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🎯 December 22 40 events recorded 🎂 25 🕯️ 25

December 22 in history — What Happened Today in History

Welcome to December 22 in history! Here you can discover what happened on December 22, including the major events, the famous people born on December 22 and the notable deaths on December 22, with the newest story starting in 2018.

On this page, December 22 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about December 22 in history at the bottom.

← Previous day: December 21 Next day: December 23 →

Major Events on December 22 in History 40

  1. 2018

    A tsunami caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia kills at least 430 people and injures almost a thousand more.

  2. 2018

    The 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown, the second-longest shutdown of the U.S. federal government in history, begins.

  3. 2017

    United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 against North Korea is unanimously approved.

  4. 2016

    A study finds the VSV-EBOV vaccine against the Ebola virus between 70 and 100% effective, making it the first proven vaccine against the disease.

  5. 2012

    Bashir Ahmad Bilour of Awami National Party and eight others are killed in a Pakistan Taliban bomber suicide attack in Dhaki Nalbandi area near Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

  6. 2010

    The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama.

  7. 2008

    An ash dike ruptures at a solid waste containment area for a Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired power plant in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing 4.2 million m3 (1.1 billion US gal) of coal fly ash slurry in the largest industrial spill in U.S. history.

  8. 2001

    Burhanuddin Rabbani, political leader of the Northern Alliance, hands over power in Islamic State of Afghanistan to the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai.

  9. 2001

    Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63.

  10. 1999

    Just after taking off from London Stansted Airport, Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 crashes into Hatfield Forest near Great Hallingbury, killing all four people on board.

  11. 1997

    Acteal massacre: Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces.

  12. 1997

    Somali Civil War: Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquishes the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first major step towards reconciliation in Somalia since 1991.

All entries for December 22（+28）
  1. 1996

    Airborne Express Flight 827 crashes in Narrows, Virginia, killing all six people on board.

  2. 1992

    During approach to Tripoli International Airport, a Boeing 727 operating as Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103 collides in mid-air with a Libyan Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, killing 157 people.

  3. 1990

    Lech Wałęsa is elected President of Poland.

  4. 1990

    Final independence of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia after termination of trusteeship.

  5. 1989

    Romanian Revolution: Communist President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown by Ion Iliescu after days of bloody confrontations. The deposed dictator and his wife Elena flee Bucharest in a helicopter as protesters erupt in cheers.

  6. 1989

    German reunification: Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany.

  7. 1987

    In Zimbabwe, the political parties ZANU and ZAPU reach an agreement that ends the violence in the Matabeleland region known as the Gukurahundi.

  8. 1984

    "Subway vigilante" Bernhard Goetz shoots four would-be muggers on a 2 express train in Manhattan section of New York, United States.

  9. 1978

    The pivotal Third Plenum of the 11th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is held in Beijing, with Deng Xiaoping reversing Mao-era policies to pursue a program for the reform and opening up.

  10. 1975

    U.S. President Gerald Ford creates the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in response to the 1970s energy crisis.

  11. 1974

    Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli vote to become the independent nation of Comoros. Mayotte remains under French administration.

  12. 1973

    A Royal Air Maroc Sud Aviation Caravelle crashes near Tangier-Boukhalef Airport in Tangier, Morocco, killing 106.

  13. 1971

    The international aid organization Doctors Without Borders is founded by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists in Paris, France.

  14. 1968

    Cultural Revolution: People's Daily posted the instructions of Mao Zedong that "The intellectual youth must go to the country, and will be educated from living in rural poverty."

  15. 1965

    In the United Kingdom, a 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) speed limit is applied to all rural roads including motorways for the first time.

  16. 1964

    The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) takes place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, United States.

  17. 1963

    The cruise ship Lakonia burns 290 kilometres (180 mi) north of Madeira, Portugal with the loss of 128 lives.

  18. 1948

    Sjafruddin Prawiranegara established the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia, PDRI) in West Sumatra.

  19. 1945

    U.S. President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order giving World War II refugees precedence in visa applications under U.S. immigration quotas.

  20. 1944

    World War II: Battle of the Bulge: German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!"

  21. 1944

    World War II: The People's Army of Vietnam is formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indochina, now Vietnam.

  22. 1942

    World War II: Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon.

  23. 1940

    World War II: Himara is captured by the Greek army.

  24. 1939

    Indian Muslims observe a "Day of Deliverance" to celebrate the resignations of members of the Indian National Congress over their not having been consulted over the decision to enter World War II with the United Kingdom.

  25. 1937

    The Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic in New York City.

