Of all the significant events of 1985, perhaps the most momentous was the death of a Soviet leader which, in the choice of his successor, could be considered as being the beginning of the end of the USSR.
Then there was the discovery of the ozone layer and the hijacking of a cruise liner and an aeroplane. Sporting disasters cast a dark pall on world events and the death of Rock Hudson led to the glimmering of a more enlightened attitude towards homosexuality.
The Cold War: Change of Soviet Leader and The Re-election of Ronald Reagan
In March 1985, the passing of Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko marked a significant shift in the political landscape of the Cold War. His tenure, however brief, was a continuation of the stagnation and rigidity that had characterized the later years of the USSR. His death cleared the path for a wave of unexpected and transformative change, writ large in the shape of Mikhail Gorbachev.
Gorbachev stood out from his predecessors with a bold and innovative approach aimed at revitalizing the Soviet Union. His policies of Glasnost, meaning ‘openness’, and Perestroika, or ‘restructuring’, sought to bring about transparency in governance and adaptability in the Soviet economy. These twin principles aimed to reduce corruption within the Communist Party and address the deep-seated economic issues stifling the USSR’s growth.
Obviously, with hindsight, we can see that Gorbachev’s policies signified a radical departure from the Cold War’s status quo. Even seen at the time, it was obvious that the successive failures of first Brezhnev, then Andropov and finally Chernenko to revitalize the Soviet economy meant that a new approach was needed. Gorbachev’s democratic reforms and move towards better relations with the West were perhaps more than anyone in Western capitals could have wished for.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Ronald Reagan won a commanding victory securing a second term. His victory was almost unanimous. His hapless challenger, Walter Mondale, carried only his home state of Minnesota and Washington DC to leave Reagan with a victory of 525 to 13 Electoral College votes.
This was some mandate and confirmed the US support for Reagan’s tough stance against communism. Yet, the actor-turned-politician also recognized the opportunity Gorbachev’s leadership presented. The world watched as two superpower leaders prepared to chart a new course in international relations.
Their willingness to engage in dialogue materialized as a summit meeting that signalled a thaw in the icy tension between East and West. It was a step toward dismantling the fearsome nuclear arms race that had cast a long shadow over global affairs for decades.
The Ozone Layer Scare and Rising Concerns of Terrorism in 1985
In 1985, the world was faced with political change, but also with a stark environmental discovery and the unsettling rise of international terrorism. British scientists shocked the global community when they announced the discovery of a massive hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Using instruments such as the Dobson spectrophotometer, they detected unusually low levels of ozone, prompting a worldwide call to action.
Upon the discovery, researchers recommended aggressive steps that included phasing out the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) – chemicals found in aerosols and refrigerants known to harm the ozone layer. The urgency of these steps was underscored by the role of the ozone in protecting Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
In that same year, terrorism cast a long, harrowing shadow across the globe. The hijacking of the Achille Lauro, an Italian cruise ship, by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) militants ended in tragedy and raised the spectre of vulnerability in places once considered safe.
Then, the seizure of an Egyptian airliner as it flew from Athens to Cairo exemplified the audacity and reach of terrorist groups. In this case, it was Abu Nidal, a splinter group from Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).
In the aftermath of the hijack and the attempt, by Egyptian troops on the tarmac at Luqa Airport, Malta, to recover the passengers and aircrew, more than 57 people lay dead. The incident marked a turning point in how seriously threats needed to be taken and led to increased security measures worldwide.
Now we are moving towards sport and culture, unfortunately, it is not sporting achievements that we will explore. An undercurrent of hooligan violence had been part and parcel of football in England for years by this point, along with a less obvious creeping lack of investment in facilities. Both issues were to come to the fore in three tragic events in May 1985.
Tragedy and Turmoil in Football: Reflecting on 1985’s Darkest Moments
On 11 May, a horrific scene unfolded at St Andrew’s Stadium during a match between Birmingham City and Leeds United fans. A young boy tragically lost his life when a wall collapsed amidst the chaos caused by rioting fans. The incident raised urgent questions about fan segregation and hooliganism in football.
The same day, catastrophe struck at Bradford City’s Valley Parade. At the end of a triumphant season for Bradford City, they were playing Lincoln City in the last match of the season. After the presentation of the third division trophy to Bradford City before the start of the game, the match was meandering towards half-time with the score 0-0.
With five or so minutes of the first half remaining, an accidental fire engulfed one of the stands. Within minutes, the antiquated wooden structure of the main stand was ablaze. In all, 56 spectators perished, and hundreds were injured. The nation, in shock, mourned and faced the crucial task of improving stadium safety.
The football world was barely beginning to process these tragedies when disaster struck again. On 29 May, during the European Cup Final at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, mayhem broke out before kickoff. Whilst attempting to flee from advancing Liverpool supporters, several Juventus fans were crushed against a collapsing wall.
The death toll was appalling, a total of 39 lives were lost. They were made up of:
32 Italians
4 Belgians
2 French, and
A Northern Irishman
The European Cup Final, the showpiece of European Club football, had been eternally scarred by violence.
Following Heysel, all English clubs were banned from European football for an indefinite period. In the final event, English clubs were banned for a total of five years with Liverpool serving another year’s ban.
These dark moments in football history were the initial catalysts for reform which forced football to confront the grim reality of inadequate stadium infrastructure and the aggressive behavior of certain fan factions. The need for reform in crowd control and the modernization of sporting venues had at last been established. In the years that followed, significant changes took place in how football matches were policed and how fans were viewed, but not before another disaster in 1989.
