December 8 in History

A plot to assassinate the King is exposed, its leaders flee into exile

Created Earl of Wiltshire

Creates Thomas Boleyn Earl of Wiltshire

The Poor Law is enacted

The Poor Law is enacted

The Poor Law is enacted

William III of Orange receives commissioners representing James II and answers proposals for a negotiated political settlement.

Supports an amendment clarifying that a parliamentary session exists even when no act or judgment is passed.

The citadel of Lille surrenders after the prolonged Allied siege.

Captures Breslau after the Battle of Leuthen

Davis takes his seat in Congress

Appointed President of Ecuador

Appointed President of Ecuador

Hawkshaw helps complete Brunel's Clifton bridge design.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge opens to the public.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge opens to the public as a memorial to Brunel five years after his death.

Leads a provisional government during the Red River Resistance.

Gompers becomes president of the newly formed American Federation of Labor.

Socialist Revolutionaries support armed resistance in Moscow.

Sturdee's force destroys most of von Spee's squadron, vindicating Fisher's decision to send superior battlecruisers south.

Birdwood receives the final order to evacuate the ANZAC and Suvla positions.

Conducts the first version of Symphony No 5 in Helsinki on his fiftieth birthday.

Appointed Marshal of France

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

Allies occupy the Bosporus, Dardenelles, Marmara, Imros, Lemnos, Smathrace & Tenedos

The Allied powers recognize Polish sovereignty west of a provisional eastern line while expressly reserving Poland's possible rights to territories farther east.

The Conservative Party wins 38% of votes cast, 258 MPs, & loses its majority

Publication of "Mein Kampf", official publication date

Publication of "Mein Kampf", official publication date

Publication of "Mein Kampf", official publication date

Hitler accepts Schachts resignation after he disagrees with Goerings policies

The Graf Spee has sunk 9 merchant ships, not a single life had been lost

Langsdorff heads toward the River Plate region, where heavy merchant traffic offers a final opportunity before an intended return voyage.

Kerensky develops his views through army reform after 1917.

Britain declares war on Japan

Announces to a Greater German Reichstag he had declared war on the US

The USA declares War on Japan

Japanese troops begin to attack Hong Kong

Leads the 2Third Army across the border of Japanese occupied China

The 25th Army lands near the Thai border, immediately after Pearl Harbour

Reaches within 20km of Moscow before the Red Army force Model back

Reaches within 20km of Moscow before the Red Army force Model back

Japanese troops begin to attack Hong Kong

Reaches within 20km of Moscow before the Red Army force Model back

Becomes commander of the Republican National Guard created by the Italian Social Republic.

Takes command of the new Republican National Guard formed from Fascist and security organizations.

Rotblat leaves the Manhattan Project after concluding that Germany is no longer developing an atomic bomb threat requiring his participation.

Proposes international peaceful use of uranium and atomic energy.

President Dwight D Eisenhower envisioned the creation of this international body to control and develop the use of atomic energy, in his "Atoms for Peace" speech before the United Nations General Assembly

President Dwight D Eisenhower envisioned the creation of this international body to control and develop the use of atomic energy, in his "Atoms for Peace" speech before the United Nations General Assembly

President Dwight D Eisenhower envisioned the creation of this international body to control and develop the use of atomic energy, in his "Atoms for Peace" speech before the United Nations General Assembly

Lansdale participates in a Special Group briefing on the status and timing of paramilitary preparations.

Appointed Prime Minister of Japan, 2nd term

Warren appointed former Solicitor General J. Lee Rankin as general counsel of the assassination commission on December 8, 1963.

Walt oversees Marine participation in Operation Harvest Moon

Supports the first Race Relations Act as a Labour Member of Parliament.

The Rolling Stones release Their Satanic Majesties Request.

Hunt's wife Dorothy dies in United Airlines Flight 553; investigators later determine the crash was accidental, while cash found among her belongings attracts Watergate-related attention.

Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the crash, and found it to be an accident caused by crew error.

Hunt's wife, Dorothy, was killed in the December 8, 1972 plane crash of United Airlines Flight 553 in Chicago.

Over $10,000 in cash was found in Dorothy Hunt's handbag in the wreckage

Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the crash, and found it to be an accident caused by crew error.

Hunt's wife, Dorothy, was killed in the December 8, 1972 plane crash of United Airlines Flight 553 in Chicago.

Over $10,000 in cash was found in Dorothy Hunt's handbag in the wreckage

Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the crash, and found it to be an accident caused by crew error.

Hunt's wife, Dorothy, was killed in the December 8, 1972 plane crash of United Airlines Flight 553 in Chicago.

Over $10,000 in cash was found in Dorothy Hunt's handbag in the wreckage

Becomes prime minister and dominant leader of the new Lao Peoples Democratic Republic

Co-writes Hotel California and helps define the album's twin-guitar sound.

Sings lead vocals on Hotel California, the title track of the band's landmark album.

Records his final Eagles studio album with the band before leaving in 1977.

Makes his first Eagles studio album appearance on Hotel California after replacing Bernie Leadon.

Meets Thatcher in Dublin for Anglo-Irish talks.

John Lennon is shot by deranged assailant, Mark Chapman as he and Yoko return to the Dakota after a recording session, he is pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital

Attends the Anglo-Irish summit in Dublin

British Gas shares begin trading after a large public privatisation offer.

Signs the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Mikhail Gorbachev.

The First Intifada begins after a traffic collision in Gaza kills Palestinian workers and protests spread through the occupied territories

The First Intifada begins after a traffic collision in Gaza kills Palestinian workers and protests spread through the occupied territories

A Treaty is signed ending all intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe

Husak declares an amnesty on political crimes

Represents Italy as leaders consider monetary union and the political changes reshaping Europe.

Represents Germany as leaders consider monetary union, political change in Europe and future treaty negotiations.

Represents Greece as leaders consider monetary union and political transformation in Europe.

During the first Earth flyby, Galileo obtains images of Earth and the Moon for calibration and planetary studies.

Galileo flies past Earth for a gravity assist that increases its heliocentric speed on the journey to Jupiter.

Signs the Belovezha Agreement with the leaders of Ukraine and Belarus, declaring the Soviet Union ended and creating the CIS.

Yeltsin, Ukrainian Pres. Leonid Kravchuk, and Belarus Pres. Stanislav Shuskevich meet in a hunting lodge to proclaim the Soviet Union null and void and to form a loose Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine declare the Soviet national Government dead, forging a new alliance to be known as the Commonwealth of Independent States

Voters approve the new Constitution of Romania in a national referendum.

Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine declare the Soviet national Government dead, forging a new alliance to be known as the Commonwealth of Independent States

Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine declare the Soviet national Government dead, forging a new alliance to be known as the Commonwealth of Independent States

Snegur wins Moldova's first direct presidential election

Galileo makes a second Earth gravity assist, completing the planetary slingshot sequence that sends it toward Jupiter.

Bowersox pilots orbital maneuvers that raise Endeavour and Hubble into a higher orbit, extending the telescope's orbital lifetime.

Musgrave helps replace solar-array drive electronics and complete magnetometer and electrical work during the mission's final spacewalk.

Clinton signs legislation implementing free trade with Canada and Mexico.

Increases tax on petrol, cigarettes & alcohol

France refuses to lift its ban on British beef

Signs the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

After Iraq denied weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations, Rice wries an editorial for The New York Times entitled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying"

States regarding Iraqi WMD: "The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud". After Iraq denied weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations, Rice writes an editorial for The New York Times entitled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying"

After Iraq denied weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations, Rice writes an editorial for The New York Times entitled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying. After Iraq denied weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations, Rice writes an editorial for The New York Times entitled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying"

Bhutto meets Nawaz Sharif to publicize their demand that Musharraf fulfill his promise to lift the state of emergency before Januarys Parliamentary elections, threatening to boycott the vote if he failed to comply

Bhutto meets Nawaz Sharif to publicize their demand that Musharraf fulfill his promise to lift the state of emergency before Januarys Parliamentary elections, threatening to boycott the vote if he failed to comply

Five bombs kill at least 120 people and wound some 400 at or near Government buildings in Baghdad, the Islamic State of Iraq al-Qaeda says it carried out the attacks

Five bombs kill at least 120 people and wound some 400 at or near Government buildings in Baghdad, the Islamic State of Iraq al-Qaeda says it carried out the attacks

Five bombs kill at least 120 people and wound some 400 at or near Government buildings in Baghdad, the Islamic State of Iraq al-Qaeda says it carried out the attacks

Five bombs kill at least 120 people and wound some 400 at or near Government buildings in Baghdad, the Islamic State of Iraq al-Qaeda says it carried out the attacks

Agrees the phase one joint report with the European Union.

The UK and EU publish a joint report on phase one of Brexit negotiations.

Announces Brittney Griner's release from Russia.

Releases Before and After, reworking older songs in a continuous solo acoustic sequence.

Says Ukraine will share a revised twenty-point peace plan with the United States after talks with European leaders.

Is born at Linlithgow Palace to James V and Mary of Guise.

Gives birth at Linlithgow Palace to Mary, the future Queen of Scots and heir to the Scottish crown.

Birth of David Pieter de Villiers Graaff

Birth of Geoffrey Charles Hurst

Birth of James Douglas "Jim", Melbourne, Florida, son of Admiral George Stephen Morrison

Birth of Doors vocalist Jim Morrison.

Pym dies at Derby House in Westminster after serving as one of Parliament's most influential wartime political leaders.

Death of Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee

Death of Golda Meir (80), PM of Israel from 1969 to 1974, dies of cancer in Jerusalem

Death of John Lennon, Lennon is shot dead by Mark David Chapman, in front of his apartment block in New York City

Leads the government when loyalist forces defeat the principal armed challenge to his newly inaugurated presidency.

The Royal Navy destroys most of Admiral von Spee's East Asia Squadron, reversing the shock of the Coronel defeat.

The German Navys South American commerce raiding force is destroyed. Sturdee sinks Spees flagship, SMS Scharnhorst, together with SMS Gneisenau, SMS Nurnberg & SMS Leipzig. Spee attempts a raid on the coaling station at Stanley in the Falkland Islands, unaware the British had sent reinforcements. British reversal of the defeat at Coronel

The Scharnhorst is sunk & von Spee drowns. Bombards the Falkland Islands not knowing of the presence of Admiral Sturdee

Sturdee sinks Spees cruisers the Scharnhorst & Gneisenau. Destroys the German Navys South American commerce raiding force. A Reversal of the Battle of Coronel

The Graf Spee has sunk 9 merchant ships, not a single life had been lost

Given command of all US forces in the campaign in Guadalcanal

Leads the First Motorized Group in its first major combat action against German forces at Montelungo.