1970
January 1970 January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). Between 10,000 and 14,621 are killed and 26,783 injured. January 14 – Biafra capitulates, ending the Nigerian Civil War. January 15 – After a 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria, Biafran forces under Philip Effiong formally surrender to General Yakubu Gowon. February 1970 February 1 – The Benavídez rail disaster near Buenos Aires, Argentina, kills 236. February 10 – An avalanche at Val-d'Isère, France, kills 41 tourists. February 11 – Ohsumi, Japan's first satellite, is launched on a Lambda-4 rocket. February 22 – Guyana becomes a Republic within the Commonwealth of Nations. March 1970 March 1 – Rhodesia severs its last tie with the United Kingdom, declaring itself a republic. March 4 — All 57 men aboard the French submarine Eurydice (S644) are killed when the vessel implodes while making a practice dive in the Mediterranean Sea. March 5 – The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty goes into effect, after ratification by 56 nations. March 6 – Süleyman Demirel of AP forms the new government of Turkey (32nd government). March 12 – Citroën introduces the Citroën SM, the fastest front-wheel drive auto in the world at this time, at the annual Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. March 15 – The Expo '70 World's Fair opens in Suita, Osaka, Japan. March 16 – The complete New English Bible is published. March 18 – General Lon Nol ousts Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and holds Queen Sisowath Kossamak under house arrest. March 19 Ostpolitik: The leaders of West Germany and East Germany meet at a summit for the first time since Germany's division into two republics. West German Chancellor Willy Brandt is greeted by cheering East German crowds as he arrives in Erfurt for a summit with his counterpart, East German Ministerpräsident Willi Stoph. March 20 – The Agency for Cultural and Technical Co-operation (ACCT) (Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique) is founded.
