Editing December 24 (section)

===1901–present===
*[[1906]] &ndash; [[Reginald Fessenden]] transmits the first [[radio]] broadcast; consisting of a poetry reading, a [[violin]] solo, and a speech.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davis |first1=H. P. |title=The radio industry; the story of its development |date=1928 |publisher=A. W. Shaw company |location=Chicago & New York |page=190 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/radioindustrysto00harvrich/page/190/mode/2up |access-date=23 October 2021 |chapter=The Early History of Broadcasting in the United States}}</ref>
*[[1913]] &ndash; The [[Italian Hall disaster]] in [[Calumet, Michigan]] results in the deaths of 73 striking workers families at a [[Christmas]] party participants (including 59 children) when someone falsely yells "fire".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gmiter |first1=Tanda |title=1913 Italian Hall Disaster was a Michigan Christmas Eve tragedy |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/2017/12/1913_italian_hall_disaster_was.html |access-date=23 October 2021 |publisher=Michigan Live |date=24 December 2019}}</ref>
*[[1914]] &ndash; [[World War I]]: The "[[Christmas truce]]" begins.
*[[1918]] &ndash; Region of [[1918 occupation of Međimurje|Međimurje is captured]] by the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes]] from [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungary]].<ref>{{cite journal|url = https://hrcak.srce.hr/225220|title = Pripojenje Međimurja Kraljevstvu Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca: Od neuspjeloga pokušaja 13. studenog do uspješnoga zaposjedanja Međimurja 24. prosinca 1918. godine|language = hr|trans-title = The Annexation of Međimurje to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes: From the unsuccessful attempt on 13 November to the successful occupation of Međimurje on 24 December 1918|first = Ivan|last = Vuk|pages = 520–525|year = 2019|volume = 51|issue = 2|journal = Časopis za suvremenu povijest |issn = 0590-9597 |publisher = Croatian Institute of History |location = Zagreb|doi = 10.22586/csp.v51i2.8927|s2cid = 204456373|doi-access = free}}</ref>
*[[1920]] &ndash; [[Gabriele D'Annunzio]] surrendered the [[Italian Regency of Carnaro]] in the city of [[Fiume]] to [[Italian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Doody |first1=Richard |url=http://worldatwar.net/nations/other/fiume/ |title=Stati Libero di Fiume – Free State of Fiume |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090308033039/http://worldatwar.net/nations/other/fiume/ |archive-date=8 March 2009 |access-date=24 October 2021}}, ''The World at War''.</ref>
*[[1924]] &ndash; [[Albania]] becomes a republic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zog I, King of the Albanians – Albanian Royal Family |url=https://albanianroyalcourt.al/zog-i-king-of-the-albanians/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
*[[1929]] &ndash; Assassination attempt on [[Argentina|Argentine]] President [[Hipólito Yrigoyen]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Message to President Hipolito Irigoyen of Argentina on His Escape From Assassination. {{!}} The American Presidency Project |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/message-president-hipolito-irigoyen-argentina-his-escape-from-assassination |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=www.presidency.ucsb.edu}}</ref>
*  1929   &ndash; A four alarm fire breaks out in the [[West Wing]] of the [[White House]] in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-christmas-eve-west-wing-fire-of-1929|title=The Christmas Eve West Wing Fire of 1929|website=WHHA (en-US)}}</ref>
*[[1939]] &ndash; [[World War II]]: [[Pope Pius XII]] makes a [[Christmas Eve]] appeal for peace.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alla Curia Romana in occasione del Natale (24 dicembre 1939) {{!}} PIO XII |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/it/speeches/1939/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19391224_questo-giorno.html |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=www.vatican.va}}</ref>
*[[1941]] &ndash; World War II: [[Kuching]] is conquered by Japanese forces.<ref>{{cite book |author=Ooi |first=Keat Gin |author-link=Keat Gin Ooi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QKgraWbb7yoC&pg=PA1177 |title=Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to Timor. R-Z. volume three |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-57607-770-2 |pages=1177– |access-date=18 July 2013}}</ref>
*  1941   &ndash; World War II: [[Benghazi]] is conquered by the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Addington |first=Larry |date=Autumn 1967 |title=Operation Sunflower: Rommel Versus the General Staff |journal=Military Affairs |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=120–130 |jstor=1984650 |doi=10.2307/1984650 |id={{ProQuest|1296635624}}}}</ref>
*[[1942]] &ndash; World War II: [[Monarchism in France|French monarchist]], [[Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle]], assassinates [[Vichy France|Vichy]] French Admiral [[François Darlan]] in [[Algiers]], [[Algeria]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Atkinson |first=Rick |title=An Army at Dawn |date=2003 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/armyatdawn00rick/page/251 251–52] |publisher=Henry Holt |isbn=9780805074482 |url=https://archive.org/details/armyatdawn00rick/page/251 }}</ref>
*[[1943]] &ndash; World War II: U.S. General [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] is named [[Supreme Allied Commander]] for [[Operation Overlord]].
