December 22

Historic Events

2018

A tsunami caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia kills at least 430 people and injures almost a thousand more. ›

2018

The 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown, the second-longest shutdown of the U.S. federal government in history, begins. ›

2017

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 against North Korea is unanimously approved. ›

2016

A study finds the VSV-EBOV vaccine against the Ebola virus between 70 and 100% effective, making it the first proven vaccine against the disease. ›

2012

Bashir Ahmad Bilour of Awami National Party and eight others are killed in a Pakistan Taliban bomber suicide attack in Dhaki Nalbandi area near Qissa Khwani Bazaar. ›

2010

The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama. ›

2008

An ash dike ruptures at a solid waste containment area for a Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired power plant in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing 4.2 million m3 (1.1 billion US gal) of coal fly ash slurry in the largest industrial spill in U.S. history. ›

2001

Burhanuddin Rabbani, political leader of the Northern Alliance, hands over power in Islamic State of Afghanistan to the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai. ›

2001

Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63. ›

1999

Just after taking off from London Stansted Airport, Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 crashes into Hatfield Forest near Great Hallingbury, killing all four people on board. ›

1997

Acteal massacre: Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces. ›

1997

Somali Civil War: Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquishes the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first major step towards reconciliation in Somalia since 1991. ›

1996

Airborne Express Flight 827 crashes in Narrows, Virginia, killing all six people on board. ›

1992

During approach to Tripoli International Airport, a Boeing 727 operating as Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103 collides in mid-air with a Libyan Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, killing 157 people. ›

1990

Lech Wałęsa is elected President of Poland. ›

1990

Final independence of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia after termination of trusteeship. ›

1989

Romanian Revolution: Communist President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown by Ion Iliescu after days of bloody confrontations. The deposed dictator and his wife Elena flee Bucharest in a helicopter as protesters erupt in cheers. ›

1989

German reunification: Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany. ›

1987

In Zimbabwe, the political parties ZANU and ZAPU reach an agreement that ends the violence in the Matabeleland region known as the Gukurahundi. ›

1984

"Subway vigilante" Bernhard Goetz shoots four would-be muggers on a 2 express train in Manhattan section of New York, United States. ›

1978

The pivotal Third Plenum of the 11th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is held in Beijing, with Deng Xiaoping reversing Mao-era policies to pursue a program for the reform and opening up. ›

1975

U.S. President Gerald Ford creates the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in response to the 1970s energy crisis. ›

1974

Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli vote to become the independent nation of Comoros. Mayotte remains under French administration. ›

1973

A Royal Air Maroc Sud Aviation Caravelle crashes near Tangier-Boukhalef Airport in Tangier, Morocco, killing 106. ›

1971

The international aid organization Doctors Without Borders is founded by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists in Paris, France. ›

1968

Cultural Revolution: People's Daily posted the instructions of Mao Zedong that "The intellectual youth must go to the country, and will be educated from living in rural poverty." ›

1965

In the United Kingdom, a 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) speed limit is applied to all rural roads including motorways for the first time. ›

1964

The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) takes place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, United States. ›

1963

The cruise ship Lakonia burns 290 kilometres (180 mi) north of Madeira, Portugal with the loss of 128 lives. ›

1948

Sjafruddin Prawiranegara established the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia, PDRI) in West Sumatra. ›

1945

U.S. President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order giving World War II refugees precedence in visa applications under U.S. immigration quotas. ›

1944

World War II: Battle of the Bulge: German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!" ›

1944

World War II: The People's Army of Vietnam is formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indochina, now Vietnam. ›

1942

World War II: Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon. ›

1940

World War II: Himara is captured by the Greek army. ›

1939

Indian Muslims observe a "Day of Deliverance" to celebrate the resignations of members of the Indian National Congress over their not having been consulted over the decision to enter World War II with the United Kingdom. ›

1937

The Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic in New York City. ›

1921

Opening of Visva-Bharati College, also known as Santiniketan College, now Visva Bharati University, India. ›

1920

The GOELRO economic development plan is adopted by the 8th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR. ›

1906

An Mw 7.9 earthquake strikes Xinjiang, China, killing at least 280. ›

1894

The Dreyfus affair begins in France, when Alfred Dreyfus is wrongly convicted of treason. ›

1891

Asteroid 323 Brucia becomes the first asteroid discovered using photography. ›

1890

Cornwallis Valley Railway begins operation between Kentville and Kingsport, Nova Scotia. ›

1888

The Christmas Meeting of 1888, considered to be the official start of the Faroese independence movement. ›

1885

Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, becomes the first Prime Minister of Japan. ›

1864

American Civil War: Savannah, Georgia, falls to the Union's Army of the Tennessee, and General Sherman tells President Abraham Lincoln: "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah". ›

1851

India's first freight train is operated in Roorkee, to transport material for the construction of the Ganges Canal. ›

1825

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., burns. ›

1808

Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto and Choral Fantasy. ›

1807

The Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries, is passed by the U.S. Congress at the urging of President Thomas Jefferson. ›

1790

The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Alexander Suvorov and his Russian armies. ›

1788

Nguyễn Huệ proclaims himself Emperor Quang Trung, in effect abolishing on his own the Lê dynasty. ›

1769

Sino-Burmese War: The war ends with the Qing dynasty withdrawing from Burma forever. ›

1489

The forces of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, take control of Almería from the Nasrid ruler of Granada, Muhammad XI. ›

1216

Pope Honorius III approves the Dominican Order through the papal bull of confirmation Religiosam vitam. ›

1135

Three weeks after the death of King Henry I of England, Stephen of Blois claims the throne and is privately crowned King of England, beginning the English Anarchy. ›

880

Luoyang, eastern capital of the Tang dynasty, is captured by rebel leader Huang Chao during the reign of Emperor Xizong. ›

856

Damghan earthquake: An earthquake near the Persian city of Damghan kills an estimated 200,000 people, the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history. ›

401

Pope Innocent I is elected, the only pope to succeed his father in the office. ›

69

Vespasian is proclaimed Emperor of Rome; his predecessor, Vitellius, attempts to abdicate but is captured and killed at the Gemonian stairs. ›