✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 352nd day of the year

December 18

A look at December 18 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Joseph Stalin and Willy Brandt, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♐ZodiacSagittarius ◈BirthstoneTurquoise ❀Birth flowerHolly
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 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.

    Amtrak service between Vancouver,
  2. 2006

    United Arab Emirates

    United Arab Emirates holds its first-ever elections.

    Country in West Asia
  3. 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.

    1955–1975 war in Southeast
  4. 1966

    Saturn

    Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by astronomer Richard Walker.

    Sixth planet from the
  5. 1958

    SCORE (satellite)

    Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched.

    First ever communications satellite
  6. 1939

    World War II

    World War II: The Battle of the Heligoland Bight, the first major air battle of the war, takes place.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  7. 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.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  8. 1787

    New Jersey

    New Jersey becomes the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

    U.S. state
  9. 1271

    Kublai Khan

    Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China.

    Emperor of Yuan China
  10. 1118

    Zaragoza

    The city of Zaragoza is conquered by king Alfonso I of Aragon from the Almoravid.

    Capital of Aragon, Spain
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Famous birthday twins

Born on December 18

Joseph Stalin

b. 1878

Georgian-Russian marshal and politician,General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

Willy 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, Czech poet, playwright, and politician, 1st President of the Czech Republic
  • 1999Robert Bresson, French director and screenwriter
  • 1995Konrad Zuse, German engineer, designed the Z3 computer
  • 1987Conny Plank, German keyboard player and producer
  • 1982Hans-Ulrich Rudel, German colonel and pilot
  • 1932Eduard Bernstein, German theorist and politician

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

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