December 26 - The Day in History

December 26 : General Interest 1946: Bugsy Siegel opens Flamingo Hotel On December 26, 1946, in Las Vegas, Nevada, mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel opens The Pink Flamingo Hotel & Casino at a total cost of $6 million... read more American Revolution 1776 : Washington wins first major U.S. victory at Trenton http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-wins-first-major-us-victory-at-trenton Automotive 1956 : Carmaker Preston Tucker dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carmaker-preston-tucker-dies Civil War 1861 : Possible war between U.S. and Britain is averted http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mason-and-slidell-freed Cold War 1955 : Porgy and Bess opens in Leningrad http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/porgy-and-bess-opens-in-leningrad Crime 1610 : Bathory's torturous escapades are exposed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bathorys-torturous-escapades-are-exposed Disaster 2004 : Tsunami devastates Indian Ocean coast http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tsunami-devastates-indian-ocean-coast General Interest 1908 : Jack Johnson wins heavyweight title http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jack-johnson-wins-heavyweight-title 1941 : Churchill addresses Congress http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-addresses-congress 1966 : The first Kwanzaa http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-first-kwanzaa 2004 : Tsunami wreaks havoc on Southeast Asia http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tsunami-wreaks-havoc-on-southeast-asia Hollywood 1973 : The Exorcist opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-exorcist-opens Literary 1606 : King Lear performed at Court http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/king-lear-performed-at-court Music 1966 : Jimi Hendrix writes "Purple Haze" http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimi-hendrix-writes-quotpurple-hazequot Old West 1820 : Moses Austin asks Spanish for Texas colony http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/moses-austin-asks-spanish-for-texas-colony Presidential 1972 : Truman dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-dies Sports 1908 : Jack Johnson wins heavyweight boxing title http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jack-johnson-wins-heavyweight-boxing-title Vietnam War 1967 : Laos says communists launched an offensive http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/laos-says-communists-launched-an-offensive 1971 : U.S. jets strike North Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-jets-strike-north-vietnam World War I 1917 : U.S. government takes over control of nation's railroads http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-government-takes-over-control-of-nations-railroads World War II 1943 : Britain surprises German attacker in the Arctic http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/britain-surprises-german-attacker-in-the-arctic 1944 : Patton relieves Bastogne http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patton-relieves-bastogne

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