What Happened on December 8?
All
events
births
deaths
holidays
EVENTS ON DECEMBER 8
117th Jäger Division
Year:
1943
World War II: The German 117th Jäger Division destroys the monastery of Mega Spilaio in Greece and executes 22 monks and visitors as part of reprisals that culminated a few days later with the Massacre of Kalavryta.
Like
World War II
Year:
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.
Like
Shanghai International Settlement
Year:
1941
World War II: Japanese forces simultaneously invade Shanghai International Settlement, Malaya, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the Dutch East Indies. (See December 7 for the concurrent attack on Pearl Harbor in the Western Hemisphere.)
Like
Irish Free State
Year:
1922
Two days after coming into existence, the Irish Free State executes four leaders of the Irish Republican Army: Liam Mellows, Rory O'Connor, Joe McKelvey and Dick Barrett.
Like
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Year:
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.
Like
Flag of Europe
Year:
1955
The Flag of Europe is adopted by Council of Europe.
Like
Fall of Damascus (2024)
Year:
2024
Damascus falls to rebels after Syrian troops withdraw and president Bashar al-Assad leaves the country as his government collapses. Israel as a result invaded into the buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Like
SS Heraklion
Year:
1966
The Greek ship SS Heraklion sinks in a storm in the Aegean Sea, killing over 200.
Like
Pan Am Flight 214
Year:
1963
Pan Am Flight 214, a Boeing 707, is struck by lightning and crashes near Elkton, Maryland, killing all 81 people on board.
Like
World War I
Year:
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.
Like
BIRTHS ON DECEMBER 8
Jerry Butler
Year of birth:
1939
Jerry Butler, American singer-songwriter and producer (died 2025)
Like
Red Berenson
Year of birth:
1939
Red Berenson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Like
James Galway
Year of birth:
1939
James Galway, Irish flute player
Like
Dariush Mehrjui
Year of birth:
1939
Dariush Mehrjui, Iranian director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2023)
Like
James MacArthur
Year of birth:
1937
James MacArthur, American actor (died 2010)
Like
Soko Richardson
Year of birth:
1939
Soko Richardson, American drummer (died 2004)
Like
Brant Alyea
Year of birth:
1940
Brant Alyea, American baseball player (died 2024)
Like
Geoff Hurst
Year of birth:
1941
Geoff Hurst, English footballer and manager
Like
Mary Woronov
Year of birth:
1943
Mary Woronov, American actress, director, and screenwriter
Like
Bodo Tümmler
Year of birth:
1943
Bodo Tümmler, German runner
Like
DEATHS ON DECEMBER 8
José Vicente Concha
Year of death:
1929
José Vicente Concha, Colombian politician and 8th President of Colombia (born 1867)
Like
Joe McKelvey
Year of death:
1922
Joe McKelvey and three other prominent Irish Republican Army officers are executed during the Irish Civil War
Like
Gertrude Jekyll
Year of death:
1932
Gertrude Jekyll, British horticulturist and writer (born 1843)
Like
Hans Molisch
Year of death:
1937
Hans Molisch, Czech-Austrian botanist and academic (born 1856)
Like
Friedrich Glauser
Year of death:
1938
Friedrich Glauser, Swiss author (born 1896)
Like
J. Alden Weir
Year of death:
1919
J. Alden Weir, American painter (born 1852)
Like
Josip Stadler
Year of death:
1918
Josip Stadler, Bosnian Catholic archbishop (born 1843)
Like
Camille Jenatzy
Year of death:
1913
Camille Jenatzy, Belgian race car driver (born 1868)
Like
Oscar II
Year of death:
1907
King Oscar II of Sweden (born 1829)
Like
Maximilian von Spee
Year of death:
1914
Maximilian von Spee, Danish-German admiral (born 1861)
Like
HOLIDAYS ON DECEMBER 8
December 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day: December 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Like
Romaric
Christian feast day: Romaric
Like
Richard Baxter
Christian feast day: Richard Baxter (US Episcopal Church)
Like
Pope Eutychian
Christian feast day: Pope Eutychian
Like
Public holidays in Romania
Constitution Day (Romania)
Like
Liberation Day (Syria)
Liberation Day (Syria)
Like
Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Day
Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Day (Ethiopia)
Like
Arbor Day
Earliest day on which National Tree Planting Day can fall, while December 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Monday in December. (Malawi)
Like
Jean Sibelius
Day of Finnish Music (Finland)
Like
Battle of the Falkland Islands
Battle Day (Falkland Islands)
Like