WHAT ALL HAPPENED MARCH TO JUNE 1980
Find out what all happened March to June 1980

Italian Aerolinee Itavia Flight 870 mysteriously explodes in mid air while in route from Bologna to Palermo, killing all 81 on board. Also known in Italy as the Ustica disaster (27. June 1980)

The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad operates its final train after being ordered to liquidate its assets because of bankruptcy and debts owed to creditors. (31. March 1980)

General Chun Doo-hwan of South Korea seizes control of the government and declares martial law in order to suppress student demonstrations. (17. May 1980)

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

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

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

The United States severs relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. (7. April 1980)

Archbishop Óscar Romero is killed while celebrating Mass in San Salvador. (24. March 1980)

Climax of Berber Spring in Algeria as hundreds of Berber political activists are arrested. (20. April 1980)

The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwe Dollar replaces the Rhodesian Dollar as the official currency. (18. April 1980)

Gwangju Massacre: students in Gwangju, South Korea begin demonstrations calling for 'democratic reforms'. (18. May 1980)

The USS Nautilus is decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. (3. March 1980)

Dallas aired its "A House Divided" episode which led to 8 months of international intrigue regarding Who shot J.R.? (21. March 1980)

Madeira School headmistress Jean Harris shoots and kills Scarsdale diet doctor Herman Tarnower (10. March 1980)

In a referendum in Quebec, the population rejects by a 60% vote the proposal from its government to move towards independence from Canada. (20. May 1980)

Formation of the Irish Army Ranger Wing. (10. March 1980)

In Florida, Liberian freighter MV Summit Venture collides with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay, making a 1,400-ft. section of the southbound span collapse. 35 people in six cars and a Greyhound bus fall 150 ft. into the water and die. (9. May 1980)

1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens: Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, United States, killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damage. (18. May 1980)

Nationalist leader Robert Mugabe wins a sweeping election victory to become Zimbabwe's first black prime minister. (4. March 1980)