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On This Day in History — December 12
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Highlights of December 12
- 2021 — At the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to become World Drivers' Champion. Read more
- 2012 — North Korea made its first successful satellite launch, as Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 reached orbit. Read more
- 2000 — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Bush v. Gore that the recount of ballots cast in Florida for the presidential election be stopped, effectively making George W. Bush (pictured) the winner. Read more
- 1988 — Three trains collided near Clapham Junction railway station in London, killing 35 people and injuring 484 others. Read more
- 1979 — A magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck just off the shore of Tumaco, Colombia, causing at least 300 deaths, mostly by the resulting tsunami. Read more
- 1969 — The Greek junta announced its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after the junta was found guilty of torture and other human-rights violations by the European Commission of Human Rights. Read more
- 1964 — Jomo Kenyatta became the first president of the Republic of Kenya. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: German troops began Operation Winter Storm, an attempt to relieve encircled Axis forces during the Battle of Stalingrad. Read more
- 1941 — The Holocaust: At a Nazi Party meeting in the Reich Chancellery, Adolf Hitler declared the imminent destruction of the Jewish people. Read more
- 1939 — The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duchess (pictured) collided with HMS Barham, the battleship she was escorting, and Duchess sank with heavy loss of life. Read more
- 1936 — Republic of China leader Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped by Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang, a former warlord of Manchuria. Read more
- 1866 — England's worst mining disaster occurred when a series of explosions (depicted) caused by flammable gases ripped through the Oaks Colliery, killing 361 people. Read more
- 1388 — Unable to defend her possessions, Maria of Enghien sold the lordship of Argos and Nauplia to the Republic of Venice. Read more
- 627 — At the Battle of Nineveh, the Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeated the forces of Sasanian emperor Khosrow II, commanded by Rhahzadh, near present-day Mosul, Iraq. Read more
Events
- 2024 — Indian Grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju became the undisputed World Chess Champion in a tournament held in Singapore, making him the 18th and the youngest champion in chess history. Read more
- 2021 — Dutch Formula One racing driver Max Verstappen wins the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton to become the first Formula One World Champion to come from the Netherlands. Read more
- 2015 — The Paris Agreement relating to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is adopted. Read more
- 2012 — North Korea successfully launches its first satellite, Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2. Read more
- 2001 — Prime Minister of Vietnam Phan Văn Khải announces the decision on upgrading the Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng nature reserve to a national park, providing information on projects for the conservation and development of the park and revised maps. Read more
- 2000 — The United States Supreme Court releases its decision in Bush v. Gore. Read more
- 1999 — A magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits the Philippines's main island of Luzon, killing six people, injuring 40, and causing power outages that affected the capital Manila. Read more
- 1988 — The Clapham Junction rail crash kills thirty-five and injures hundreds after two collisions of three commuter trains—one of the worst train crashes in the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1985 — Arrow Air Flight 1285R, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8, crashes after takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland, killing all 256 people on board, including 236 members of the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division. Read more
- 1979 — The 8.2 Mw Tumaco earthquake shakes Colombia and Ecuador with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), killing 300–600, and generating a large tsunami. Read more
- 1979 — Coup d'état of December Twelfth occurs in South Korea. Read more
