Historical eventOctober 271981
Cold War
Cold War: The Soviet submarine S-363 runs aground on the east coast of Sweden.
In context
- When
- Tuesday, October 27 198145 years ago
- Category
- Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Era
- 20th century · 1980s
- Recorded from
- Wikipedia “On this day” feed
At a glance
Dates: From 1981.
What happened
The Cold War was a period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States (USA) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc. It began in the aftermath of the Second World War and ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The term cold war is used because there was no direct fighting between the two superpowers, though each supported opposing sides in regional conflicts known as proxy wars.
October 27 through the years
Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.
- 1981Cold War
- 1999Armenian parliament shooting
- 1999Nairi Hunanyan
- 2004Boston Red Sox
- 2011Michael D. Higgins
- 2014Operation Herrick
- 2017Catalonia
- 2018Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
- 2018Leicester City F.C.
- 2019Islamic State
- 2019The Mocking of Christ (Cimabue)
Also in 1981
- May 11Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber's Cats (performers pictured), opened at the New London Theatre.
- September 15United States Senate Committee on the JudiciaryThe Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approves Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice of the Supreme Court of the Un…
- September 15John Bull (locomotive)The John Bull becomes the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution operates it under its own power…
- September 18Nestor PirotteWhile posing as an aristocrat, Belgian serial killer Nestor Pirotte murdered an antiques dealer in Brussels, for which crime he was sente…
- September 5Greenham Common Women's Peace CampThe first women arrive at what becomes Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp in the UK.
- October 20Brink'sTwo police officers and a Brink's armored car guard are killed during an armed robbery carried out by members of the Black Liberation Arm…
- October 22Federal Labor Relations AuthorityThe US Federal Labor Relations Authority votes to decertify the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) for its strike…
- May 25RiyadhIn Riyadh, the Gulf Cooperation Council is created between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Sources
- Wikipedia article (text, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 for adapted text · how we source this
Cite this page
“Cold War”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/cold-war-1981-october-27, accessed October 27, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about this entry
When did Cold War happen?
October 27 1981 — 45 years ago, on a Tuesday.
Where does this text come from?
Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.
How do I cite this page?
Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.
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