1968 In both Europe and America Japanese imported
cars and other goods were continuing to rise and trouble the governments
of UK and USA as they worried about industries in their own countries
being effected and jobs lost. In the spring of 1968 The Rev Martin Luther
King was assassinated and Robert Kennedy was mortally wounded also the
peace movement had continued to grow and more and more Americans were
against the war in Vietnam, and once again more riots occurred throughout
cities in America. The music scene was once again set by the "Beatles"
and the "Rolling Stones" , and fashion flirted with see through
blouses and midis and maxis skirts joined the Mini Skirt as part of the
fashion trends. There is a Flu Pandemic in Hong Kong and the first Black
power salute is seen on Television worldwide during an Olympics medal
ceremony
Cost of Living 1968
How Much things cost in 1968
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 4.27%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 943
Average Cost of new house $14,950.00
Average Income per year $7,850.00
Average Monthly Rent $130.00
Gas per Gallon 34 cents
Average Cost of a new car $2,822.00
Movie Ticket $1.50
What Events Happened in 1968
Anti Vietnam
War protests throughout the western world
North Vietnam and Viet Cong troops launch
the Tet offensive
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Leader of Negro Civil Rights Movement is killed by James Earl Ray which
leads to Violence and Race Riots in US Cities
Following the Assassination of Martin Luther
King Jr. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of
1968
RMS Queen Elizabeth - retired from service
Senator Robert Kennedy is assassinated
at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles
Earthquake in Sicily - 231 dead, 262 injured.
Enoch Powell's delivers his "Rivers of
Blood" anti immigration speech
The Third Heart transplant is performed in
South Africa By Dr Christian N Barnard
London Bridge sold for 1 million. and
later re-erected in Arizona.
President Johnson announces on nationwide
television he would not run for another term of office
50,000 people participated in " The Poor
Peoples March " on Washington, D.C.
Population in Europe reaches 455 million (
excluding USSR )
The Kray twins, arrested for the murders of
George Cornell and Jack 'The Hat' McVitie, members of the London underworld.
Televisions installed increases 25 million
US , 20.5 million Japan , 19 million Great Britain
Alec Rose completes his single-handed 354-day
round-the-world trip.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau becomes the Prime Minister
of Canada
Student Occupation at Columbia University
over Universities affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyse
Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy marry
The Ferry "TEV Wahine" capsizes
in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand
Hong Kong Flu pandemic begins in Hong Kong.
Black power salute is seen on Television worldwide
after the gold and bronze medalists in Olympics show salute during medal
ceremony in Mexico City, Mexico
The Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia was to
provide political liberalization but was crushed by Warsaw Pact countries
The Soviet Union invades Czechoslovakia and
arrests President Dubcek "Prague Spring"
The Aswan Dam in Egypt is completed
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is dedicated
Equatorial Gunea Gains Independence From Spain
The Winter Olympic Games are held in Grenoble,
France
800,000 teachers, workers and student
protesters marched through the French capital during a one day general
strike
Popular Culture 1968
The first Big Mac goes on sale in McDonalds
Popular Films
The Graduate
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Bonnie and Clyde
Valley of the Dolls
The Odd Couple
Planet of the Apes
Rosemary's Baby
Popular Musicians
The Rolling Stones
The Supremes
The Beatles with " Hey Jude "
Fleetwood Mac
Aretha Franklin
Gary Puckett and The Union Gap
The Grateful Dead
The Monkees
Simon and Garfunkel " Mrs Robinson "
The Beach Boys
The Bee Gees
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Cream
The Doors " Hello I Love You "
Pink Floyd
Moody Blues
Bobby Goldsboro " Honey "
Marvin Gaye " I heard it through the
Grapevine "
David Bowie
Technology 1968
Boeing 747 made
its maiden flight.
NASA launches Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo
mission
Apollo 8 orbits the Moon, becoming the first
manned space mission to achieve the feat.
Dr. Christian Barnard performs the first successful
heart transplant.
US Explodes experimental hydrogen Bomb.
The Emergency 911 Telephone service
is started in the USA which provides a single number for reporting emergencies
and is manned 24 hrs per day 365 days per year
ATM First Philadelphia Bank installs the first automated teller machine
in the U.S.