Skip to content
Conflict Americas

Nicaraguan Revolution & Contra War

1978 CE – 1990 CE · 12 years

The Sandinista revolution overthrew the Somoza dictatorship in 1979, but the U.S. funded Contra rebels to destabilise the new government. The Iran-Contra scandal revealed illegal U.S. arms sales to fund the Contras. The war ended with democratic elections in 1990.

See it on the timeline

Belligerents

The main peoples, kingdoms and states involved.

  • Sandinista Government
  • Contras (backed by U.S.)

Key moments

Defining events in the Nicaraguan Revolution & Contra War.

  1. 1978-1979 Sandinista insurrection
  2. 1981-1988 Contra campaigns

Elsewhere in Americas at the time

Records whose own span overlaps this one, found by the same test the canvas draws with. The bar under each card is where it sits inside this one.

See the whole view

Landmark · Americas

Grand Canyon

3000 BCE – still standing

Polity · Americas

Canada

Founded 1815 CE · attested to 2026 CE

Conflict · Americas

Salvadoran Civil War

1979 CE – 1992 CE

Landmark · Americas

Mammoth Cave

3000 BCE – still standing

Polity · Americas

Mexico

Founded 1810 CE · attested to 2026 CE

Conflict · Americas

Falklands War

1982 CE

Landmark · Americas

Hawaii Volcanoes

3000 BCE – still standing

Polity · Americas

Argentina

Founded 1816 CE · attested to 2026 CE

Dated moments inside this span

Events the timeline places between 1978 CE and 1990 CE.

1979 CE Salvadoran Civil War 1980 CE Shining Path Insurgency 1982 CE Falklands War 1983 CE US Invasion of Grenada 1989 CE US Invasion of Panama

And in the rest of the world

Records running through the same years, on the other side of the map.

Basilica of Our Lady of Peace Landmark · Africa 1985 CE – still standing Rhodesia Polity · Africa 1914 CE – 1979 CE John Lennon Figure · Liverpool / New York 1940 CE – 1980 CE Kurdish–Turkish Conflict Conflict · Europe 1984 CE – 2026 CE Hassan II Mosque Landmark · Africa 1986 CE – still standing New Hebrides Polity · Oceania 1907 CE – 1980 CE
Image credits8 pictures from Wikimedia Commons