From top to bottom, left to right: the
Watergate scandal forces
Richard Nixon to
resign, making him the first U.S. president to step down; the
Turkish invasion of Cyprus follows a Greek-backed coup, dividing the island and sparking international tensions; the
Ethiopian Revolution topples Emperor
Haile Selassie, ending centuries of monarchy and ushering in military rule; the
1974 FIFA World Cup is held in
West Germany, where the
host nation defeats the
Netherlands to claim the title; the
Ma'alot massacre in Israel sees Palestinian militants take hostages at a school, leaving dozens dead after a failed rescue attempt; the
Carnation Revolution in Portugal peacefully overthrows the Estado Novo dictatorship, ending colonial wars and beginning democratic reforms; the
Bangladesh famine of 1974 kills hundreds of thousands, devastating the nation amid economic and political turmoil; the
Guillaume affair exposes a major spy scandal in West Germany, causing political upheaval; and the
Joelma Building fire in São Paulo kills 179 people, becoming one of the deadliest high-rise fires in history.