All Events

Historical Events on December 3

  • Illinois

    1818

    Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state.

  • Bulgaria

    1912

    Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia (the Balkan League) sign an armistice with the Ottoman Empire, temporarily halting the First Balkan War. (The armistice will expire on February 3, 1913, and hostilities will resume.)

  • Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

    1971

    Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: Pakistan launches a pre-emptive strike against India and a full-scale war begins claiming hundreds of lives.

  • Cincinnati

    1979

    In Cincinnati, 11 fans are suffocated in a crush for seats on the concourse outside Riverfront Coliseum before a Who concert.

  • Ruhollah Khomeini

    1979

    Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran.

  • Cold War

    1989

    Cold War: In a meeting off the coast of Malta, U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev release statements indicating that the Cold War between NATO and the Soviet Union may be coming to an end.

  • PlayStation (console)

    1994

    The PlayStation was released in Japan

  • Ottawa

    1997

    In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, representatives from 121 countries sign the Ottawa Treaty prohibiting manufacture and deployment of anti-personnel landmines. The United States, People's Republic of China, and Russia do not sign the treaty, however.

  • NASA

    1999

    NASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on December 3

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on December 3

02. December

04. December