The following events occurred in December 1981:
December 13, 1981: General Jaruzelski announces martial law in Poland
December 10, 1981: Pérez de Cuéllar elected new UN Secretary-General
Poland's Army acts against Solidarity union
December 12, 1981: West Germany's Schmidt meets East Germany's Honecker in East Berlin
The following events occurred in January 1981:
January 20, 1981: Reagan inaugurated as 40th U.S. President
January 21, 1981: First DeLorean manufactured
January 20, 1981: American hostages leave Iran after 444 days