Today in History

This day in History December 23rd

1947 Bell Labs demonstrates the worlds first Transistor Radio

1956 British French Troops Withdraw From Suez Canal

1995 A fire in Dabwali, India, kills 540 people, including 170 children.

2006 United Nations Security Council has unanimously imposed sanctions against Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment with Resolution 1737
 

1888
painter, Vincent van Gogh who suffered from mental illness cuts off his left ear lobe after a argument with fellow painter, Paul Gaughin. Van Gogh sends his ear to a prostitute for safe keeping
1919
Alice H. Parker patents gas heating furnance
1938
during the filming of movie' The Wizard of Oz' actress Margaret Hamilton's{ Wicked Witch} costume catches on fire. She suffered 2nd degree burns on her face, 3rd degree burn on her hand. The accident occurred during a 2nd take of her firey exit from Munckinland
1986
the experimental airplane, Voyager piloted by Dick Rutan,Jeana Yeager complete 1st non stop round the world flight without refueling. They took off from Edwards Air Force Base in Mohave Desert, Calif It took 9 days,3 min,44 secs. The plane is now on display at the National Air&Space Museum in Washington,DC
 
This day in History December 24th

1865 A group of Confederate veterans convenes to form the secret society the "Ku Klux Klan."

1903 The first car number plate ( A1 ) is issued in England

1968 Apollo 8 orbits the Moon, becoming the first manned space mission to achieve the feat.

1994 Four Islamic extremists hijack Air France Flight 8969 in Algiers

2009 The Senate passes health care reform bill
 

24th December

1828 William Burke who, with his partner William Hare, dug up the dead and murdered to sell the corpses for dissection, went on trial in Edinburgh. The other bodysnatcher, William Hare, had turned King’s evidence and was not therefore brought to trial.

1914 A German monoplane dropped a single bomb on Dover, the first ever to be dropped on British soil. It landed on a rectory garden lawn and blew out the house windows.

1914 The start of the unofficial 'Christmas Truce' along the British and German lines around Ypres, Belgium, during World War One. The truce begins with the singing of carols and the appearance of Christmas trees along the German trenches.

2013 Alan Turing, the World War Two codebreaker at Bletchley Park was granted a Royal pardon over his homosexuality conviction. The work done at Bletchley Park, particularly the codebreaking feats of Alan Turing, were credited with shortening the Second World War by several years. In August 2014 a film 'The Imitation Game' was released, based on the biography 'Alan Turing: The Enigma'.

2020 At approximately 2:45pm and after four and a half years of legal and political wrangling, the UK and the EU reached a post Brexit trade deal.
 
1814
The Treaty of Ghent which ended War of 1812 took 4 months of negotiation was signed by U. S, UK and allies in Ghent, Belgium
1818
Xmas carol'Silent Night' composed by Franz Xaver Guber was 1st sung at St. Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria
1889 Daniel Stover&William Hance patent bicycle with back break pedal
1951
Amhal&The Night Vistors' written by Gian Carlo Menott debuts live on NBC.It was 1st opera composed specifically for TV. The story is about a crippled boy,his mother who are visited by 3 gift bearing kings headed to Bethelem 5 million viewers tuned in
1974
former U. S. astronaut, John Glenn becomes U. S. Senator from Ohio. He served from 1974-1999
In Oct '98,age 77, he returns to space aboard space shuttle Discovery as a payload specialist
 
This day in History December 25th

1900 U.S.A. -- Small Pox Epidemic
In Kentucky, a smallpox epidemic was raging with hundreds of people stricken. The mortality rate was 20% and health authorities demanded that every person in the state be vaccinated.

1914 France -- World War I Christmas Truce
The soldiers of Germany, Russia, France, and Britain call a Christmas truce with soldiers crossing the area of no man's land calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues.

1926 Japan -- Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito becomes the 124th Emperor of Japan, succeeding his father, Emperor Yoshihito.

1927 India -- Sailors Revolt Over Visiting America
Sixteen Indian sailors revolted and quit their posts when they heard that their ship was going to America. They were terrified that they would perish to death from the cold. The rebellious sailors were thrown in prison.

