Contemporary
First Human Heart Transplant (1967): Christiaan Barnard
The transplanted heart worked, but Washkansky died of pneumonia 18 days later; the operation launched the era of clinical heart transplantation.
Region
Africa
Contemporary
Libyan Revolution 1969: Muammar Gaddafi Seizes Power in Libya
The monarchy was abolished and the Libyan Arab Republic proclaimed under a Revolutionary Command Council headed by Gaddafi, who ruled Libya until 2011.
Contemporary
Idi Amin's Rule in Uganda 1971-1979: Coup, Terror and Expulsion
Eight years of military dictatorship and mass killing ended when Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles captured Kampala in April 1979.
Contemporary
Overthrow of Haile Selassie 1974: The Derg Seizes Ethiopia
The emperor was deposed, the monarchy was abolished in 1975 and a Marxist military regime ruled Ethiopia until 1991.
Contemporary
Carnation Revolution (1974): Portugal's Bloodless Coup
The Estado Novo dictatorship fell, Portugal's African colonies became independent within two years and a democratic constitution was adopted in 1976.
Contemporary
Angolan Civil War 1975-2002: MPLA, UNITA and Foreign Armies
The MPLA government won; the war ended after UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi was killed and a ceasefire was signed on 4 April 2002.
Contemporary
Soweto Uprising (1976): Students Against Apartheid Education
Police killed students on the first day and hundreds of people in the months of unrest that followed; the Afrikaans decree was dropped and resistance to apartheid revived.
Contemporary
Operation Entebbe 1976: The Israeli Hostage Rescue in Uganda
Israeli commandos freed about 100 hostages; three hostages, one Israeli officer, all the hijackers present and dozens of Ugandan soldiers were killed.
Contemporary
Zimbabwe Independence 1980: From Rhodesia to Majority Rule
Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zimbabwe under majority rule, with Robert Mugabe as prime minister and Canaan Banana as president.
Contemporary
Assassination of Anwar Sadat (1981): Death at a Cairo Parade
Sadat was killed and Vice-President Hosni Mubarak succeeded him, ruling under emergency law for almost 30 years while keeping peace with Israel.
Contemporary
Ethiopian Famine (1983-1985): Drought, War and Live Aid
Estimates of deaths range from about 300,000 to more than one million; the famine prompted the largest public fundraising effort of its time, including Band Aid and Live Aid.
Contemporary
Battle of Cuito Cuanavale (1987-1988): Cold War in Angola
Militarily inconclusive: the Angolan offensive was defeated, but South African attacks on Cuito Cuanavale failed, and the stalemate led to the 1988 New York Accords.