Cultural Milestones: Entertainment and Humanitarian Concerts in 1985
In 1985, the world not only witnessed major political shifts and environmental alarms but also saw significant moments in entertainment and philanthropy. The year marked the sad farewell to Rock Hudson, whose death, on 2 October, brought to the forefront the harsh realities of AIDS. We also witnessed the emergence of new cultural icons, with Madonna galvanizing the pop scene through her Virgin Tour.
Hudson’s death signalled a pivotal moment in the recognition of the AIDS crisis, raising awareness and altering public perceptions. As an esteemed Hollywood star, his battle with AIDS humanized the disease for many, sparking conversations and leading to increased support for research and understanding. Although an open secret in the film industry, Hudson’s homosexuality had been kept out of public discourse.
Madonna, on the other hand, captured the quintessential spirit of the 80s with her electrifying performances and bold fashion statements during her tour of the US and Canada, known as the Virgin Tour.
She didn’t just sing. Her offering was much more; it was a manifesto of self-expression and empowerment that resonated with her audience.
Perhaps the most profound cultural contribution of 1985 was the unprecedented initiative of Live Aid. Two simultaneous concerts, held on 13 July over a total of sixteen hours in London and Philadelphia, showed the world the unifying power of music. The funds raised provided essential famine relief to Ethiopia, setting a standard for future humanitarian efforts, and demonstrating the impact of collective compassion and action when cultures unite to help those in need.
Though Live Aid was an entertainment milestone, it transcended the realm of music; it became a beacon of global empathy. As the curtain fell on the significant events of 1985, it was clear that this was more than just a year in history – it was a year that echoed the potential for change, the importance of awareness, and the enduring role of popular culture in shaping our world.
Deaths
January
22 January – Mikhail Gromov, Soviet aviator (b. 1899)
26 January – Kenny Clarke, American jazz drummer and bandleader (b. 1914)
February
3 February – Frank Oppenheimer, American particle physicist and brother of J Robert Oppenheimer (b. 1912)
8 February – William Lyons, British automobile engineer and designer (b. 1901)
March
10 March – Konstantin Chernenko, Soviet politician, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (b. 1911)
21 March – Sir Michael Redgrave, British actor (b. 1908)
23 March – Doctor Richard Beeching, Chairman of British Rail (b. 1913)
28 March – Marc Chagall, Russian-French painter (b. 1887)
April
4 April – Kate Roberts, Welsh-language author (b. 1891)
11 April – Enver Hoxha, Albanian Communist politician, leader of the Party of Labour 22nd Prime Minister of Albania (b. 1908)
14 April – Noele Gordon, British actress most famous for her portrayal of Meg Mortimer in the Soap Opera Crossroads (b. 1919)
26 April – Albert Maltz, American screenwriter, one of the Hollywood Ten (b. 1908)
May
1 May – Denise Robins, (akas: Francesca Wright, Ashley French, Harriet Gray, Julia Kane) British romance novelist (b. 1897)
4 May – Clarence Wiseman, 10th General of The Salvation Army (b. 1907)
5 May – Sir Donald Bailey, British civil engineer who invented the Bailey bridge, a temporary structure used in the British military in WWII (b. 1901)
8 May – Theodore Sturgeon, American writer (b. 1918)
11 May – Chester Gould, American cartoonist, creator of Dick Tracy (b. 1900)
June
15 June – Percy Fender, English cricketer who may have been one of the architects of the infamous Bodyline tactic as employed in the Ashes series in Australia in 1932-33 (b. 1892)
July
1 July – Pauli Murray, American civil rights activist, lawyer, author and priest (b. 1910)
21 July – Alvah Cecil Bessie, American screenwriter, one of the Hollywood Ten (b. 1904)
August
10 August – Kenny Baker, American actor and singer (b. 1912)
14 August – Gale Sondergaard, American actress (b. 1899)
15 August – Lester Cole, American screenwriter, one of the Hollywood Ten (b. 1904)
September
1 September – Saunders Lewis, Welsh writer and founder of the Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru) (b. 1893)
10 September – Jock Stein, Scottish football player and manager (b. 1922)
11 September – Henrietta Barnett, British Women’s Royal Air Force officer (b. 1905)
17 September – Laura Ashley, Welsh designer (b. 1925)
30 September – Charles Francis Richter, American seismologist and physicist, creator of the Richter magnitude scale (b. 1900)
October
1 October – E. B. White, American writer (b. 1899)
2 October – Rock Hudson, American actor (b. 1925)
2 October – George Savalas, American actor (b. 1924)
10 October – Yul Brynner, Russian actor (b. 1920)
10 October – Orson Welles, American actor and director (b. 1915)
24 October – László Bíró, Hungarian inventor of the ballpoint pen (b. 1899)
November
1 November – Phil Silvers, American entertainer (b. 1911)
6 November – Sanjeev Kumar, Indian actor (b. 1937)
13 November – George Robert Vincent, American sound recording pioneer (b. 1898)
24 November – Big Joe Turner, American blues singer (b. 1911)
December
2 December – Philip Larkin, English poet and novelist (b. 1922)
7 December – Robert Graves, English writer (b. 1895)
12 December – Ian Stewart, Scottish rock musician (b. 1938)
26 December – Dian Fossey, American biologist (b. 1932)
31 December – Ricky Nelson, American actor and musician (b. 1940)