The Battle of Orewin Bridge takes place near Builth Wells in mid-Wales on December 11, 1282 between the English and Welsh armies. It resulted in a decisive Welsh defeat and the death of their leader, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; effectively ended Welsh autonomy.
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On This Day in History: December 11
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on December 11th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Indiana is admitted into the United States Union becoming the 19th State.
The abdication of King Edward VIII is formally enacted by Parliament and announced to the nation on December 11, 1936. He became the only British sovereign to voluntarily resign the crown.
Edward VIII had signed the Instrument of Abdication on the prior date, December 10, 1936, after failing to win acceptance for his desire to marry American divorcée Wallis Warfield Simpson.
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States on December 11, 1941. The U.S reciprocates and officially enters WWII against the Axis Powers. On December 19, in a major shake-up of the German military, Adolf Hitler assumed the position of commander in chief of the German army high command.
The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established by the UN General Assembly on December 11, 1946.
The Children's emergency fund was initially created to meet the emergency needs of children in post-World War II devastation. It is now a permanent UN body focused on long-term child welfare globally. More
French forces capture the Algerian city of Oran, effectively ending the Algerian War of Independence.
Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi war criminal living in Argentina is found guilty and sentenced to die, after a trial in Israel. Eichmann was abducted by an Israeli command unit from Argentina, where he was living and was taken to Israel to be tried. More
The South African Rivonia Trial concludes with the sentencing of Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists to life in prison.
The Lufthansa cargo terminal at JFK Airport is taken over by six masked armed men in the pre-dawn hours. Arriving employees are held at gunpoint and within one hour the robbers left with nearly $6M in U.S Dollars and jewelry.
The robbery was the largest cash robbery on US soil at the time. The robbery became to be known as the Lufthansa heist. The money and jewelry have never been recovered. More
Russian troops enter Chechnya on December 11,1994 (First Chechen War) to restore Russian rule after Chechnya declared independence following the Soviet collapse. It was a devastating operation, particularly the siege of Grozny with massive civilian casualties. Russian control was regained but the insurgency continued.
China joins the World Trade Organization (WTO) after 15 years of negotiations.
Bernard Madoff, American hedge-fund investment manager is arrested by the FBI at his home on December 11, 1988.
He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to up to 150 years in prison for operating the largest Ponzi scheme in history worth an estimated $65 billion. Madoff pleaded guilty in March 2009 to 11 federal felonies, including securities fraud and money laundering, and was subsequently sentenced to 150 years in prison, dying in 2021