What happened in December 1981?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1981, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Dec 1🚀 Shuttle Mission Success – Astronauts reported achieving nearly all goals in the space shuttle's second flight, with no plans to shorten the upcoming third flight.
- Dec 2✈️ Yugoslav Jet Crash – A chartered Yugoslav DC-9 jetliner crashed into a mountain in Corsica, killing all 178 people aboard.
- Dec 3💎 Cavenham's Diamond Offer – Cavenham Holdings Inc. announced a $345 million offer to acquire the remaining 60% interest in Diamond International Corporation.
- Dec 4🏗️ G.E. Pact Set in Japan – General Electric signed a $500 million contract with Tokyo Electric Power to build a major power plant in Tokyo Bay.
- Dec 5🎤 Lennon Tribute Concert – Roberta Flack and David Clayton-Thomas perform at Radio City in a tribute to John Lennon, featuring his music arranged by Frank Proto.
- Dec 6🌍 RUMANIANS PROTEST NUCLEAR ARMS – Hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Bucharest for the removal of all nuclear weapons from Europe.
- Dec 7❄️ New England Snowstorm – A major snowstorm hit New England, dropping up to two feet of snow, closing Boston airport, and causing power outages for 92,000 people.
- Dec 8🌪️ Typhoon Devastates Thailand – Severe monsoon rains and flash floods in southern Thailand have resulted in 37 confirmed deaths and missing crew from a capsized freighter.
- Dec 9🎨 Fans Honor Lennon – Thousands of fans paid tribute to John Lennon in Liverpool on the first anniversary of his death with a concert and vigil.
- Dec 10🏛️ Swiss Leadership Chosen – Switzerland's Parliament appointed Fritz Honegger as President and Pierre Aubert as Vice President for the upcoming year.
- Dec 11🚀 Astronaut Trip Planned – The first manned excursion outside the space shuttle is planned, featuring an astronaut using a jet-powered backpack to repair a satellite.
- Dec 12🌍 UN Elects New Leader – The UN Security Council elected Javier Perez de Cuellar as the fifth Secretary General, breaking a long deadlock.
- Dec 13🌳 China's Tree Planting – The Chinese Government launches a campaign to combat deforestation by encouraging citizens to plant billions of trees nationwide.
- Dec 14🎨 Pope Appeals for Peace – Pope John Paul II urged Poles to pray for peace and work towards a peaceful future amid rising tensions in Poland.
- Dec 15🌍 Golan Heights Annexed – Israel formally annexed the Golan Heights, a move pushed through Parliament by Prime Minister Menachem Begin, escalating regional tensions.
- Dec 16🚂 Train-Bus Collision – A train collided with a bus near Calcutta, India, resulting in 16 fatalities and 20 injuries, according to railway officials.
- Dec 17🎭 Ballet Premiere 'Wild Boy' – Kenneth MacMillan's ballet 'The Wild Boy,' featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov, premiered, sparking discussions about its provocative themes.
- Dec 18🌍 Egypt-Israel Ferry Planned – Israel and Egypt signed an agreement to open a ferry line between Ashdod and Port Said after Israel's withdrawal from Sinai.
- Dec 19🏆 Frenchwoman Wins Ski – Marie-Cecile Gros-Gaudenier became the first Frenchwoman to win a World Cup downhill ski race since 1972 at Val D'Isere, France.
- Dec 20🎭 Nickleby Triumph Ends – The acclaimed play 'Nicholas Nickleby' concludes its run at the Plymouth Theater, having captivated audiences and set ticket price records.
- Dec 21🌍 Pope Cites Poland's Issues – Pope John Paul II expressed gratitude for global recognition of Poland's struggles, emphasizing their importance to all nations.
- Dec 22🌍 Swiss U.N. Membership Vote – Switzerland's government decided to ask Parliament to agree to its entry into the United Nations after over 30 years of hesitation.
- Dec 23🌍 Silent Protest in Norway – Hundreds of thousands of Norwegians observed five minutes of silence to support workers in Poland, with government officials halting work at midday.
- Dec 24🧬 Left-Handed DNA Found – Scientists reported the first evidence of 'left-handed' DNA, which may help understand genetic diseases, including cancer.
- Dec 25🕯️ Birth of a Light – President Reagan's initiative to support Poland's fight against tyranny through symbolic gestures was highlighted.
- Dec 26🏺 Restoring Ancient Artifacts – Art expert Paola Aureli Casagrande works on artifacts from a 2,500-year-old Etruscan tomb discovered near Rome.
- Dec 27🐼 Panda Population Stabilized – Chinese experts report that the number of giant pandas has stopped declining, indicating improved conservation efforts.
- Dec 28🏃♂️ Triple Jump Star Recovers – Joao Carlos de Oliveira, world record-holder in triple jump, has come out of a coma after a serious car accident and is able to speak.
- Dec 29🔬 Silicon Mystery Solved – Chemists isolated a new silicon compound, tetramesityldisilene, solving a mystery that puzzled scientists for over fifty years.
- Dec 30🏛️ Reagan Signs Sewage Bill – President Reagan signed a $10 billion bill to improve sewage treatment facilities, aiding towns in cleaning up polluted water.
- Dec 31❤️ Heart Pump Success – Doctors at Pennsylvania State University report successful results of a compact heart pump saving patients post-surgery.
Happy Birthday! 1981 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1981 in real headlines. See the 1981 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: