Joseph Stalin
b. 1878
Georgian-Russian marshal and politician,General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
On This Day · The 352nd day of the year
December 18
December 18 carries 10 recorded events spanning between 1118 and 2017. The city of Zaragoza is conquered by king Alfonso I of Aragon from the Almoravid.
Compiled & reviewed by Roman Tailor · Last reviewed July 13, 2026
What happened on December 18?
December 18 is the 352nd day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between 1118 and 2017. Famous people born on December 18 include Joseph Stalin, Willy Brandt and Steven Spielberg.
The shape of the day
December 18's record stretches 899 years, from 1118 to 2017. Its center of gravity is the 20th century, and conflict is a recurring thread.
Sagittarius is the sign for December 18 — read more on the Sagittarius page, or see December's birthstone & birth flower.
Released on December 18
Movies, games, albums & shows2025
- Movie The Housemaid
2022
- TV 1923
Release data from TMDB & IGDB.
Events
10 notable moments- 1118
Zaragoza
The city of Zaragoza is conquered by king Alfonso I of Aragon from the Almoravid.
- 1271
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China.
- 1787
New Jersey
New Jersey becomes the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
- 1916
World War I
World War I: The Battle of Verdun ends when the second French offensive pushes the Germans back two or three kilometres, causing them to cease their attacks.
- 1939
World War II
World War II: The Battle of the Heligoland Bight, the first major air battle of the war, takes place.
- 1958
SCORE (satellite)
Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched.
- 1966
Saturn
Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by astronomer Richard Walker.
- 1972
Vietnam War
Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th.
- 2006
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates holds its first-ever elections.
- 2017
Amtrak Cascades
Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501, derailed near DuPont, Washington, a city in United States near Olympia, Washington killing six people, and injuring 70 others.
Famous birthday twins
Born on December 18Willy Brandt
b. 1913
German politician, 4th Chancellor of Germany, Nobel Prize laureate
Steven Spielberg
b. 1946
American director, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded DreamWorks
Axwell
b. 1977
Swedish DJ, record producer, member of Swedish House Mafia
Brad Pitt
b. 1963
American actor and producer
Foxhall P. Keene
b. 1867
American polo player and horse breeder
Christina Aguilera
b. 1980
American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
b. 1863
Heir to the Austrian throne
Deaths
- 2011Václav Havel
- 1999Robert Bresson
- 1995Konrad Zuse
- 1987Conny Plank
- 1982Hans-Ulrich Rudel
- 1932Eduard Bernstein
Holidays & observances
- —Christian feast day: Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- —Christian feast day: Flannán
- —Christian feast day: Gatianus of Tours
- —Christian feast day: O Adonai
- —Christian feast day: Sebastian (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- —Christian feast day: Winibald
- —Christian feast day: December 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- —International Migrants Day
Historical facts, event summaries, and biographical lines above are adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. DateLore adds curation, structure, and original editorial commentary. DateLore is not affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.
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