On This Day in History — December 15

Highlights of December 15

• 2019 — Citizenship Amendment Act protests: 10 to 15 local women blockaded a major road in Delhi, India, to protest the exclusion of Muslims from the amended Citizenship Act. Read more
• 2013 — The South Sudanese Civil War began when three opposition leaders voted to boycott the meeting of the National Liberation Council in Juba. Read more
• 1981 — The Iraqi Shia Islamist group al-Dawa carried out one of the first modern suicide bombings, targeting the Iraqi embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, resulting in 61 deaths and at least 100 injuries. Read more
• 1970 — The Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 touched down on the surface of Venus, making the first successful landing of a spacecraft on another planet. Read more
• 1961 — Former Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death after being found guilty on fifteen criminal charges, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. Read more
• 1946 — U.S.-backed Iranian troops brought an end to the Iran crisis when they marched on the breakaway Republic of Mahabad and recaptured the territory. Read more
• 1945 — The US-led occupying forces ordered the government of Japan to cease state support for Shinto. Read more
• 1943 — World War II: Australian and American forces (pictured) began the Battle of Arawe against Japanese forces on New Britain as a diversion before a larger landing at Cape Gloucester. Read more
• 1939 — The American historical epic film Gone With the Wind, adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel of the same name, premiered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read more
• 1906 — The Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway, a 14.17-kilometre (8.80 mi) long deep-level underground tube railway connecting Hammersmith and Finsbury Park, London, opened. Read more
• 1890 — Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota leader, was killed on Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in South Dakota by U.S. Indian agency police. Read more
• 1871 — Sixteen-year-old Ella Stewart sent the first telegraphed message from Arizona Territory. Read more
• 1864 — American Civil War: Union troops defeated the Army of Tennessee, one of the largest Confederate forces, at the Battle of Nashville. Read more
• 1796 — War of the First Coalition: The French navy launched an expedition to Ireland to assist the Society of United Irishmen in a rebellion against the British. Read more
• 1791 — The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified. Read more
• 1778 — American Revolutionary War: At the Battle of St. Lucia, the Royal Navy prevented French Navy ships from reaching their garrison on Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Read more
• 1025 — Constantine VIII (depicted) became the sole Byzantine emperor, 63 years after being crowned co-emperor. Read more
• 687 — Sergius was elected pope, ending the last disputed period of sede vacante during the Byzantine Papacy. Read more
• 533 — Byzantines led by Belisarius defeated the Vandal King Gelimer at the Battle of Tricamarum, completing the "Reconquest of North Africa" under Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Read more

Events

• 2017 — A 6.5Mwearthquake strikes the Indonesian island of Java in the city of Tasikmalaya, resulting in four deaths. Read more
• 2014 — Gunman Man Haron Monis takes 18 hostages inside a café in Martin Place for 16 hours in Sydney. Monis and two hostages are killed when police raid the café the following morning. Read more
• 2013 — The South Sudanese Civil War begins when opposition leaders Dr. Riek Machar, Pagan Amum and Rebecca Nyandeng vote to boycott the meeting of the National Liberation Council at Nyakuron. Read more
• 2010 — A boat carrying 90 asylum seekers crashes into rocks off the coast of Christmas Island, Australia, killing 48 people. Read more
• 2005 — Introduction of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor into USAF active service. Read more
• 2001 — The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 spent to stabilize it, without fixing its famous lean. Read more
• 2000 — The third reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is shut down. Read more
• 1997 — Tajikistan Airlines Flight 3183 crashes in the desert near Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, killing 85. Read more
• 1993 — The Troubles: The Downing Street Declaration is issued by British Prime Minister John Major and Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds. Read more
• 1989 — Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights relating the abolition of capital punishment is adopted. Read more
• 1981 — A suicide car bombing targeting the Iraqi embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, levels the embassy and kills 61 people, including Iraq's ambassador to Lebanon. The attack is considered the first modern suicide bombing. Read more
• 1978 — U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People's Republic of China and sever diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan). Read more
• 1973 — John Paul Getty III, grandson of American billionaire J. Paul Getty, is found alive near Naples, Italy, after being kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10. Read more
• 1973 — The American Psychiatric Association votes 13–0 to remove homosexuality from its official list of psychiatric disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Read more
• 1970 — Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 successfully lands on Venus. It is the first successful soft landing on another planet. Read more
• 1967 — The Silver Bridge collapses, killing 46 people. Read more
• 1965 — Project Gemini: Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Four orbits later, it achieves the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7. Read more
• 1961 — Eichmann trial: Adolf Eichmann is sentenced to death after being found guilty by an Israeli court of 15 criminal charges, including charges of crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership of an outlawed organization. Read more
• 1960 — Richard Pavlick is arrested for plotting to assassinate U.S. President-Elect John F. Kennedy. Read more
• 1960 — King Mahendra of Nepal suspends the country's constitution, dissolves parliament, dismisses the cabinet, and imposes direct rule. Read more
• 1945 — Occupation of Japan/Shinto Directive: General Douglas MacArthur orders that Shinto be abolished as the state religion of Japan. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: a single-engine UC-64A Norseman aeroplane carrying United States Army Air Forces Major Glenn Miller is lost in a flight over the English Channel. Read more
• 1943 — World War II: The Battle of Arawe begins during the New Britain campaign. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: The Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse begins during the Guadalcanal campaign. Read more
• 1941 — The Holocaust in Ukraine: German troops murder over 15,000 Jews at Drobytsky Yar, a ravine southeast of the city of Kharkiv. Read more
• 1939 — Gone with the Wind (highest inflation adjusted grossing film) receives its premiere at Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Read more
• 1933 — Anarchist insurrection suppressed in Zaragoza, Spain. Read more
• 1917 — World War I: An armistice between Russia and the Central Powers is signed. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: The Serbian Army recaptures Belgrade from the invading Austro-Hungarian Army. Read more
• 1914 — A gas explosion at Mitsubishi Hōjō coal mine, in Kyushu, Japan, kills 687. Read more
• 1906 — The London Underground's Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway opens. Read more
• 1905 — The Pushkin House is established in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to preserve the cultural heritage of Alexander Pushkin. Read more
• 1903 — Italian American food cart vendor Italo Marchiony receives a U.S. patent for inventing a machine that makes ice cream cones. Read more
• 1899 — British Army forces are defeated at the Battle of Colenso in Natal, South Africa, the third and final battle fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. Read more
• 1893 — Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World" a.k.a. the "New World Symphony") by Antonín Dvořák premieres in a public afternoon rehearsal at Carnegie Hall in New York City, followed by a concert premiere on the evening of December 16. Read more
• 1890 — Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull is killed on Standing Rock Indian Reservation, leading to the Wounded Knee Massacre. Read more
• 1871 — Sixteen-year-old telegraphist Ella Stewart keys and sends the first telegraphed message from Arizona Territory at the Deseret Telegraph Company office in Pipe Spring. Read more
• 1869 — The short-lived Republic of Ezo is proclaimed in the Ezo area of Japan. It is the first attempt to establish a democracy in Japan. Read more
• 1864 — American Civil War: The Battle of Nashville begins at Nashville, Tennessee, and ends the following day with the destruction of the Confederate Army of Tennessee under General John Bell Hood as a fighting force by the Union Army of the Cumberland under General George H. Thomas. Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: The Battle of Fredericksburg ends in a Union defeat as General Ambrose Burnside withdraws the Army of the Potomac across the Rappahannock River. Read more
• 1836 — The U.S. Patent Office building in Washington, D.C., nearly burns to the ground, destroying all 9,957 patents issued by the federal government to that date, as well as 7,000 related patent models. Read more
• 1791 — The United States Bill of Rights becomes law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly. Read more
• 1778 — American Revolutionary War: British and French fleets clash in the Battle of St. Lucia. Read more
• 1651 — Castle Cornet in Guernsey, the last stronghold which had supported the King in the Third English Civil War, surrenders. Read more
• 1546 — The town of Ekenäs (Finnish: Tammisaari) is founded by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden. Read more
• 1467 — Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the Battle of Baia. Read more
• 1270 — The Nizari Ismaili garrison of Gerdkuh, Persia surrender after 17 years to the Mongols. Read more
• 1256 — Mongol forces under Hulagu enter and dismantle the Nizari Ismaili (Assassin) stronghold at Alamut Castle (in present-day Iran) as part of their offensive on Islamic southwest Asia. Read more
• 1167 — Sicilian Chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion. Read more
• 1161 — Jin–Song wars: Military officers conspire against the emperor Wanyan Liang of the Jin dynasty after a military defeat at the Battle of Caishi, and assassinate the emperor at his camp. Read more
• 1025 — Constantine VIII becomes sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 63 years after being crowned co-emperor. Read more
• 687 — Pope Sergius I is elected as a compromise between antipopes Paschal and Theodore. Read more
• 533 — Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum. Read more

Born on December 15

• 2000 — Kayvon Thibodeaux, American football player Read more
• 1997 — Maude Apatow, American actress Read more
• 1997 — Magdalena Fręch, Polish tennis player Read more
• 1997 — Stefania LaVie Owen, New Zealand-American actress Read more
• 1996 — Jenifer Brening, German singer Read more
• 1996 — Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ukrainian footballer Read more
• 1995 — Jahlil Okafor, American basketball player Read more
• 1993 — Daniel Ochefu, American basketball player Read more
• 1992 — Jesse Lingard, English footballer Read more
• 1992 — Maximiliano Meza, Argentine footballer Read more
• 1992 — Alex Telles, Brazilian footballer Read more
• 1991 — Conor Daly, American race car driver Read more
• 1991 — Yanni Gourde, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1991 — Alana Haim, American musician and actress Read more
• 1988 — Erik Gustafsson, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
• 1988 — Steven Nzonzi, French footballer Read more
• 1986 — Kim Junsu, South Korean singer-songwriter and dancer Read more
• 1986 — Keylor Navas, Costa Rican footballer Read more
• 1986 — Snejana Onopka, Ukrainian model Read more
• 1985 — Diogo Fernandes, Brazilian footballer Read more
• 1984 — Martin Škrtel, Slovak footballer Read more
• 1983 — Delon Armitage, Trinidadian-English rugby player Read more
• 1983 — René Duprée, Canadian professional wrestler Read more
• 1983 — Camilla Luddington, English actress Read more
• 1983 — Ronnie Radke, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Read more
• 1983 — Sophia Young, Vincentian-American basketball player Read more
• 1982 — Charlie Cox, English actor Read more
• 1982 — Borja García, Spanish racing driver Read more
• 1982 — George O. Gore II, American actor and comedian Read more
• 1982 — Tatiana Perebiynis, Ukrainian tennis player Read more
• 1981 — Michelle Dockery, English actress Read more
• 1981 — Brendan Fletcher, Canadian actor and screenwriter Read more
• 1981 — Roman Pavlyuchenko, Russian footballer Read more
• 1980 — Élodie Gossuin, French beauty pageant titleholder and model Read more
• 1980 — Sergio Pizzorno, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
• 1979 — Adam Brody, American actor Read more
• 1979 — Eric Young, Canadian-American wrestler Read more
• 1978 — Mark Jansen, Dutch guitarist and songwriter Read more
• 1977 — Mehmet Aurélio, Brazilian-Turkish footballer and manager Read more
• 1977 — Geoff Stults, American actor and producer Read more

