Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.

On 12, Wednesday December 1894, John Sparrow David Thompson, 4th Prime Minister of Canada, died (b. 1845)
On 12, Tuesday December 1944, (12–13) WWII: British units attempt to take the hilltop town of Tossignano, but are repulsed.
On 12, Tuesday December 1944, Diana Bracho, Mexican actress, born
On 12, Tuesday December 1944, Kenneth Cranham, Scottish born actor, born
On 12, Tuesday December 1944, Cara Duff-MacCormick, Canadian stage actress, born
On 12, Tuesday December 1944, Bernard Chrzanowski, Polish activist, died (b. 1861)
On 12, Saturday December 1959, Christine Stanton, high jumper, born
On 12, Saturday December 1959, Marcella Craft, American soprano, died (b. 1874)
On 12, Saturday December 1959, Russell Simpson, American actor, died (b. 1880)
On 12, Friday December 1969, The Piazza Fontana bombing in Italy (Strage di Piazza Fontana) takes place.
On 12, Wednesday December 1979, The 8.2 Mw Tumaco earthquake shakes Colombia and Ecuador with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), killing 300–600, and generating a large tsunami.
On 12, Wednesday December 1979, Coup d’état of December Twelfth: South Korean Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan orders the arrest of Army Chief of Staff General Jeong Seung-hwa without authorization from President Choi Kyu-hah, alleging involvement in the assassination of ex-President Park Chung-hee.
On 12, Wednesday December 1979, The unrecognised state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia returns to British control and resumes using the name Southern Rhodesia.
On 12, Wednesday December 1979, Emin, Azerbaijani-Russian singer-songwriter and businessman, born
On 12, Wednesday December 1979, Alan Shipman, English cricketer, died (b. 1901)
On 12, Tuesday December 1989, Janelle Arthur, American Idol contestant, born
On 12, Monday December 1994, Donna J. Stone, American poet and philanthropist, died (b. 1933)
On 12, Monday December 1994, Stuart Roosa, American astronaut, died (b. 1933)
On 12, Sunday December 1999, Paul Cadmus, American artist, died (b. 1904)
On 12, Sunday December 1999, Joseph Heller, American novelist, died (b. 1923)
On 12, Friday December 2014, Norman Bridwell, American cartoonist, died (b. 1928)

Other On This Day days in history

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Neville Buch

Professional Historian at Professional Historians Association (Queensland) Inc.

Neville Buch (Pronounced Book) Ph.D. is a certified member of the Professional Historians Association (Queensland). Since 2010 he has operated a sole trade business in history consultancy. He was a Q ANZAC 100 Fellow 2014-2015 at the State Library of Queensland. Dr Buch was the PHA (Qld) e-Bulletin, the monthly state association’s electronic publication, and was a member of its Management Committee. He is the Managing Director of the Brisbane Southside History Network.

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