16 December

755 – China – An Lushan Rebellion began. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Lushan_Rebellion

882 – Rome – Pope John VIII died, Marinus I became Pope. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_VIII http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Marinus_I

955 – Rome – Octavian became Pope John XII. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_XII

1575 – Chile – Earthquake measuring 8.5Mw, epicentre in Valdivia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1575_Valdivia_earthquake

1598 – Namhae Island – Battle of Noryang (Japanese Invasion of Korea). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Noryang

1653 – England, Scotland and Ireland – Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell

1707 – Japan – Mount Fuji erupted. http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/fuji.html

1773 – America – Boston Tea Party (American Revolution). https://youtu.be/PWgpqyZmfww  http://www.history.com/topics/boston-tea-party http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm

1811 – USA – Earthquake measuring 8.1Mw, epicentre in New Madrid, Missouri. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-great-midwest-earthquake-of-1811-46342/?no-ist

1838 – South Africa – Battle of Blood River. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blood_River

1850 – New Zealand – The Canterbury Pilgrims arrived at Lyttelton on the Charlotte Jane and Randolph. http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/earlychristchurch/firstfourships.asp

1857 – Italy – Earthquake measuring 6.9Mw, epicentre in Naples, 11,000 killed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1857_Basilicata_earthquake

1864 – USA – Battle of Nasville ended (American Civil War). https://youtu.be/Y6hfmo529iA http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/nashville.html

1880 – South Africa – First Boer War began. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Boer_War

1902 – Uzbekistan – Earthquake measuring 6.4Mw, epicentre in Andijan, 4,700 killed.

1903 – India – Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel opened. http://www.tajhotels.com/About-Taj/Company-Information/History-Of-Taj.html

1911 – Mexico – Earthquake measuring 7.6Mw, epicentre near coast of Guerro.

1912 – Turkey – Battle of Elli (First Balkan War). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Elli

1914 – UK – Hartlepool & Scarborough bombarded by German battleships (WWI). http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-bombard-english-ports-of-hartlepool-and-scarborough http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8123000/8123846.stm

1914 – Serbia – Battle of Kolubara ended (WWI). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kolubara

1920 – China – Earthquake measuring 8.6Mw, epicentre in Ningxia-Gansu, 235,502 killed. http://webra.cas.sc.edu/hvri/feature/dec2012_notw.aspx

1922 – Poland – President Gabriel Narutowicz assassinated. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Narutowicz

1940 – Germany – RAF bombers attacked Mannheim (WWII).

1943 – Germany – RAF bombers attacked Berlin (WWII).

http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=55/Bombing-of-Hamburg-Dresden-and-Other-Cities-World-War-II-Database

1944 – Germany – Operation Queen ended (WWII). https://youtu.be/v8ijD4nSvrc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Queen

1944 – Belgium/Luxembourg/Germany – Battle of the Bulge began (WWII). https://youtu.be/AJitx9YgZjE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge

1944 – USA – USAAF plane crashed at Lawrenceville-George AAF, IL, 3 killed (WWII). http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19441216-4

1945 – Indonesia – RAF plane crashed at Jakarta-Kemayoran Airport, 1 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19451216-0

1946 – Thailand – Joined the United Nations. http://www.un.org/en/members/

1946 – China – CNAC plane crashed at Shanghai-Longhua Airport, 5 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19461216-0

1947 – USA – US Navy plane crashed at Norfolk NAS Chambers, VA, 7 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19471216-1

1948 – USA – USAF plane crashed near Greenville-Donaldson AFB, SC, 4 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19481216-0

1949 – Mexico – Mexicana de Aviación plane crashed at Orizaba, 17 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19491216-0

1951 – USA – Miami Airline plane crashed near Newark International Airport, NJ, 56 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19511216-0

1953 – Malta – RAF plane crashed near Malta-Luqa Airport, 1 killed. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19531216-0

1954 – USA – Earthquake measuring 7.1Mw, epicentre Fairview Peak, Navada. Also 6.8Mw, epicentre in Dixie Valley, Nevada. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/events/1954_12_16.php

1957 – Pakisatan – Feroz Khan Noon became President. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feroz_Khan_Noon

1960 – USA – TWA Flight 266 & United Airlines Flight 826 collided over Staten Island, New York, 134 killed. http://youtu.be/QoMXPHCu1Ro http://youtu.be/gYwTtgC-k1Y http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19601216-0 http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19601216-1

1963 – Kenya – Joined the United Nations. http://www.un.org/en/members/

1971 – Pakistan – Indo-Pakistani War ended. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1971

1989 – Romania – Romanian Revolution began. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_Revolution

1991 – Kazakhstan – Independence from USSR.

2014 – Australia – Lindt Cafe Crisis, Sydney ended, 3 killed. https://youtu.be/Tj4r-1yWf4k WARNING! Video contains scenes some viewers may find distressing http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-30490696

2014 – Pakistan – Suicide bombers at school in Peshawar, 126 killed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-30491435