1974 Australia -- Cyclone Tracy
Thousands are left homeless and more than 30 people are feared dead after cyclone Tracy with winds of up to 135mph hits the northern Australian city of Darwin on Christmas Day.:cry:
 
1818
Handel's Messiah debuts in United States in Boston,Mass performed by Handel&Haydn Society
1914
'Christmas Truce' took place during WWI battle fields between British&German troops They exchanged gifts,played football instead of fighting
1962
movie' To Kill A Mockingbird' film adaptation of Harper Lee's novel was released. The movie was directed by Robert Mulligan,starred Gregory Peck 'Atticus Finch' others in the cast, Mary Badlam,Phillip Alford as Atticus's kids 'Scout &Jem', Brock Peters, William Windom, Robert Duvall. The movie was nominated for 8 Oscars won 3 actor{Peck} adapted screenplay{Horton Foote}, art direction. Actress Kim Stanley was the narrator as adult 'Scout'. The movie was Duvall's screen debut as 'Boo Radley'
 
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

Watch The Christmas Truce on HISTORY Vault

At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.
 
Wouldn't it have been great if everyone just decided to go home. Merry Christmas, Mike

Pappy said:
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

Watch The Christmas Truce on HISTORY Vault

At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.
Click to expand...
 
Pappy said:
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

Watch The Christmas Truce on HISTORY Vault

At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.
Click to expand...
Thank you for that wonderful story and the link.
 
This day in History December 26th

1862 U.S.A. -- US - Dakota War Mass Execution
The largest mass execution in United States history takes place on this day in Mankato, Minnesota when 38 Dakota prisoners were executed by hanging. 392 Native Americans of the Dakota tribe were taken prisoner and put on trial at the end of the US-Dakota War. 303 of them were convicted and sentenced to death and 16 were given prison sentences in rushed trials where the defendants were not represented. President Lincoln reviewed the trial transcripts and commuted most of the sentences.

1908 U.S.A. -- Brothers
In Montana, Fred McCullom was murdered by his brother Harry in his father's pharmacy while the store was full of Christmas shoppers. The Marshal was called in but could not subdue the brothers.

1921 France -- Helene Jacqueline
Ten-year-old Helene Jacqueline was recognized by the French army as a hero. German soldiers shot her father and brother, but she would not reveal secret information about the underground French army to the enemy.

1932 Turkey -- Restriction On Narcotic Drugs
In Turkey President Mustapha Kemal issued restrictions on narcotic drugs. At a Christmas day meeting, he decreed that 3 narcotics factories were to be closed and poppy growing would be limited to medical use only.

1941 U.S.A. -- Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill becomes the first British prime minister to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress when he tells them the progress of the war in Europe.

1947 U.S.A. -- Severe Snow Storm
A severe snowstorm covers the Northeastern part of the United States, burying New York City under 25.8 inches of snow in 16 hours; the severe weather was blamed for some 80 deaths.
 
26h December

1874 Boxing Day was officially recognized in Britain as a Bank Holiday. The name originates from the custom of Christmas boxes being given to a lord's serfs and dates back to the middle ages.

1900 A relief crew arrived at the the lighthouse on the Flannan Isles, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, only to find that the previous crew of three lighthouse keepers had all disappeared without a trace. The mystery has never been resolved, but rumours and myths still abound.

1943 The battle of the North Cape and the sinking of the mighty German battle-cruiser Scharnhorst. The ship, commanded by Admiral Bey, left her lair in Altenfjord in order to attack convoy JW55B. Due to bad visibility, she became separated from her escort of five destroyers and was unaware that the Royal Navy battleship 'Duke of York', the cruiser 'Jamaica' and four destroyers were closing in fast. The convoy's cruiser and destroyer escort kept the Scharnhorst at bay until the Duke of York could launch its attack. Of the Scharnhorst's crew of 1,968, only 36 men survived.

2001 A man captured as he tried to ignite explosives hidden in his trainers aboard an American Airlines jet was identified as Richard Reid, a 28-year old unemployed British citizen.
 
1865
James H.Mason patents 1st U.S. coffee perculator
1933
FM radio patent is given to U. S. engineer Edwin Howard Armstrong
1951
movie' The African Queen' directed by John Huston is released,based on C.S. Forester's novel
The story of a steam captain{Humphrey Bogart} spinster{Katherine Hepburn} who travel together downriver in Africa during WWI. They battle the elements and each other. Other cast members:,Robert Morley,Peter Bull, Theodore Bikel,filmed on location in Belgium,Congo. The movie was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, Bogart won Best Actor
1996
6 yr old 'beauty queen' contestant, JonBenet Ramsay was found beaten&strangled in basement of her family home in Boulder, Colorado,case is still open
2004
9.3 magnitude earthquake creates a tsunami causing devestation in Sri Lanka,Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia 230,000 people die
 
This day in History December 27th

1907 Austria -- Emperor
Ageing emperor Francis Joseph warned military man Don Miguel Braganza that he would be exiled if he did not stop plotting to overthrow the government of Portugal. In an interview with a reporter, Braganza boasted about his seditious plans and as a result, the emperor summoned him immediately.

