December 2 - This day in History

December 2: General Interest
2001: Enron files for bankruptcy

On this day in 2001, the Enron Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York court, sparking one of the largest corporate scandals in U.S. history... read more


American Revolution
1777 : Philadelphia nurse overhears British plans to attack Washington
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/philadelphia-nurse-overhears-british-plans-to-attack-washington


Automotive
2002 : Toyota's first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles arrive in California
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/toyotas-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicles-arrive-in-california


Civil War
1864: Confederate General Gracie killed at Petersburg
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/general-gracie-killed-at-petersburg


Cold War
1961 : Castro declares himself a Marxist-Leninist
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/castro-declares-himself-a-marxist-leninist


Crime
1991 : Kennedy cousin rape trial begins
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kennedy-cousin-rape-trial-begins


Disaster
1959 : Dam collapses in France, killing 412
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dam-collapses-in-france-killing-412


General Interest
1804 : Napoleon crowned emperor
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/napoleon-crowned-emperor

1823 : Monroe Doctrine declared
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/monroe-doctrine-declared

1859 : John Brown hanged
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-brown-hanged

1954 : McCarthy condemned by Senate
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mccarthy-condemned-by-senate


Hollywood
1997 : Affleck and Damon's Good Will Hunting debuts
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/affleck-and-damons-good-will-hunting-debuts


Literary
1793 : Coleridge joins the cavalry
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/coleridge-joins-the-cavalry


Music
1972 : The Temptations earn their final #1 hit with "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-temptations-earn-their-final-1-hit-with-quotpapa-was-a-rolling-stonequot


Old West
1845 : Polk affirms Monroe Doctrine
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/polk-affirms-monroe-doctrine


Presidential
1823 : Monroe introduces bold new foreign policy
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/monroe-introduces-bold-new-foreign-policy


Sports
1975 : Archie Griffin wins second consecutive Heisman Trophy
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/archie-griffin-wins-second-consecutive-heisman-trophy


Vietnam War
1962 : Senator Mansfield pronounces American aid to South Vietnam wasted
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/senator-mansfield-pronounces-american-aid-to-south-vietnam-wasted

1963 : South Vietnamese leaders order a temporary halt to the strategic hamlet program
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnamese-leaders-order-a-temporary-halt-to-the-strategic-hamlet-program


World War I
1917 : Russia reaches armistice with the Central Powers
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russia-reaches-armistice-with-the-central-powers


World War II
1942 : Fermi produces the first nuclear chain reaction
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fermi-produces-the-first-nuclear-chain-reaction