December 8 in History

Historical Events on December 8

1912 Leaders of the German Empire hold an Imperial War Council to discuss the possibility that war might break out.

1914 World War I: A squadron of Britain's Royal Navy defeats the Imperial German East Asia Squadron in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

1941 World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares December 7 to be "a date which will live in infamy", after which the U.S. declares war on Japan.

1953 U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers his "Atoms for Peace" speech, which leads to an American program to supply equipment and information on nuclear power to schools, hospitals, and research institutions around the world.

1955 The Flag of Europe is adopted by Council of Europe.

1971 Indo-Pakistani War: The Indian Navy launches an attack on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi.

1980 Former Beatle John Lennon is murdered in front of The Dakota in New York City.

1988 A United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II crashes into an apartment complex in Remscheid, Germany, killing 5 people and injuring 50 others.

1991 The leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine sign an agreement dissolving the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States.

All Events

Famous Birthdays on December 8

1975 Kevin Harvick

1981 Philip Rivers

1982 Nicki Minaj

1986 Amir Khan (boxer)

All Births

Famous Deaths on December 8

1722 Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine

1903 Herbert Spencer

1980 John Lennon

2016 John Glenn

All Deaths

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