  26. 1921

    Opening of Visva-Bharati College, also known as Santiniketan College, now Visva Bharati University, India.

  27. 1920

    The GOELRO economic development plan is adopted by the 8th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR.

  28. 1906

    An Mw 7.9 earthquake strikes Xinjiang, China, killing at least 280.

Famous Birthdays on December 22 in History 25

  1. 2006

    Callan McKenna, Scottish footballer

  2. 2003

    Joe Anders, American-British actor

  3. 2002

    David Datro Fofana, Ivorian footballer

  4. 2001

    Camila Osorio, Colombian tennis player

  5. 2001

    Jack Draper, British tennis player

  6. 2000

    Joshua Bassett, American actor and singer

  7. 1998

    G Hannelius, American actress and singer

  8. 1998

    Latto, American rapper and singer

  9. 1998

    Casper Ruud, Norwegian tennis player

  10. 1994

    Rúben Lameiras, Portuguese footballer

  11. 1993

    Sergi Darder, Spanish footballer

  12. 1993

    Raphaël Guerreiro, Portuguese footballer

All entries for December 22（+13）
  1. 1993

    Meghan Trainor, American singer-songwriter and producer

  2. 1992

    Michaela Hončová, Slovak tennis player

  3. 1992

    Nick Johnson, American basketball player

  4. 1992

    Moonbyul, South Korean rapper, vocalist and songwriter

  5. 1991

    DaBaby, American rapper

  6. 1990

    Jean-Baptiste Maunier, French actor and singer

  7. 1989

    Jordin Sparks, American singer-songwriter and actress

  8. 1989

    Jacob Stallings, American baseball player

  9. 1988

    Scott Darling, American ice hockey player

  10. 1988

    Mohamed El Shenawy, Egyptian footballer

  11. 1988

    Leigh Halfpenny, Welsh rugby player

  12. 1987

    Zack Britton, American baseball player

  13. 1987

    Éder, Bissau-Portuguese footballer

Notable Deaths on December 22 in History 25

  1. 2025

    Chris Rea, English singer-songwriter (born 1951)

  2. 2023

    Leon Coates, English composer (born 1937)

  3. 2019

    Ram Dass, American spiritual teacher and author (born 1931)

  4. 2018

    Paddy Ashdown, British politician (born 1941)

  5. 2018

    Simcha Rotem, last survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (born 1924)

  6. 2018

    Herman Sikumbang, Indonesian guitarist (born 1982); casualty during 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami

  7. 2017

    Gonzalo Morales Sáurez, Costa Rican painter (born 1945)

  8. 2016

    Chad Robinson, Australian rugby league player (born 1980)

  9. 2015

    Peter Lundblad, Swedish singer-songwriter (born 1950)

  10. 2015

    Freda Meissner-Blau, Australian activist and politician (born 1927)

  11. 2014

    John Robert Beyster, American physicist and academic (born 1924)

  12. 2014

    Christine Cavanaugh, American actress (born 1963)

All entries for December 22（+13）
  1. 2014

    Joe Cocker, English singer-songwriter (born 1944)

  2. 2014

    Bernard Stone, American lawyer and politician (born 1927)

  3. 2013

    Diomedes Díaz, Colombian singer-songwriter (born 1956)

  4. 2013

    Hans Hækkerup, Danish lawyer and politician (born 1945)

  5. 2013

    Oscar Peer, Swiss author, playwright, and philologist (born 1928)

  6. 2012

    Chuck Cherundolo, American football player and coach (born 1916)

  7. 2012

    Ryan Freel, American baseball player (born 1976)

  8. 2012

    Cliff Osmond, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1937)

  9. 2012

    Lim Keng Yaik, Malaysian physician and politician (born 1939)

  10. 2010

    Fred Foy, American soldier and announcer (born 1921)

  11. 2009

    Luis Francisco Cuéllar, Colombian rancher and politician (born 1940)

  12. 2009

    Albert Scanlon, English footballer (born 1935)

  13. 2007

    Charles Court, Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia (born 1911)

That is the story of December 22 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on December 22 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 22 in history?

The biggest event on December 22 in history is: 2018 — A tsunami caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia kills at least 430 people and injures almost a thousand more.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.

Who was born on December 22?

25 famous people were born on December 22 in history, the best known being 2006 — Callan McKenna, Scottish footballer.

Who died on December 22?

25 notable people died on December 22 in history, including 2025 — Chris Rea, English singer-songwriter (born 1951).

Why should I read about December 22 in history?

Exploring December 22 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.

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