February 18, 1965. The Gambia becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
March 20, 1965. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 begins. This conflict becomes known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947.
March 31, 1965. U.S. President Lyndon Johnson sends 3500 Marines to protect the South Vietnamese air base at Da Nang from attacks by the communist Vietcong.
April 24-28, 1965. Civil war breaks out in the Dominican Republic. President Lyndon B. Johnson sends U.S. troops to the Caribbean nation “for the stated purpose of protecting U.S. citizens and preventing an alleged Communist takeover of the country”, thus thwarting the possibility of “another Cuba”.
April 29, 1965. Australian government announces it will send troops to Vietnam.
July 28, 1965. U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announces his order to increase the number of United States troops in South Vietnam from 75,000 to 125,000, and to more than double the number of men drafted per month – from 17,000 to 35,000.
August 9, 1965. Singapore is expelled from the Federation of Malaysia, which recognizes Singapore as a sovereign nation. Lee Kuan Yew announces Singapore’s independence and assumes the position of Prime Minister of the new island nation.
October, 1965. An attempted communist coup fails in Indonesia. In response to the attempted government takeover, the Indonesian army sweeps through the countryside and are aided by locals in killing suspected communists. The number of people killed across Indonesia is anywhere from 78,000 to one million. President Sukarno remains in power, but the events of 1965 lead to his downfall in 1967.
November 11, 1965. The (white) Rhodesian Government, led by Prime Minister Ian Smith, severs its links with the British Crown. Mr. Smith makes the Unilateral Declaration of Independence. His address to the people of Rhodesia says he has taken the action, “so that dignity and freedom of all may be assured.” Over four million black Rhodesians will have no power in the new government.
December 30, 1965. Ferdinand Marcos is inaugurated as president of the Philippines.
Cost of Living in 1965
Average Cost of new house $13,600.00
Average Income per year $6,450.00
Gasoline per Gallon 31 cents
Average Cost of a new car $2,650.00
Loaf of bread 21 cents