December 23 - This 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. He later documented the event in a painting titled Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. Today, Van Gogh is regarded as an artistic genius and his masterpieces sell for... 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