19571979

The years 1957 through 1979 encompass a period in modern history defined by Cold War rivalry, decolonization, and rapid changes in science, technology, and culture.

In science and technology, 1957 saw the Soviet Union launch Sputnik I, triggering the space race. Humans first landed on the Moon in 1969 during the Apollo program. By the late 1970s, computing and telecommunications were expanding, with the emergence of early personal computers and microprocessors.

In political and military affairs, the era saw the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The Vietnam War continued into the mid-1970s. The 1970s featured détente and arms-control talks, with SALT I signed in 1972 and the Helsinki Final Act of 1975.

Globally, many regions underwent decolonization. Notable events include Bangladesh's independence in 1971 and the broader independence movements across Africa and Asia during the 1950s–1970s. The Non-Aligned Movement grew in prominence.

Economically, growth persisted in the early period but the 1970s brought stagflation and oil shocks, notably the 1973 oil crisis. Socially, civil rights advocacy, antiwar protest, and cultural transformations reshaped societies in the United States and beyond.

The period closes in 1979 with events such as the Iranian Revolution, the signing of SALT II, and the Camp David Accords, indicating shifts that would influence global politics in the 1980s.