WHAT ALL HAPPENED FEBRUARY TO OCTOBER 1980
Find out what all happened February to October 1980

Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador gives his famous speech appealing to men of the El Salvadoran armed forces to stop killing the Salvadorans. (23. March 1980)

The government of Poland legalizes the Solidarity trade union. (24. October 1980)

During the Lebanese Civil War, 83 Tiger militants are killed during what will be known as the Safra massacre. (7. July 1980)

The eradication of smallpox is endorsed by the World Health Organization. (8. May 1980)

The 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak. Seven tornadoes hit Grand Island, Nebraska, which take five lives, 357 single-family homes, 33 mobile homes, 85 apartments, 49 businesses and cause $300 million in damages all told, according to statistics compiled on the deadly storm by the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross. (3. June 1980)

The St. Gotthard Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 10.14 miles (16.224 km) stretching from Göschenen to Airolo. (5. September 1980)

Institution of sharia in Iran. (7. July 1980)

Major General Chun Doo-hwan becomes President of South Korea, following the resignation of Choi Kyu-hah. (1. September 1980)

The Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein kills philosopher Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and his sister Bint al-Huda after three days of torture. (9. April 1980)

Egypt and Israel establish full diplomatic relations. (26. February 1980)

Operation Nimrod: The British Special Air Service storms the Iranian embassy in London after a six-day siege. (5. May 1980)

Voters approve a new Constitution of Chile, later amended after the departure of president Pinochet. (11. September 1980)

Patrick Depailler, French Grand Prix driver was killed in a crash at Hockenheim during a private test session. (1. August 1980)

The Quietly Confident Quartet of Australia wins the Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay at the Moscow Olympics, the only time the United States has not won the event at Olympic level. (24. July 1980)

The African National Congress in South Africa publishes a call to fight from their imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela. (10. June 1980)

Soyuz 38 carries 2 cosmonauts (including 1 Cuban) to Salyut 6 space station. (18. September 1980)

Pope John Paul II shakes hands with the Dalai Lama during a private audience in Vatican City. (9. October 1980)

Saudia Flight 163, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar burns after making an emergency landing at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing 301 people. (19. August 1980)

Accession of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. (30. April 1980)

The Montevideo Treaty, establishing the Latin American Integration Association, is signed. (12. August 1980)