On This Day: What happened on 8 December?

We look back on this day in history and remember the people and events that shaped the world we live in today. Every day is worth remembering.

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 8 December, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

ON THIS DAY: 8 DECEMBER

1941 | United States Congress declared war against Japan one day after Japanese bombers attacked US Naval. The United States officially entered WWII.

1987 | The Soviet General Secretary and United States President signed the Nuclear weapons reduction treaty on this day. 

1972 | A Boeing 737 owned by United Airlines crashed, killing 45 people while attempting to land at Chicago-Midway Airport.

2012 | The Pakistan president visited a 15 years old school girl Malala Yousafzai who was admitted in a British hospital after Taliban gunmen attack.

DEATHS 

2020 | Argentina national team manager during FIFA World Cup 2014 , Alejandro Sabella, 66.

1988 | First American General military innovator who suggested using helicopters as sky cavalry and participated in WWII, Hamilton H. Howze, 79.

2015 | American Indian Political activist, John Trudell, 69.

ALSO READ: What happened on 3 December?

ON THIS DAY: BIRTHDAYS

1964 | Tanzanian Politician, Dr.Susan Kolimba.

1913 | South African Politician, Sir De Villiers Graaff.

1974 | South African road cyclist, Cashandra Slingerland.

1894 | South African Air Marshal  and aviator in WWI, Sir Leonard Horatio Slatter.

1982 | The Trinidad and Tobago-born rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and model, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty professionally known as Nick Minaj.

SPORTS

1984 | Chris Evert defeated Helena Suková 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 to win Australian Open Women’s Tennis.

1987 | Flyers’ Ron Hextall, the first Philadelphia NHL goalie to score a goal.

ENTERTAINMENT

1846 | On this day, Hector Berlioz’s ”La Damnation de Faust’‘ premiered for the first time in Paris.

1857 | First production of Dion Boucicault’s Melodrama ”Poor of New York”  was staged for the first time.

AFRICA FACT

The long coastline of all African countries is 3 025km-long, found in Somalia in the Indian Ocean.