*[[1944]] &ndash; World War II: The Belgian Troopship [[SS Léopoldville (1928)|Leopoldville]] was torpedoed and sank with the loss of 763 soldiers and 56 crew.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/history/leopoldville.htm|last=Allen|first=Tonya|title=The Sinking of SS ''Léopoldville''|work=uboat.net|publisher=Guðmundur Helgason|access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref>
*[[1945]] &ndash; Five of nine children [[Sodder children disappearance|become missing]] after their home in [[Fayetteville, West Virginia]], is burned down.<ref name="Smithsonian story">{{cite news|last=Abbott|first=Karen|title=The Children Who Went Up In Smoke|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-children-who-went-up-in-smoke-172429802/|newspaper=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]|date=25 December 2012|accessdate=24 October 2021}}</ref>
*[[1951]] &ndash; [[Libya]] becomes independent. [[Idris of Libya|Idris I]] is proclaimed King of Libya.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vandewalle |first1=Dirk |title=A History of Modern Libya |date=26 March 2012 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9781107019393 |page=43 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ua2wPCQbpgcC |access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref>
*[[1952]] &ndash; First flight of Britain's [[Handley Page Victor]] [[strategic bomber]].
*[[1953]] &ndash; [[Tangiwai disaster]]: In [[New Zealand]]'s [[North Island]], at [[Tangiwai]], a railway bridge is damaged by a [[lahar]] and collapses beneath a passenger train, killing 151 people.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Jacqueline |title=Death and the maiden: The tale of 'Tangiwai' |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/new-zealand/news/article.cfm?l_id=71&objectid=10743254 |access-date=24 October 2021 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=6 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025191303/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/new-zealand/news/article.cfm?l_id=71&objectid=10743254 |archive-date=25 October 2012}}</ref>
*[[1955]] &ndash; [[1955 Yuba–Sutter floods|A flood]] devastates California, killing 74 people across portions of the state.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Villarreal |first=Whip |title=A Devastating Flood: How and why the Yuba Water Agency was created |url=https://sacramento.newsreview.com/spotlight/a-devastating-flood-how-and-why-the-yuba-water-agency-was-created/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Sacramento News & Review |language=en-US}}</ref>
*[[1964]] &ndash; [[Vietnam War]]: [[Viet Cong]] operatives [[1964 Brinks Hotel bombing|bomb the Brinks Hotel]] in [[Ho Chi Minh City|Saigon]], [[South Vietnam]] to demonstrate they can strike an American installation in the heavily guarded capital.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Langguth |first1=A. J. |title=Our Vietnam-The War 1954-1975 |date=2000 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=9780743212441 |page=326 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vQorBRYyu_gC |access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref>
*  1964   &ndash; [[Flying Tiger Line Flight 282]] crashes after takeoff from [[San Francisco International Airport]], killing three.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|title=ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation N6915C San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO)|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19641224-0|access-date=2019-12-23|website=aviation-safety.net|publisher=[[Aviation Safety Network]]}}</ref>
*[[1966]] &ndash; A [[Canadair CL-44]] chartered by the [[United States Armed Forces|United States military]] [[1966 Flying Tiger Line Canadair CL-44 crash|crashes]] into a small village in [[South Vietnam]], killing 111.<ref>{{cite web |title=Canadair CL-44D4-2 |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19660321-0 |website=Aviation Safety Network}}</ref>
*[[1968]] &ndash; [[Apollo program]]: The crew of [[Apollo 8]] enters into orbit around the [[Moon]], becoming the first humans to do so. They performed ten [[lunar orbit]]s, took the ''[[Earthrise]]'' photograph, broadcast live TV pictures, and [[Apollo 8 Genesis reading|read the first ten verses of Genesis]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Chaikin |first=Andrew|title = A Man on the Moon |orig-year=First published 1994 |year=1998 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=New York |isbn=978-0-14-027201-7 }}</ref>
*[[1969]] &ndash; Nigerian troops capture [[Umuahia]], the [[Biafra]]n capital.
*[[1971]] &ndash; [[LANSA Flight 508]] is struck by lightning and crashes in the [[Puerto Inca District]] in the [[Department of Huánuco]] in [[Peru]], killing 91.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|title=ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed L-188A Electra OB-R-941 Puerto Inca|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19711224-0|access-date=2020-12-23|website=aviation-safety.net|publisher=Aviation Safety Network}}</ref>
*[[1973]] &ndash; [[District of Columbia Home Rule Act]] is passed, allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to elect their own [[local government]].