1921 U.S.A. -- Tacoma Arica
Chile and Peruvian officials were meeting in Washington to try to resolve their disputes. One of the main issues was over the fate of Tacoma Arica.

1936 Mexico -- Agrarian Reform law
Workers and peasants, the neglected masses, were benefited from President Lacaro Curdenas's Agrarian Reform law. Wealthy cotton areas were taken from the rich and given to the peasants. His Seventh Day Law paid workers seven days a week.

1943 Norway -- World War II
Nazi battleship, The Scharnhorst, was sunk by the British off the coast of Norway. The battleship was a 28,000-ton vessel that probably intended to strike a convoy near Murmansk.

1949 Indonesia -- Independence
Indonesia gains its independence from the Netherlands after 400 years of Dutch Rule.
 
1932
Radio City Music Hall opens in NYC during the peak of the Depression. It was the brainchild of billionaire/philathropist, John D. Rockefeller,the hall was designed for people to see high quality entertainment. The famous stage which resembles a setting sun measures 60 ft high,100 feet wide. Over 300 million people have come since the opening to watch movies, stage shows,concerts& special events
1983
Pope John Paul II pardons Mehmet Ali Agca who shot and tried to kill him
 
This day in History December 28th

2007 Nepal abolishes the monarchy
The amendment to the Nepalese constitution that declared the country a federal republic was passed by the parliament. The transition was completed on May 28, 2008. Established in 1768 by Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Kingdom of Nepal lasted for over 200 years. Nepal is the world's only country with Hinduism as the state religion.

1972 Kim il-Sung becomes the first president of North Korea
Kim Il-sung became the first and only president of North Korea under an amended constitution. He was elected to the post by the members of the North Korean parliament, which is also known as the Supreme People's Assembly. The post was abolished in 1998, and Kim II-sung was given the title of Eternal President of Korea.

1968 Israel raid on Beirut Airport
The Israeli Defence Forces mounted a special operation, also known as Operation Gift, on Beirut Airport. The raid was in retaliation to the attack on El Al Flight 253, which was en route from Tel Aviv to New York. During its layover in Athens, Greece, two Palestinians fired at passengers and crew and killed 1 person. In retaliation, Israel destroyed several passenger and cargo planes parked at Beirut Airport. There were no fatalities during the raid.

1885 Indian National Congress founded
The party is one of the two main political parties in India. Created by the members of the Theosophical Society, the party was a major player in India's independence movement against the British. After Independence, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru belonged to the INC.

1836 South Australia becomes a British colony
The central-southern state of Australia was first established as a province in 1834 by the British Parliament under the South Australia Act. The day was observed as Proclamation
 
Dec 28th
1612
The 1st observation of planet Neptune by astromoner Galileo who mistakenly thought it was a 'fixed star'
1860
abolitionist,Harriet Trubman arrives in Auburn,NY on her last mission to free slaves.She had avoided being captured for 8 yrs on the Underground Railroad
1958
Baltimore Colts played the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium.The teams played in the 1st ever sudden death overtime game,Colts winning 23-17
1981
The 1st United States 'test tube baby' Elizabeth Jordan Carr was born in Norfolk,Va weighing 5 pounds, 12 oz. Today she is 40 was recently named editor of Dailybreak.com
2000
U.S retail giant, Montgomery Ward announces its going out of business after 128 yrs
 
This day in History December 29th

1890 Wounded Knee Massacre
On this day, the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry tried to disarm the members of the Lakota tribe who were camped at the Wounded Knee Creek. During their attempt, a shot was fired and the cavalry massacred over 150 members of the tribe including women and children. Many historians believe that the number of people massacred was much higher. Wounded Knee is near the present-day Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the state of South Dakota.

1911 Mongolian Independence
The landlocked North East Asian country declared its independence from the Qing Dynasty, after the Mongolian Revolution of 1911. The country had been under Qing rule for about 200 years.

1916 A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man published
The first novel of Irish writer, James Joyce, the book follows the life of Stephen Dedalus, who many believe was the author's alter ego. It first came out as a series in the literary magazine, The Egoist and was then published by American publisher B. W. Huebsch. James Joyce is best known for his book Ulysses, which is about a single day in the life of the advertising agent, Leopold Bloom. In honor of the book, fans of the author celebrate an unofficial holiday, Bloomsday on June 16.

