What happened in March 1974?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1974, 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⛽ Gasoline Shortage Crisis – President Nixon acknowledges long gasoline lines but plans to veto the emergency energy bill, failing to grasp the public's struggle.
- Mar 2🏛️ Watergate Indictments – A Federal grand jury indicted seven former Nixon aides on charges related to the Watergate scandal, marking a significant moment in U.S. political history.
- Mar 3🎭 Met Opera Receives Funds – The Metropolitan Opera, facing financial crisis, will receive $1 million in matching funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
- Mar 4✈️ Worst Air Disaster – A Turkish jumbo jet crashed near Paris, killing all 345 aboard, marking the worst air disaster in history.
- Mar 5🌉 New Bridge Opens – Brazil opened a $232-million bridge across Guanabara Bay, marking a significant achievement in bridge-building history.
- Mar 6⛸️ Hoffmann Leads Skating – Jan Hoffmann of East Germany takes a lead in the world figure skating championships, ahead of Soviet competitors.
- Mar 7🚢 Record Ship Launchings – Global ship launchings reached record figures for the eighth consecutive year, according to Lloyds Register of Shipping.
- Mar 8🏆 Hoffmann Wins World Title – Jan Hoffmann of East Germany wins the men's title at the 1974 world figure skating championships in Munich with a near-perfect performance.
- Mar 9🔬 Scientists Propose Black Holes – A groundbreaking proposal to harness energy from hypothetical black holes was presented to physicists at an international conference.
- Mar 10🌍 Ethiopian Students Protest – Ethiopian students in Moscow occupied the embassy, demanding the abdication of Emperor Haile Selassie and trials for his officials.
- Mar 11🗳️ Ethiopian Strike Ends – Ethiopia's general strike concluded, with around 100,000 workers returning to their jobs as labor unions announced the end of the strike.
- Mar 12✈️ Japanese Jet Hijacked – A Japanese jumbo jet with 425 aboard was hijacked on a flight from Tokyo to Okinawa but landed safely at Naha airport.
- Mar 13🎭 Arts World Rally – A rally held for Valery Panov's freedom on his 35th birthday highlighted the plight of the former Kirov ballet dancer and his wife.
- Mar 14🛢️ End of Oil Embargo – Arab nations agreed to end their five-month oil embargo against the U.S., easing fuel shortages expected to improve soon.
- Mar 15🔬 Breeder Reactor Expected – The Atomic Energy Commission announced plans for a new breedertype nuclear power plant, aiming to expand energy capacity by 1987.
- Mar 16🏛️ Chinese Art to Canada – An exhibition of over 600 Chinese archaeological treasures will open in Toronto in August, insured for $50 million.
- Mar 17🌍 Saharan Spring Suffering – A Fulani herdsman in Senegal describes the devastating impact of a six-year drought, losing children and cattle to the harsh conditions.
- Mar 18🚀 Pioneer 11 Shifted – Pioneer 11, originally bound for Jupiter, will also explore Saturn, ensuring minimal risk and no extra costs.
- Mar 19🛢️ Arab Oil Embargo Lifted – Most Arab nations announced the end of their oil embargo against the United States, impacting global oil supply and prices.
- Mar 20🔬 Opening Detected in Venus Clouds – Photos from Mariner 10 reveal an atmospheric 'eye' in Venus's clouds, though the cause remains unclear.
- Mar 21✈️ Navy's F-14 Tomcat – The F-14 Tomcat, the Navy's newest fighter, completed its first operational flights from the aircraft carrier Enterprise.
- Mar 22💡 Britain Lights Up – Britain will turn on lights in Piccadilly Circus after five months of darkness due to an energy crisis, signaling a return to normalcy.
- Mar 23📊 Senate Approves Budget Control – The Senate unanimously approved legislation to reform Congressional procedures for managing the Federal budget and setting spending priorities.
- Mar 24🌍 Hong Kong Language Law – Hong Kong adopts a new law making Chinese an official language alongside English, marking a significant cultural shift.
- Mar 25🌕 Oldest Moon Rock Found – Discovery of the oldest moon rock and youngest meteorite reported by lunar scientists examining Apollo samples.
- Mar 26🌍 World Theater Festival Planned – A U.S. Bicentennial World Theater Festival will bring 42 leading theater companies to America in 1976, announced producer Alexander H. Cohen.
- Mar 27🔬 Brain Pacemaker Developed – A new 'mental pacemaker' has been created to stimulate brain regions via radio commands, marking a significant advancement in neuroscience.
- Mar 28🚀 First Soviet Satellite – The Soviet Union launched its first synchronous satellite, remaining stationary above a specific point on Earth.
- Mar 29🚌 Bus of Future Unveiled – Two prototypes of the 'bus of the future' were delivered for testing in Arizona, marking a significant advancement in public transportation design.
- Mar 30🌌 Mercury Magnetic Field – Mariner 10 provided the first close-up images of Mercury, revealing its cratered surface and confirming the planet has a magnetic field.
- Mar 31🌍 Soviet Plans Explosion – The Soviet Union announced plans for the world's largest conventional explosion to build a major waterpower dam.
Happy Birthday! 1974 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1974 in real headlines. See the 1974 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: