What Happened on December 8 in History?
December 8 has been the date of several major historical events, including the United States' entry into World War II in 1941 and the assassination of musician John Lennon in 1980.
Key Historical Events on December 8:
World History & Politics
1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction during the U.S. Civil War.
1941: The U.S. Congress declared war on Japan the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, with Jeannette Rankin casting the only dissenting vote. Japanese forces also invaded several territories in Asia.
1949: Chinese Nationalist leaders moved their capital to Taiwan as Communist forces took control of mainland China.
1987: Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty to reduce nuclear weapons.
1991: Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine signed the Belavezha Accords, dissolving the USSR and forming the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
1993: NAFTA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
2022: Brittney Griner was released by Russia in a prisoner exchange for Viktor Bout.
2024: Insurgents occupied Damascus, leading to the collapse of Assad family rule in Syria.
Culture & Society
1881: A fire at the Ring Theater in Vienna killed at least 620 people, leading to improved safety regulations.
1980: John Lennon was shot and killed outside his apartment building in New York City.
2004: "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was shot and killed while performing on stage in Ohio.
2013: Metallica became the first musical act to perform on all seven continents with a show in Antarctica.
Notable Births
1542: Mary, Queen of Scots
1894: James Thurber, American humorist
1925: Sammy Davis Jr., American entertainer
1943: Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors
1966: Sinéad O'Connor, Irish singer-songwriter
1982: Nicki Minaj, Trinidadian-American rapper and actress
