In the year 1971

Whilst David Bowie was being kooky and most of the world turned a blind eye, stuff like this was making headlines:

After failing to get their at all in 1970, the Americans landed on the moon twice. They even took a car up this time to make it more interesting for the viewers at home. Bored with the moon, the Russians sent their 2nd probe to Mars which is much cooler don’t you think?

The BBC launched the legendary Open University which went on fill late night and early afternoon TV schedules with bearded men in lab coats for years to come.

The UK and Ireland both switched to decimal currency.

Andy Warhol was big news. He had a film out, set up his video factory an had an exhibition at the Tate in London which largely consisted of mug shots of people who were far to hard to ever go to an Andy Warhol show. Oh the irony.

The French Connection and Dirty Harry did impressive box office and lead to a spate of 70’s ‘dirty cop’ movies.

The troubles in Northern Ireland snowballed. The first British solider was killed in in February. 43 soldiers and 100 civilians were dead by the end of the year. The British government adopted a policy of internment without trial in the province, the consequences of which were truly terrible, as we’ll see in 1972.