Wounded Knee Massacre
On December 29, 1890, one of the last major American Indian battles occurred at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota. The Wounded Knee Massacre saw the deaths of over 200 Lakota men, women, and children.
Military
Birth of Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey was born in Montpelier, Vermont, on December 26, 1837. A hero of the Civil War and Spanish-American War, he was the first, and to date only, person promoted to Admiral of the Navy.
Birth of Philip Mazzei
Italian physician, merchant, horticulturalist and close friend of President Thomas Jefferson, Philip Mazzei was born on December 25, 1730, in Poggio a Caiano (Prato) in Tuscany.
Doctors Without Borders
On December 22, 1971, Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders was founded. The international humanitarian non-governmental organization provides medical aid in times of crisis around the world.
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
On December 17, 1925, the seven-week court-martial of World War I aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell came to an end. He was charged for his public criticism of the military in its rejection of the importance of air power.
The Battle of the Bulge
On December 16, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge began. It was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the war to involve the United States.
Disappearance of Glenn Miller
On December 15, 1944, big band leader and composer Glenn Miller was aboard a plane that disappeared over the English Channel. Miller had put his successful civilian music career on hold to serve in the US Army during World War II.
Birth of Stand Watie
Stand Watie was born on December 12, 1806, in Oothcaloga, Cherokee Nation (present-day Calhoun, Georgia). Watie was the only Native American to achieve the rank of general during the Civil War and was the last Confederate general to surrender.
The Flag of Liberation
On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. A day that will live in infamy, the attack prompted an unusual handling of the American flag, which became known as the Flag of Liberation.