May 3, 1979- Margaret Thatcher elected Britain's first Female Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher. 1983.Rob Bogaerts for Anefo. Nationaal Archief, CC0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Margaret_Thatcher_(1983)_(cropped).jpg

Margaret Thatcher is remembered as one of Britain’s most iconic leaders and capitalism’s staunchest champions. She was a Conservative Party leader who held various offices throughout the 60s and 70s. She believed firmly in free trade and limited government, and proved to be a persuasive advocate for these policies, particularly as inflation rose to high levels in the late 70s. 

On May 3, 1979, she became Britain's first female Prime Minister and held the office until 1990, longer than any other British PM of the 20th century. Thatcher was most famous for her economic policies, and vocal opposition to communism. While never lacking for critics and enemies, she also retained strong supporters, even beyond hardline conservatives. However, by the end of the 80s, Labour politicians in Britain were gaining steam, largely by criticizing the effects of Thatcher’s economic policies on middle and lower-class communities. This, coupled with her opposition to bringing Britain into the European monetary union, sparked opposition within her party, leading to her resignation in 1990. 

Sources:

What is Thatcherism- BBC

The Margaret Thatcher I Knew- Guardian

Margaret Thatcher, First Female Prime Minister 1979- AP Archive

March 29, 1973- Last US Combat Troops Leave Vietnam

Hõ Chí Minh, President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Public Domain.

The Vietnam War was one of the most unpredictable events in American history. No one believed that communist guerrillas could defend their country against the US military and no one predicted the explosion of the anti-war movement within the US. It is still hotly debated why the war was lost. Some point to specific aspects of the Cold War, of anti-war activism, and the politics within Vietnam. Others point to larger trends that had less to do with the conflict, such as electronic media and the decline of colonial projects throughout the world.

The US began bombing targets in Vietnam in 1964 after US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin were attacked. US troops began being deployed in 1965.

However, US involvement began long before this and included supporting the French colonial project there, as well as many missions by US special forces against communist guerrillas.

The first Americans were drafted for the conflict near the end of 1969.

On March 29th, 1973, the last US combat troops left Vietnam.

North Vietnam captured the South Vietnamese capital, Saigon, in April of 1975, ending the civil war and establishing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The video below is a short interview with James Arnold, a historian who wrote a book called The First Domino, about the actions taken by US officials in the decades before the 1960s that contributed to the conflicts in Vietnam.

Sources:

History of American Involvement in Vietnam- C-Span interview with James Arnold, Historian

January 19, 1966- Indira Gandhi Elected Prime Minister of India

Photo: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Many call Indira Gandhi one of India’s most controversial prime ministers, however a quick read leaves me with the impression that all of India’s prime ministers have been controversial. 

India has recently surpassed China as the world’s most populous country. Like many nations, India’s borders were largely imposed by colonial outsiders, in their case, the British. Within these borders there are diverse cultures and communities, many that have long been marginalized by successive ruling powers.

Upon gaining independence from Britain, a fierce conflict unfolded between Hindu and Muslim elites  that resulted in the event known as Partition. This process created the 2 modern nations, The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of India. 

A historic migration and refugee crisis resulted as Muslims surged into Pakistan and non-Muslims fled it. Neither country was prepared to deal with the volume of movement, which only exacerbated chaos and conflict. It is believed that at least 1 million people died in the violence that attended these mass migrations. 

Indira Gandhi was the daughter of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. She worked as an assistant to her father for many years. She eventually won a seat in the Indian Parliament in 1964 at the age of 47. She was appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting by then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shasti. Shasti died in office shortly after signing the Tashkent Declaration, a treaty that officially ended the Indo-Pakistan War. 

On January 19, 1966 India’s Congress Party elected Indira Gandhi to succeed him as Prime Minister. She served 3 consecutive terms through 1977 and a 4th term from 1980-84. 

During the Cold War, newly independent nations like India faced immense pressure to side with the capitalist US/Western European sphere or the Soviet Russian dominated communist sphere. Indira Gandhi kept India part of the global Non-Aligned Movement, a coalition of “developing” countries that sought political space between the 2 major power blocs, both of which continued to oppress colonized and decolonized countries throughout the so-called 3rd World.

Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 by 2 of her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for her government’s military operation against Sikh militants in Amritsar, a major Sikh city.

India’s history is incredibly complicated and fascinating. I have been familiar with Indira Gandhi’s name for many years, but am embarrassed to report that prior to researching this post, I believed she was related to Mahatma Gandhi. Wrong again 🫥

Sources:

19 January 1966- History Channel UK

Indira Gandhi Timeline- Indiragandhi.in

Indira Gandhi- Iowa State University

September 22, 1980- Iran/Iraq War AKA The First Gulf War

Persepolis, 2007

The Iran-Iraq war is not always linked to the Iranian Revolution that brought the Ayatollahs to power, but it is indeed a direct result. The US, along with allies inside and outside the Middle East funded Iraq and diplomatically isolated Iran for the 8 years of the conflict. Iraq invaded Iran on 9/22, but has always insisted the war began earlier as a result of Iranian bombing.

I have learned about this conflict through studying other topics, but have yet to read a book directly about it.

Samantha Power’s book “Genocide: A Problem from Hell” was probably my first exposure.

A Problem From Hell- 2002

Chapter 8, the photo is of a Kurdish Widow holding photos of family members “disappeared” by Iraqi forces.

I also found the comic/film “Persepolis” to be illuminating regarding the war, as well as Iran itself.

Sources:

Legacy of the Iran-Iraq War- Sinan S Mahmoud/ Aljazeera

The Iran-Iraq War- Pierre Razoux

A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide- Samantha Powers

Persepolis Trailer