1968 was a tumultuous year—a year of protest, violence and carnage. But also hope.
Image credit: TIME
1968 - 50 years on
In yesterday's post, Apollo 8—50 Years On, I wrote about how one iconic photograph of the Earth led to the environmental movement, by showing our species what a beautiful, fragile home we have, and no man-made political borders can be seen by space.
In many ways, 1968 was a year of upheaval. There was social and political change across the globe. It was, however, bookended by two hopeful events. Here is a brief summary of the major events:
Prague Spring. Image source
January 5: The Prague Spring where a brief period of liberalisation followed the appointment of Alexander Dubcek as the first secretary of Czechoslovakia's Communist Party, briefly replacing the rule of hardline Stalinists.
A South Vietnamese policeman, executes a Vietcong officer. Image source
February 1: Tet Offensive. North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated series of attacks against Hue, Saigon and various other key targets in South Vietnam, surprising the US.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
April 4: Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated the day after giving a sermon in which he said, “I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.”
Image credit: Wikemedia Commons
April 23: Student protests break out in New York protesting the Vietnam War.
May 6: Student protests spread to Poland, West Germany, Mexico City, Paris, Italy and elsewhere. May 6 was “Bloody Monday” when hundreds of students were injured in Paris.
Free-hand drawing of the assassinated senator Robert Kennedy lying in the Ambassador Hotel´s kitchen, Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
June 5: Robert Kennedy fatally wounded in an assassination attempt in Los Angeles. He had just secured the Democratic presidential nomination when he was shot by Sirhan Sirhan, a young Jordanian immigrant. He died on June 6.
August 26: Violent clashes outside the Chicago Democratic Convention. After Robert Kennedy assassination, Hubert Humphrey became the Democratic nomination. He supported the Vietnam War and as such this drew enormous anti-war protests and violent clashes between groups such as the Black Panthers, and police.
“Earthrise”, from Apollo 8. Image credit: NASA
December 12: Apollo 8 orbits the Moon. See Apollo 8—50 Years On
A timely Christmas present
I was given a book by Eddie Izzard as a Christmas present today. It is an autobiography named Believe Me. I came across these lines in the first chapter (after he had recounted his mother's death):
Goodbye, Mummy.
Our mum died on the fourth of March 1968.
Martin Luther King, Jr. died on the fourth of April 1968.
Bobby Kennedy died on the sixth of June 1968.
But Apollo 8 orbited the moon on the twenty-fourth of December 1968.
So that was better.
Let's hope that this Christmas will mark a turning point from all the tension in the world.
Wishing everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas.
References:
history.com: 1968 Events
The Guadian: 1968: The year that changed history
TIME: 50 Years After 1968, We Are Still Living In Its Shadow
Also posted on Weky, 