Died on December 15

• 2025 — William J. Bauer, senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago and previously a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, (born 1926) Read more
• 2024 — Zakir Hussain, Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer (born 1951) Read more
• 2020 — Saufatu Sopoanga, Tuvaluan politician, 8th Prime Minister of Tuvalu (born 1952) Read more
• 2018 — Eryue He, Chinese historical fiction writer (born 1945) Read more
• 2018 — Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President of Ethiopia (born 1924) Read more
• 2017 — Heinz Wolff, scientist and TV presenter (born 1928) Read more
• 2017 — Calestous Juma, academic (born 1953) Read more
• 2016 — Craig Sager, American sports journalist (born 1951) Read more
• 2015 — Harry Zvi Tabor, English-Israeli physicist and engineer (born 1917) Read more
• 2014 — Donald Metcalf, Australian physiologist and immunologist (born 1929) Read more
• 2014 — Fausto Zapata, Mexican journalist, lawyer, and politician, Governor of San Luis Potosí (born 1940) Read more
• 2013 — Harold Camping, American evangelist, author, radio host (born 1921) Read more
• 2013 — Joan Fontaine, British-American actress (born 1917) Read more
• 2013 — Dyron Nix, American basketball player (born 1967) Read more
• 2012 — Owoye Andrew Azazi, Nigerian general (born 1952) Read more
• 2012 — Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Nigerian politician, 18th Governor of Kaduna State (born 1948) Read more
• 2012 — Olga Zubarry, Argentinian actress (born 1929) Read more
• 2011 — Bob Brookmeyer, American trombone player and composer (born 1929) Read more
• 2011 — Christopher Hitchens, English-American essayist, literary critic, and journalist (born 1949) Read more
• 2010 — Blake Edwards, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1922) Read more
• 2010 — Bob Feller, American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1918) Read more
• 2010 — Eugene Victor Wolfenstein, American psychoanalyst and theorist (born 1940) Read more
• 2009 — Eliza Atkins Gleason, American librarian (born 1909) Read more
• 2009 — Oral Roberts, American evangelist, founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (born 1918) Read more
• 2008 — León Febres Cordero, Ecuadorian engineer and politician, 46th President of Ecuador (born 1931) Read more
• 2007 — Julia Carson, American lawyer and politician (born 1938) Read more
• 2006 — Clay Regazzoni, Swiss racing driver (born 1939) Read more
• 2006 — Mary Stolz, American journalist and author (born 1920) Read more
• 2005 — Heinrich Gross, Austrian physician and psychiatrist (born 1914) Read more
• 2005 — Stan Leonard, Canadian golfer (born 1915) Read more
• 2005 — William Proxmire, American soldier, journalist, and politician (born 1915) Read more
• 2004 — Vassal Gadoengin, Nauruan educator and politician, Speaker of the Nauru Parliament (born 1943) Read more
• 2003 — Vincent Apap, Maltese sculptor (born 1909) Read more
• 2003 — George Fisher, American cartoonist (born 1923) Read more
• 2003 — Keith Magnuson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (born 1947) Read more
• 2000 — Haris Brkić, Bosnian-Serbian basketball player (born 1974) Read more
• 1993 — William Dale Phillips, American chemist and engineer (born 1925) Read more
• 1991 — Vasily Zaytsev, Russian captain (born 1915) Read more
• 1986 — Serge Lifar, Russian-French ballet dancer and choreographer (born 1905) Read more
• 1985 — Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Mauritian physician and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Mauritius (born 1900) Read more

Holidays & observances

Bill of Rights Day (United States) 2nd Amendment Day (South Carolina); Christian feast day: Drina Martyrs; Christian feast day: Drostan (Aberdeen Breviary); Christian feast day: John Horden and Robert McDonald (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day: Maria Crocifissa di Rosa; Christian feast day: Mesmin; Christian feast day: Valerian of Abbenza; Christian feast day: Virginia Centurione Bracelli; Christian feast day: December 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Homecoming Day (Alderney); Kingdom Day (Netherlands), moves to December 16 if the 15th is on a Sunday; Zamenhof Day (International Esperanto Community); World Turkic Language Family Day (UNESCO)

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