1937 Ireland established
A new constitution, established by a national referendum, changed the name of the Irish Free state to Ireland. The Irish Free State was a part of the British Commonwealth and was established in 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty signed in 1921.

1996 Guatemalan civil war comes to an end
The 36-year long civil war fought between several leftist groups representing the indigenous people and poor and the government came to an end after Comandante Rolando Morán of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity and president Álvaro Arzú signed a peace treaty under the supervision of the UN. Morán and Arzú received the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in bringing peace to the country.
 
29th December

1675 Parliament ordered the closing of all coffee houses on the basis that they were centres of malicious gossip about the Government.

1860 HMS Warrior, Britain's first seagoing iron-clad warship, was launched. She froze to the slipway when she was launched during London's coldest winter for 50 years and six tugs were required to haul her into the river. In later years Warrior was saved from being scrapped by the efforts of the Maritime Trust. The restoration took 8 years. Today, the ship is used as a venue for special events, and can be privately hired as a wedding venue.

1940 London suffered its most devastating air raid when Germans firebombed the city. Hundreds of fires caused by the exploding bombs engulfed areas of London, but fire fighters showed a valiant indifference to the bombs falling around them and saved much of the city from destruction. The next day, a newspaper photo of St. Paul's Cathedral standing undamaged amid the smoke and flames seemed to symbolize the capital's unconquerable spirit during the Battle of Britain.

2013 A painting bought for £400 and featured on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow was revealed to be a Van Dyck portrait worth about £400,000. Father Jamie, who runs a retreat house in Whaley Bridge, on the edge of the Peak District, said that he was planning to sell the piece by the 17th Century Flemish artist to buy new church bells.

2014 Christopher Hooson (33) who stole an Android tablet from a Whitley Bay charity shop, only to try and donate it to them eight days later as it did not work, was recognized by staff from his CCTV images. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
 
1851
The 1st U.S. chapter of YMCA{Young Men's Christian Assoc} opens in Boston,Mass
1930
Fred P. Newton completes longest swim of the Mississippi River 1,826 miles. He started on July 6th at Fort Dam,Minnesota ended in New Orleans,took him 176 days.He stayed in riverside towns along the way.He was a talented artist,in some towns he would paint for local businesses in exchange for a meal/bed
1972
Life Magazine ends publication
 
This day in History December 30th

1947 Last king of Romania steps down
Michael I was forced to abdicate by the Communist Party of Romania. His first reign over the country was in 1927 as a 6-year old, and it lasted only 3 years until 1930. He was then reinstalled in 1940.

1995 Lowest temperature ever recorded in the UK
Altnaharra, a small hamlet in northern Scotland, recorded a temperature of −27.2°C (-16.96 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature had dipped this low once before in the UK - in Braemar, East Scotland on January 10, 1982

2004 Highest barometric pressure recorded
At 2 am local time, the atmospheric pressure in Tosontsengel, Mongolia rose to 846.5 hPa (adjusted for height above sea level).

2006 Saddam Hussein executed
The deposed president of Iraq was hanged after he was found guilty of crimes against humanity. Hussein was the fifth president of Iraq and came to power after a coup in 1968.

2011 Samoa and Tokelau skipped December 30
The South Pacific Ocean Islands changed their time zone and move west of the international dateline to align their time zone with their major trading partners, Australia and New Zealand. In doing so, they skipped December 30 and moved directly from December 29 to December 31. 119 years ago, Samoa had made a similar shift, eastwards of the dateline, to synchronize its time with the United States. Today, Samoa follows West Samoa Time, which is 13 hours ahead of UTC.
 
1916
Grigori Rasputin who held sway with Czar Nicholas II&Czarina Alexandra was murdered by a group of nobles who believed the self stlyed holy man had too much influence on the family. Rasputin fell into good graces with the family after he stopped the bleeding of their hemophilac son,Alexei. The nobles bound&tossed him into a freezing river where he drowned
1924
astronomer, Edwin Hubble announced at a meeting of American Astronomical Society the existance of other galactic systems
1950
Patti Page's single' Tennessee Waltz' hits #1 Billboard Pop Chart stays there for 9 weeks
1968
Frank Sinatra records 'MyWay" with lyrics by Paul Anka based on French song' Comme D'habitude'.The song was # 27 on Billboard charts, # 2 on easy listening charts
2012
opening of line 6 pf Beiling's subway is the longest metro network in the world at 442 km
 

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