World Events in 1968
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on 4 April. His death triggered riots in over 100 American cities and was a devastating blow to the civil rights movement.
Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Senator Robert Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after winning the California Democratic presidential primary. He died the following day, just five years after his brother's assassination.
Prague Spring and Soviet Invasion
Czechoslovak leader Alexander Dubček introduced liberalising reforms dubbed 'socialism with a human face'. In August, Soviet and Warsaw Pact tanks rolled into Prague, crushing the reform movement and shocking the world.
Paris Student Riots and General Strike
Student protests in Paris escalated into a nationwide general strike involving 11 million workers that nearly toppled President de Gaulle's government. The events of May 1968 became a defining moment of postwar European radicalism.
Tet Offensive in Vietnam
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched surprise attacks across South Vietnam during the Tet holiday. Though a military failure, it was a propaganda victory that turned American public opinion decisively against the war.
Mexico City Olympics
The Games were overshadowed by the Tlatelolco massacre of student protesters days before the opening ceremony. Sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos made their iconic Black Power salute on the medal podium.
Music in 1968
"Hey Jude"
The Beatles
Paul McCartney's seven-minute epic topped the UK chart for two weeks and became one of the best-selling singles in the world, eventually selling over eight million copies globally.
"Hey Jude"
The Beatles
Also the biggest hit of the year in America, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for nine weeks — the longest run at number one for a Beatles single.
#1 Film of 1968
2001: A Space Odyssey
Box Office: $146 million
Stanley Kubrick's visionary science fiction epic baffled and dazzled audiences in equal measure. Though initially divisive, it is now regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made.
Born in 1968
Will Smith
American actor and rapper known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Men in Black, and Ali
Hugh Jackman
Australian actor known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men franchise and starring in The Greatest Showman
Daniel Craig
English actor who played James Bond from Casino Royale to No Time to Die
Celine Dion
Canadian singer known for My Heart Will Go On and one of the best-selling music artists of all time
Owen Wilson
American actor and screenwriter known for Wedding Crashers, Zoolander, and The Royal Tenenbaums
Lost in 1968
Martin Luther King Jr.
American civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Age 39
Robert F. Kennedy
US Senator, former Attorney General, and presidential candidate
Age 42
Yuri Gagarin
Soviet cosmonaut and first human in space
Age 34
John Steinbeck
American Nobel Prize-winning author of The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men
Age 66
Enid Blyton
British children's author of the Famous Five and Secret Seven series
Age 71
Technology in 1968
Apollo missions were building towards the Moon landing. The Boeing 747 jumbo jet was unveiled. The computer mouse was demonstrated publicly for the first time, and Intel was founded. Nuclear power stations were providing a growing share of electricity.
- ● Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon
- ● Douglas Engelbart demonstrated the computer mouse, hypertext, and video conferencing
- ● Intel Corporation was founded by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore
- ● The Boeing 747 jumbo jet was unveiled to the public
Cost of Living in 1968
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £4,330 | $15,600 |
| Average salary | £1,170 | $7,500 |
| Pint of milk | 6½d | $0.14 |
| Loaf of bread | 9½d | $0.22 |
| Dozen eggs | 4s 8d | $0.62 |
| Pint of beer | 2s 0d | $0.36 |
| Gallon of petrol/gas | 5s 7d | $0.34 |
| Cinema ticket | 5s 0d | $1.05 |
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The Zeitgeist of 1968
The year was defined by protest and turmoil. Student revolts erupted across Europe, the anti-Vietnam War movement intensified, and two assassinations — Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy — traumatised America. In sport, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists at the Mexico City Olympics. 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes challenged cinema audiences, while the musical Hair opened on Broadway.
In the News in 1968
Enoch Powell delivered his incendiary 'Rivers of Blood' speech on immigration. London's old Euston Arch was demolished despite public protest. The Troubles in Northern Ireland intensified with civil rights marches in Derry. The first decimal coins (5p and 10p) entered circulation alongside old coinage in the UK.