Fidel Castro declares that he is a Marxist-Leninist and Cuba becomes a communist state.
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What Happened in December?
Victories, births, and treaties. Explore the significant historical events and milestones that occurred in December. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Tanzania National day. It is celebrated on the anniversary of Tanganyika and Zanzibar gaining independence from British colonial rule on December 9, 1961. Tanganyika and Zanzibar came together to form a single country – the United Republic of Tanzania on April 26, 1964.
A circus fire in the city of Niterói, Brazil on December 17, 1961 causes more than 500 deaths. The tent was housing a sold-out performance of over 3000 by the Gran Circus Norte-Americano was the worst fire disaster to occur in Brazil.
Portuguese Governor General surrenders to the Indian Forces the territories of Goa, Daman, and Diu on December 19, 1961, bringing to an end 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule in the region. The three territories became a Union Territory of India, becoming a full state later. More
Mariner 2, an American space probe, becomes the first spacecraft to successfully fly by Venus.
The United States lifts its economic embargo on Cuba, allowing the sale of certain goods.
An earthquake and tsunami in Northern Chile result in significant loss of life and destruction.
The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Hotline is established between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The United States launches the communication satellite Syncom 3, which broadcasts the first live transatlantic television program.
The United Nations General Assembly adopts the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Kenya becomes fully independent from British rule on December 12, 1963. A year later, Kenya became a republic, (Jamhuri) with Kenyatta as its first president and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as vice president. Both events are celebrated on December 12. More
The Clean Air Act is signed into law in the United States, aiming to reduce air pollution. The Clean Air Act empowered federal and state agencies to research and regulate air pollution, marking a major expansion of government efforts to fight back against the damage being done to the climate. More
Twenty months after the Berlin Wall went up, more than 700,000 West Berliners take advantage of a long-awaited chance to see their loved ones on the other side of the Wall.
The agreement signed two days earlier on December, 17 allowed West Berliners to visit their relatives in the other part of the city over Christmas. An estimated 1.2 million cross over to the East between 19 December and 5 January. More
The U.S. Senate passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, granting President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authority to use military force in Vietnam.
The South African Rivonia Trial concludes with the sentencing of Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists to life in prison.
Canada adopts the new national flag, the Maple Leaf, replacing the Red Ensign.
NASA's Gemini 7 and Gemini 6 spacecraft achieve the first space rendezvous, flying within 1 foot of each other.
Roman Catholic Pope Paul VI and Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras I, lift the mutual excommunications that led to the split of the two churches in 1054 in the Great Schism. Today, the two branches of Christianity remain distinct expressions of a similar faith.
Apartheid in South Africa is further entrenched with the passing of the Suppression of Communism Act. of 1950 (SOCA) The act, broadly defined "communism" to include any opposition to government policy.
It allowed the regime to criminalize dissent, ban anti-apartheid groups (like the Communist Party of South Africa), silence activists through banning orders and house arrest, and suppress movements for equality under the guise of fighting a "red peril". This act, alongside other laws, solidified apartheid's control by making resistance itself illegal and silencing voices for justice.
Ferdinand Emmanuel Marcos Sr.is first inaugurated as the 10th President of the Philippines. He ruled under martial law from 1972 until 1981. He was deposed in 1986. His rule was infamous for its corruption and brutality. More