December 23 - The Day in History

December 23 : General Interest 1888: Van Gogh chops off ear On this day in 1888, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, suffering from severe depression, cuts off the lower part of his left ear with a razor while staying in Arles, France... read more American Revolution 1783 : George Washington resigns as commander in chief http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-washington-resigns-as-commander-in-chief Automotive 1982 : Road contamination prompts evacuation of town http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/road-contamination-prompts-evacuation-of-town Civil War 1862 : Confederacy's President Davis declares Union general a felon http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/davis-declares-butler-a-felon Cold War 1968 : Crew of USS Pueblo released by North Korea http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/crew-of-uss-pueblo-released-by-north-korea Crime 1984 : Bernhard Goetz goes on the lam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bernhard-goetz-goes-on-the-lam 2009 : "Balloon Boy" parents sentenced in Colorado http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/balloon-boy-parents-sentenced-in-colorado Disaster 1972 : Earthquake rocks Managua http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/earthquake-rocks-managua General Interest 1620 : Construction of Plymouth settlement begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/construction-of-plymouth-settlement-begins 1948 : Japanese war criminals hanged in Tokyo http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-war-criminals-hanged-in-tokyo 1986 : Voyager completes global flight http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/voyager-completes-global-flight Hollywood 1993 : Hanks stars in first major Hollywood movie about AIDS http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hanks-stars-in-first-major-hollywood-movie-about-aids Literary 1912 : French magazine rejects Remembrance of Things Past http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-magazine-rejects-remembrance-of-things-past Music 1959 : Chuck Berry is arrested on Mann Act charges in St. Louis, Missouri http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chuck-berry-is-arrested-on-mann-act-charges-in-st-louis-missouri Old West 1829 : Prince Wurttemberg explores the West http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/prince-wurttemberg-explores-the-west Presidential 1946 : Truman considers amnesty for draft dodgers http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-considers-amnesty-for-draft-dodgers Sports 1972 : Harris makes Immaculate Reception http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/harris-makes-immaculate-reception Vietnam War 1966 : Francis Cardinal Spellman visits South Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/francis-cardinal-spellman-visits-south-vietnam 1972 : Operation Linebacker II continues http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-linebacker-ii-continues World War I 1915 : Vera Brittain loses fiance at Western Front http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/vera-brittain-loses-fiance-at-western-front World War II 1944 : The execution of Eddie Slovik is authorized http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-execution-of-eddie-slovik-is-authorized

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