What happened in March 1973?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1973, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Mar 1🌍 U.N. Aviation Condemns Israel – The International Civil Aviation Organization condemned Israel for its actions leading to a Libyan airliner crash, with a vote of 105 to 1.
- Mar 2🌍 Vietnam Conference Agreement – An international conference on Vietnam concluded with 12 foreign ministers initialing an agreement to call the conference back if the cease-fire fails.
- Mar 3🕊️ Paris Accord Signed – Twelve foreign ministers signed a declaration endorsing the Vietnam cease-fire agreement in Paris, marking a significant diplomatic achievement.
- Mar 4🌋 Icelandic Island Crisis – A plan to divert lava from a threatened town in Iceland has been shelved due to safety concerns from scientists.
- Mar 5⛷️ Vasaloppet Ski Marathon – Pauli Siitonen of Finland wins the 53-mile Vasaloppet, the world's largest ski marathon, overcoming Sweden's top skiers.
- Mar 6🌍 Satellite Photos Earth – NASA's Earth Resources Technology Satellite ERTS-1 has photographed 75% of Earth's land mass at least once, aiding environmental studies.
- Mar 7🌍 Environmental Victory in Israel – Israeli environmentalists celebrate a significant victory after a year of protests and petitions, marking a milestone for ecological awareness.
- Mar 8🔥 Hospital Fire Kills 11 – A fire at a five-story hospital in Kitakyushu, Japan, resulted in at least 11 deaths and over 100 injuries.
- Mar 9🔬 Protons Grow Larger – Experiments show protons increase in size when accelerated to high energies, revealing new insights into atomic structure.
- Mar 10💰 Silver Futures Decline – Silver futures prices dropped sharply, reflecting reduced concerns about the dollar and expectations of currency stabilization talks in Paris.
- Mar 11🌍 Bermuda Governor Killed – Sir Richard Sharpies, Governor of Bermuda, was shot dead along with an aide in the capital, raising concerns over security in the region.
- Mar 12💱 Germany Joins Currency Float – Germany raised its mark by 3% and joined France in a common currency float with six other European Economic Community nations.
- Mar 13🌍 Currency Crisis Response – Paul A. Volcker stated that a key element for solving the international currency crisis has been established.
- Mar 14🚚 Caravan to Aid Indians – A caravan with over two tons of food and medical supplies heads to Wounded Knee, S.D., to support Native Americans in their protest.
- Mar 15🏀 U.C.L.A. Opens Bid – U.C.L.A. begins defense of its NCAA basketball title, aiming for a record seventh straight championship.
- Mar 16🎨 Chagall Panels Destroyed – Fire in France destroyed 144 decorative panels by artist Marc Chagall, causing significant cultural loss.
- Mar 17🏛️ Queen Opens London Bridge – Queen Elizabeth II opened a new London Bridge, the third in almost a thousand years, replacing the old one shipped to Arizona.
- Mar 18🏛️ Suharto Dedicates Building – Indonesian President Suharto dedicated a 17-story building honoring veterans of the country's independence struggle from Dutch rule.
- Mar 19✈️ Air Vietnam Crash – An Air Vietnam DC-4 crashed in South Vietnam, killing all 59 aboard while en route from Saigon to Ban Me Thuot.
- Mar 20🌍 Vernal Equinox Today – Spring officially arrives at 1:13 P.M. today with the vernal equinox, marking equal day and night lengths.
- Mar 21🏛️ Iran Nationalizes Oil – The Shah of Iran formally took control of the country's oil industry from foreign operators, marking a significant economic shift.
- Mar 22📈 G.N.P. Surge Reported – The U.S. output of goods and services surged by over $35 billion in the first quarter of 1973, marking a record increase.
- Mar 23🌊 Cosmos 552 Launched – The Soviet Union launched Cosmos 552, an unmanned satellite, into earth orbit as part of its secret space program.
- Mar 24🌋 Lava Wave Inundates Town – A 30-foot lava wave destroyed earthen fortifications in a deserted Icelandic fishing town, overwhelming efforts to protect it.
- Mar 25🏆 Killy Takes Slalom Lead – Jean-Claude Killy won the giant slalom and took the overall lead in the $40,000 Benson Band Hedges skiing Grand Prix in Steamboat Springs.
- Mar 26🚀 Last Skylab Test – The final ground test of the Skylab space station was completed successfully, paving the way for the upcoming manned spaceflight project.
- Mar 27🌊 20 Dead in Flood – Severe floods along the Caratinga River in Brazil resulted in at least 20 deaths and thousands left homeless, causing significant property damage.
- Mar 28🛢️ Oil Pipe Ruling Contested – Atlantic Richfield's president urged Congress to reverse a court ruling affecting the TransAlaska oil pipeline's construction.
- Mar 29📈 Economic Indicators Rise – The U.S. composite index of leading economic indicators increased by 1.8% in February, signaling economic growth.
- Mar 30✈️ Last P.O.W.s Released – The last 67 American prisoners held in North Vietnam were released and flew to freedom, greeted by thousands of North Vietnamese.
- Mar 31📈 Japan Raises Discount Rate – The Bank of Japan increased its official discount rate by 0.75 points to 5%, effective Monday, amid economic adjustments.
Happy Birthday! 1973 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1973 in real headlines. See the 1973 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: