Editing 1978 (section)

=== October ===
{{Main|October 1978}}
* [[October 1]]
** [[Vietnam]] attacks [[Cambodia]].
** [[Tuvalu]] becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
* [[October 2]] – ''[[Mommie Dearest]]'', written by [[Christina Crawford]] that discusses her adoptive mother [[Joan Crawford]]'s abusive nature, is published. It is the first celebrity tell-all [[memoir]].
* [[October 7]] – ''Wranslide'' in [[New South Wales]]: the [[Neville Wran|Wran]] government is re-elected with an increased majority.
* [[October 8]] – Australia's [[Ken Warby]] sets the current world [[water speed record]] of 317.6&nbsp;mph (511.13&nbsp;km/h) at Blowering Dam, Australia.
* [[October 9]] – [[P. W. Botha|P.W. Botha]] succeeds [[B. J. Vorster|John Vorster]] as [[Prime Minister of South Africa]].<ref name="RSA"/><ref name="Jeffery">{{Jeffery-People's War|page=53}}</ref>
* [[October 10]]
** [[Daniel arap Moi]] becomes president of [[Kenya]].
** [[B. J. Vorster|John Vorster]] becomes [[State President of South Africa]].<ref name="RSA">[http://www.archontology.org/nations/south_africa/sa_pres1 A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1961–1994], Archontology.org; accessed April 14, 2017.</ref>
** A massive short circuit in [[Seasat]]'s electrical system ends the satellite's scientific mission.
** United States President [[Jimmy Carter]] signs a bill that authorizes the minting of the [[Susan B. Anthony dollar]].
* [[October 13]] – The [[Soviet Union]] launches a major [[Russification]] campaign throughout all union republics.
* [[October 14]] – U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]] signs a bill into law which allows [[homebrewing]] of [[beer in the United States]].
* [[October 16]] – [[Pope John Paul II]] succeeds [[Pope John Paul I]] as the 264th pope, resulting in the first [[Year of Three Popes]] since 1605. He is the first Polish pope in history, and the first non-Italian pope since [[Pope Adrian VI]] (1522–1523).
* [[October 18]] – [[Thorbjörn Fälldin]] steps down as Prime Minister of Sweden, and is succeeded by [[Ola Ullsten]], the Leader of the liberal People's Party ("''Folkpartiet''").
* [[October 20]] – The first [[Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras]] is held as a protest march and commemoration of the [[Stonewall riots]].
* [[October 21]] – Australian civilian pilot [[Disappearance of Frederick Valentich|Frederick Valentich]] vanishes in a [[Cessna 182 Skylane]] over the [[Bass Strait]] south of [[Melbourne]], after reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft.<ref name=CSICOP>{{cite web |last=Nickell |first=Joe |title=The Valentich Disappearance: Another UFO Cold Case Solved|url=http://www.csicop.org/si/show/the_valentich_disappearance_another_ufo_cold_case_solved |work=Volume 37.6, November/December 2013 |date=November 2013 |publisher=Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|access-date=14 March 2014}}</ref>
* [[October 27]] – Egyptian President [[Anwar Sadat]] and Israeli Prime Minister [[Menachem Begin]] win the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] for their progress toward achieving a Middle East accord.
* [[October 31]] – The [[South African Railways]] sets a still unbeaten [[Land speed record for rail vehicles|world rail speed record]] on [[Cape gauge]].<ref name="Paxton-Bourne">{{Paxton-Bourne|pages=128–29}}</ref>