All Events

Historical Events on December 13

  • Dartmouth College

    1769

    Dartmouth College is founded by the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, with a royal charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal governor John Wentworth.

  • American Civil War

    1862

    American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats Union Major General Ambrose Burnside.

  • Second Sino-Japanese War

    1937

    Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanking: The city of Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese. This is followed by the Nanking Massacre, in which Japanese troops rape and slaughter hundreds of thousands of civilians.

  • The Holocaust

    1938

    The Holocaust: The Neuengamme concentration camp opens in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany.

  • World War II

    1939

    World War II: Battle of the River Plate: Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland-class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.

  • NASA

    1962

    NASA launches Relay 1, the first active repeater communications satellite in orbit.

  • Malta

    1974

    Malta becomes a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.

  • The Troubles

    1989

    The Troubles: Attack on Derryard checkpoint: The Provisional Irish Republican Army launches an attack on a British Army temporary vehicle checkpoint near Rosslea, Northern Ireland. Two British soldiers are killed and two others are wounded.

  • Iraq War

    2003

    Iraq War: Operation Red Dawn: Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on December 13

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on December 13

12. December

14. December