- 1969 — The Piazza Fontana bombing; a bomb explodes at the headquarters of Banca Nazionale dell'Agricoltura (the National Agricultural Bank) in Piazza Fontana in Milan, Italy, killing 17 people and wounding 88. The same afternoon, three more bombs are detonated in Rome and Milan, and another is found unexploded. Read more
- 1963 — Kenya declares independence from Great Britain. Read more
- 1956 — United Nations Security Council Resolution 121 relating to acceptance of Japan to the United Nations is adopted. Read more
- 1946 — United Nations Security Council Resolution 13 relating to acceptance of Siam (now Thailand) to the United Nations is adopted. Read more
- 1945 — The People's Republic of Korea is outlawed in the South, by order of the United States Army Military Government in Korea. Read more
- 1941 — World War II: Fifty-four Japanese A6M Zero fighters raid Batangas Field, Philippines. Jesús Villamor and four Filipino fighter pilots fend them off; César Basa is killed. Read more
- 1941 — The Holocaust: Adolf Hitler declares the imminent extermination of the Jews at a meeting in the Reich Chancellery. Read more
- 1939 — HMS Duchess sinks after a collision with HMS Barham off the coast of Scotland with the loss of 124 men. Read more
- 1939 — Winter War: The Battle of Tolvajärvi, also known as the first major Finnish victory in the Winter War, begins. Read more
- 1937 — Second Sino-Japanese War: USS Panay incident: Japanese aircraft bomb and sink U.S. gunboat USS Panay on the Yangtze river in China. Read more
- 1936 — The beginning of Xi'an incident. As a result, Chiang Kai Shek is captured. Read more
- 1935 — The Lebensborn Project, a Nazi reproduction program, is founded by Heinrich Himmler. Read more
- 1917 — Father Edward J. Flanagan founds Boys Town as a farm village for wayward boys. Read more
- 1915 — Yuan Shikai declares the establishment of the Empire of China and proclaims himself Emperor. Read more
- 1901 — Guglielmo Marconi receives the first transatlantic radio signal (the letter "S" [•••] in Morse Code), at Signal Hill in St John's, Newfoundland. Read more
- 1870 — Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina becomes the second black U.S. congressman. Read more
- 1866 — Oaks explosion: The worst mining disaster in England kills 361 miners and rescuers. Read more
- 1862 — American Civil War: USS Cairo sinks on the Yazoo River. Read more
- 1787 — Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the US Constitution. Read more
- 1388 — Maria of Enghien sells the lordship of Argos and Nauplia to the Republic of Venice. Read more
- 627 — Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II's Persian forces, commanded by General Rhahzadh. Read more
Born on December 12
- 2001 — Michael Olise, French footballer Read more
- 1997 — Ed Oliver, American football player Read more
- 1996 — Lucas Hedges, American actor Read more
- 1994 — Otto Warmbier, American student imprisoned in North Korea (died 2017) Read more
- 1993 — Zeli Ismail, English footballer Read more
- 1991 — Shohjahon Ergashev, Uzbek professional boxer Read more
- 1991 — Joseph Leilua, Australian-Samoan rugby league player Read more
- 1990 — Nixon Chepseba, Kenyan runner Read more
- 1990 — Dawin, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 1990 — Victor Moses, Nigerian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Tyron Smith, American football player Read more
- 1988 — Isaac John, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
- 1988 — Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Israeli Olympic marathon runner Read more
- 1986 — Daddy Birori, Rwandan footballer Read more
- 1986 — Përparim Hetemaj, Finnish footballer Read more
- 1986 — Nina Kolarič, Slovenian long jumper Read more
- 1986 — T. J. Ward, American football player Read more
- 1985 — Pat Calathes, Greek-American basketball player Read more
- 1985 — Andrew Ladd, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1984 — Daniel Agger, Danish footballer Read more
- 1983 — Roni Porokara, Finnish footballer Read more
- 1982 — Ervin Santana, Dominican baseball player Read more
- 1982 — Dmitry Tursunov, Russian tennis player and coach Read more
- 1981 — Eddie Kingston, American wrestler Read more
- 1981 — Pedro Ríos, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1981 — Yuvraj Singh, Indian cricketer Read more
- 1981 — Stephen Warnock, English footballer Read more
- 1981 — Andrew Whitworth, American football player and commentator Read more
- 1980 — Dejene Berhanu, Ethiopian runner (died 2010) Read more
- 1980 — Dorin Goian, Romanian footballer Read more
- 1979 — Garrett Atkins, American baseball player Read more
- 1979 — Nate Clements, American football player Read more
- 1979 — John Salmons, American basketball player Read more
