait is freed. -
Magic Johnson & AIDS
Magic Johnson retires from the NBA after finding out he has AIDS. Johnson changed many people's view about the disease and helped raised awareness. -
Truck Bombing in Oklahoma City
Timothy McVeigh hid a homemade bomb in a rental truck in Oklahoma City, which exploded and destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The explosion killed 168 people and injured hundreds of others. America was shocked that this terrorist act was done by an American. -
Clinton's Impeachment
Clinton was impeached for lying under oath. Under oath he said he and Monica Lewinsky were not having an affair, but this later proved to be false. -
9/11
19 members of the terrorist group, al-Qaeda, flew suicide missions into the Twin Towers in New York City, the Pentagon and one plane crashed in Pennsylvania. The two towers were hit by airplanes and both crumbled, killing more than 2,750 people.