*[[1974]] &ndash; [[Cyclone Tracy]] devastates [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/about/extremes.shtml|title=Tropical cyclone extremes|publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]|access-date=24 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721225339/http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/about/extremes.shtml|archive-date=21 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1983]] &ndash; [[Aeroflot Flight 601]] crashes during takeoff from [[Leshukonskoye Airport]], Russia, killing 44 of the 49 people on board.<ref name="airdis">{{cite web |title=Катастрофа Ан-24РВ Архангельского ОАО в районе а/п Лешуконское |trans-title=An-24RV crash of the Arkhangelsk OJSC near the Leshukonskoye airport |url=http://www.airdisaster.ru/database.php?id=67 |access-date=4 January 2015 |publisher=Airdisaster.ru |language=ru}}</ref>
*[[1994]] &ndash; [[Air France Flight 8969]] is hijacked on the ground at [[Houari Boumediene Airport]], [[Algiers]], Algeria. Over the course of three days three passengers are killed, as are all four terrorists.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Thomas |last=Sancton |author-link=Tom Sancton |title=Anatomy of a Hijack |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,163487,00.html |date=24 June 2001 |location=Paris |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |publisher=[[WarnerMedia|AOL Time Warner]] |access-date=24 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523083536/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C163487%2C00.html |archive-date=23 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[1996]] &ndash; A [[Learjet 35]] [[1996 New Hampshire Learjet crash|crashes]] into [[Smarts Mountain]] near [[Dorchester, New Hampshire]], killing both pilots on board.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|title=ASN Aircraft accident Learjet 35A N388LS Dorchester, NH|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19961224-0|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-21|website=aviation-safety.net|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207071700/http://aviation-safety.net:80/database/record.php?id=19961224-0 |archive-date=2006-02-07 }}</ref>
*[[1997]] &ndash; The [[Sid El-Antri massacre]] in [[Algeria]] kills between 50 and 100 people.<ref>{{cite web |title="L'important pour nous c'est d'avoir nos droits" |url=http://www.algeria-watch.de/fr/article/pol/amnistie/amnistie_tissemsilt.htm |website=Algeria-Watch |access-date=24 October 2021 |language=French |date=13 December 2009}}</ref>
*[[1999]] &ndash; [[Indian Airlines Flight 814]] is hijacked in Indian airspace between [[Kathmandu]], [[Nepal]], and [[Delhi]], India. The aircraft landed at [[Kandahar]] in [[Afghanistan]]. The incident ended on [[December 31]] with the release of 190 survivors (one passenger is killed).<ref>{{cite web|date=7 September 2006|title=How Govt lost the IC-814 hijack deal|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/govt-fumbled-ic814-taken-away/20846-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326022254/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/govt-fumbled-ic814-taken-away/20846-3.html|archive-date=26 March 2014|access-date=24 October 2021|website=IBN Live}}</ref>
*[[2003]] &ndash; The Spanish police thwart an attempt by [[ETA (separatist group)|ETA]] to detonate 50&nbsp;kg of [[explosive]]s at 3:55&nbsp;p.m. inside [[Madrid]]'s busy [[Madrid Chamartín railway station|Chamartín Station]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goodman |first1=Al |title=Spain police thwart train bombing |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/12/24/spain.arrests/index.html |access-date=17 February 2022 |work=CNN |publisher=Time Warner |date=24 Dec 2003}}</ref>
*[[2005]] &ndash; [[Chad–Sudan relations]]: [[Chad]] declares a [[Declaration of war|state of belligerence]] against [[Sudan]] following a [[December 18]] [[Battle of Adré|attack on Adré]], which left about 100 people dead.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Padire |first1=Dany Danzoumbe |title=Chad declares "state of belligerence" with Sudan |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/chad/chad-declares-state-belligerence-sudan |access-date=17 February 2022 |work=ReliefWeb |date=23 Dec 2005}}</ref>
*[[2008]] &ndash; The [[Lord's Resistance Army]], a [[Uganda]]n rebel group, begins a [[2008 Christmas massacres|series of attacks]] against civilians in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], massacring more than 400.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2009/01/17/dr-congo-lra-slaughters-620-christmas-massacres|title=DR Congo: LRA Slaughters 620 in 'Christmas Massacres'|date=17 January 2009|work=Human Rights Watch|access-date=24 October 2021|language=en}}</ref>
*[[2018]] &ndash; [[2018 Puebla helicopter crash|A helicopter crash]] kills [[Martha Érika Alonso]], first female [[Governor of Puebla]], Mexico, and her husband [[Rafael Moreno Valle Rosas]], former governor.<ref name=van>{{citation|website=Vanguardia.com.mx|date=Aug 13, 2019|access-date=Aug 31, 2019|title=Rotores no presentaban fallas en accidente de Martha Erika Alonso y Moreno Valle|url=https://vanguardia.com.mx/articulo/rotores-no-presentaban-fallas-en-accidente-de-martha-erika-y-moreno-valle|language=es|trans-title=Rotors did not fail in accident of Martha Erika Alonso and Moreno Valle}}</ref>
*[[2021]] &ndash; [[Tatmadaw|Burmese military forces]] commit the [[Mo So massacre]], killing at least 44 civilians.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Myanmar's military is blamed for a Christmas Eve massacre |language=en |work=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/12/27/1068201334/myanmars-military-is-blamed-for-a-christmas-eve-massacre |url-status=live |access-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228072254/https://www.npr.org/2021/12/27/1068201334/myanmars-military-is-blamed-for-a-christmas-eve-massacre |archive-date=December 28, 2021}}</ref>