- 1977 — Yoel Hernández, Cuban hurdler Read more
- 1977 — Orlando Hudson, American baseball player Read more
- 1977 — Dean Macey, English decathlete and bobsledder Read more
- 1977 — Colin White, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1975 — Mayim Bialik, American actress, neuroscientist, and author Read more
- 1975 — Craig Moore, Australian footballer and manager Read more
- 1974 — Bernard Lagat, Kenyan-American runner Read more
Died on December 12
- 2021 — Vicente Fernández, Mexican actor, ranchera singer, and film producer (born 1940) Read more
- 2021 — Bernie Fowler, American politician and environmental advocate (born 1924) Read more
- 2021 — Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi, Tongan politician and military officer, Deputy Prime Minister (born 1955) Read more
- 2020 — John le Carré, English author (born 1931) Read more
- 2020 — Ann Reinking, American actress, dancer, and choreographer (born 1949) Read more
- 2019 — Danny Aiello, American actor (born 1933) Read more
- 2017 — Ed Lee, American politician and attorney, 43rd Mayor of San Francisco (born 1952) Read more
- 2017 — Pat DiNizio, American singer and songwriter (born 1955) Read more
- 2016 — Shirley Hazzard, Australian-American novelist, short story writer, and essayist (born 1931) Read more
- 2015 — Frans Geurtsen, Dutch footballer (born 1942) Read more
- 2015 — Evelyn S. Lieberman, American politician, White House Deputy Chief of Staff (born 1944) Read more
- 2014 — Norman Bridwell, American author and illustrator, created Clifford the Big Red Dog (born 1928) Read more
- 2014 — Ivor Grattan-Guinness, English mathematician, historian, and academic (born 1941) Read more
- 2014 — Herb Plews, American baseball player (born 1928) Read more
- 2013 — Tom Laughlin, American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator, and activist (born 1931) Read more
- 2013 — Abdul Quader Molla, Bangladeshi journalist and politician (born 1948) Read more
- 2013 — Audrey Totter, American actress (born 1917) Read more
- 2012 — Joe Allbritton, American banker, publisher, and philanthropist, founded the Allbritton Communications Company (born 1924) Read more
- 2012 — David Tait, English rugby player (born 1987) Read more
- 2010 — Tom Walkinshaw, Scottish race car driver, founded Tom Walkinshaw Racing (born 1946) Read more
- 2008 — Avery Dulles, American cardinal and theologian (born 1918) Read more
- 2008 — Van Johnson, American actor (born 1916) Read more
- 2007 — François al-Hajj, Lebanese general (born 1953) Read more
- 2007 — Ike Turner, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1931) Read more
- 2006 — Paul Arizin, American basketball player (born 1928) Read more
- 2006 — Peter Boyle, American actor (born 1935) Read more
- 2006 — Raymond P. Shafer, American attorney and politician, 39th Governor of Pennsylvania (born 1917) Read more
- 2006 — Alan Shugart, American engineer and businessman, co-founded Seagate Technology (born 1930) Read more
- 2005 — Robert Newmyer, American actor and producer (born 1956) Read more
- 2005 — Annette Stroyberg, Danish actress (born 1936) Read more
- 2005 — Gebran Tueni, Lebanese journalist and politician (born 1957) Read more
- 2003 — Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani general and politician, 3rd President of Azerbaijan (born 1923) Read more
- 2002 — Dee Brown, American historian and author (born 1908) Read more
- 2001 — Ardito Desio, Italian geologist and explorer (born 1897) Read more
- 1999 — Paul Cadmus, American painter and illustrator (born 1904) Read more
- 1999 — Joseph Heller, American novelist, short story writer, and playwright(born 1923) Read more
- 1998 — Lawton Chiles, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 41st Governor of Florida (born 1930) Read more
- 1998 — Morris Udall, American captain and politician (born 1922) Read more
- 1997 — Evgenii Landis, Ukrainian-Russian mathematician and academic (born 1921) Read more
- 1996 — Vance Packard, American journalist, author, and critic (born 1914) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Corentin of Quimper; Christian feast day:
Jane Frances de Chantal; Christian feast day:
Edburga of Minster-in-Thanet; Christian feast day:
Finnian of Clonard; Christian feast day:
Thomas Holland; Christian feast day:
Ida of Nivelles; Christian feast day:
Peter the Aleut; Christian feast day:
Vicelinus; Christian feast day:
Our Lady of Guadalupe; Christian feast day:
December 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Constitution Day (Russia); Day of Neutrality (Turkmenistan)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “December 12”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.