V. S. Naipaul's novel Guerrillas is published.

Paul Scott's novel A Division of Spoils, which completes the Raj quartet, is published.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novel Autumn of the Patriarch is published.

Mario Vargas Llosa's novel Conversation in the Cathedral is published.

Werner Herzog's film Every Man for Himself and God Against All premieres.

Harold Pinter's play No Man's Land premieres.

Ending five hundred years of colonial rule, Portugal grants independence to Angola, Mozambique, the Cape Verde Islands, and lesser African possessions.

The Soviet Union continues to send cosmonauts to its orbiting space station, setting new records for manned spaceflight.

The United States and the Soviet Union conduct the joint Apollo-Soyuz space mission — the first time manned spacecraft from different nations rendezvous in space.

The United Nations declares 1975 International Women's Year.

17 Jan.

The People's Republic of China adopts a new constitution.

11 Feb.

Margaret Thatcher becomes the first woman to head...