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Major Events of December 2011: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from December 2011 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of December 2011: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Dec 2011 Tragic Mass Shooting in East Texas: A devastating mass shooting occurred in East Texas, resulting in the tragic deaths of four children, all under the age of five years old.
  • 02 Dec 2011 UN Condemns Syrian Uprising Atrocities: The United Nations Human Rights Council officially condemned the crimes against humanity committed during the 2011 Syrian Uprising, which had resulted in over 4,000 deaths since March, drawing international attention to the escalating humanitarian crisis.
  • 03 Dec 2011 Herman Cain Suspends Presidential Campaign: Herman Cain announced the suspension of his Republican presidential nomination campaign following multiple sexual harassment allegations.
  • 04 Dec 2011 Russian Parliamentary Election Controversy: Independent exit polls indicated that the ruling United Russia party failed to secure a majority in the Duma elections, with allegations of voter harassment and digital interference through DDoS attacks on blogs.
  • 05 Dec 2011 Eurozone Crisis: Franco-German Treaty Proposal: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel jointly called for a new European Union Treaty designed to prevent future Eurozone financial crises, signaling a coordinated approach to addressing the ongoing economic challenges.
  • 06 Dec 2011 Afghanistan Terror Attacks during Ashura: A devastating suicide attack targeted a Shiite shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, during the Ashura religious festival. At least 50 people were killed and many more injured. Hours later, a second attack occurred in Mazar-i-Sharif, resulting in approximately 4 additional fatalities.
  • 07 Dec 2011 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: The United States commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, a pivotal moment in World War II that led to the United States' direct entry into the global conflict.
  • 08 Dec 2011 European Central Bank Reduces Interest Rates: The European Central Bank implemented a significant monetary policy adjustment by lowering interest rates to 1%, aimed at stimulating economic activity during a challenging financial period.
  • 09 Dec 2011 UK Refuses EU Financial Crisis Agreement: British Prime Minister David Cameron declined to sign a financial crisis agreement during negotiations in Brussels, marking a significant moment of diplomatic tension in European Union relations.
  • 10 Dec 2011 Russian Protests Against Election Fraud: Large-scale protests erupted across Russian cities challenging the alleged electoral manipulation by Vladimir Putin and the United Russia Party. In Moscow, approximately 50,000 demonstrators gathered, while 25 protesters were detained in Khabarovsk. These protests marked a significant moment of public dissent against the government's electoral practices.
  • 11 Dec 2011 Syrian Army Defectors Clash with Government Troops: In a major confrontation during the Syrian uprising, hundreds of army defectors engaged in direct combat with Syrian government troops in southern Syria, highlighting the internal military fractures.
  • 12 Dec 2011 Obama Demands Return of Captured US Drone from Iran: United States President Barack Obama officially requested Iran to return the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone, which was captured by Iranian forces in Kashmar on December 4, 2011.
  • 13 Dec 2011 Potential Higgs Boson Detection at CERN: Researchers reported promising evidence of the Higgs boson's potential detection through two separate experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, a breakthrough in particle physics.
  • 14 Dec 2011 Time Magazine Honors Arab Spring Movement: Time magazine selected the Arab Spring and subsequent social movements as the 'Person of the Year' for 2011, recognizing the transformative political and social upheavals across the Middle East and North Africa.
  • 15 Dec 2011 United States Officially Ends Iraq War: The United States officially declares an end to the Iraq War, marking the conclusion of a long and complex military engagement. While this moment signifies the end of direct U.S. military involvement, it also hints at potential ongoing regional instability and future challenges.
  • 16 Dec 2011 Tropical Storm Washi Devastates Philippines: Tropical Storm Washi caused catastrophic flash floods in the Philippines, resulting in 1,268 confirmed deaths and 85 people reported missing. The disaster exposed the country's vulnerability to extreme weather events and inadequate disaster preparedness.
  • 17 Dec 2011 Death of North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il: North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died on December 17, 2011, after serving as the 2nd Supreme Leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. His death marked a significant geopolitical moment, leading to the succession of his son Kim Jong Un and potential shifts in North Korean leadership and international relations.
  • 18 Dec 2011 US Army Completes Iraq War Withdrawal: The formal end to the Iraq War is marked by the withdrawal of the last US Army soldier convoy from Iraq, concluding nearly nine years of military engagement.
  • 19 Dec 2011 Death of Kim Jong-il: North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-il died on December 17, 2011, with his death officially announced by Korean Central Television. His son, Kim Jong-un, was proclaimed as the expected successor, leading to heightened military tensions in the region.
  • 20 Dec 2011 Kim Jong-il's Death Announced: The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was officially announced, marking a significant moment in North Korean political history.
  • 21 Dec 2011 North Korea Prepares for Kim Jong-il's Funeral: North Korea closes its borders with China in preparation for the funeral of recently deceased leader Kim Jong-il, signaling a period of national mourning and potential political transition.
  • 22 Dec 2011 Large Hadron Collider Observes New Particle: The Large Hadron Collider makes its first clear observation of a new particle (boson Chiampsubampbamp/subamp 3P) since its opening in 2009, marking a significant scientific milestone.
  • 23 Dec 2011 Damascus Car Bombings: During the 2011 Syrian uprising, two devastating car bombings in Damascus resulted in at least 40 fatalities, escalating the violence and humanitarian crisis in Syria.
  • 24 Dec 2011 Kim Jong Un Officially Named Successor: North Korean state media officially named Kim Jong Un as the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, formally recognizing him as the successor to his late father, Kim Jong Il.
  • 25 Dec 2011 Boko Haram Christmas Church Attacks in Nigeria: A series of coordinated terrorist attacks on churches during Christmas prayers in Nigeria resulted in at least 39 fatalities and numerous injuries. The Islamic extremist group Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the deadly assault, highlighting ongoing religious and sectarian tensions in the region.
  • 26 Dec 2011 Chinese Activist Sentenced to Ten Years: Chen Xi, a Chinese activist, is sentenced to ten years in prison for 'inciting subversion', highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding human rights and political dissent in China.
  • 27 Dec 2011 Argentine President Diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer: Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She announced plans to undergo surgery on January 4th and subsequently step down from presidential duties for 20 days during her treatment.
  • 28 Dec 2011 Strait of Hormuz Dispute: Tensions escalated between Iran and Western powers over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global oil transportation. Iran threatened to disrupt shipping routes in response to potential economic sanctions.
  • 29 Dec 2011 To align their time zones better with their trading partners, the Pacific Island nation of Samoa (and Tokelau) move east to west at the International Date Line. This will ensure that they don't mark December 30.
  • 30 Dec 2011 Thailand Floods of 2011: The devastating floods in Thailand resulted in 790 confirmed fatalities, marking one of the most significant natural disasters of the year.
  • 31 Dec 2011 Kim Jong Un Becomes Supreme Commander: Following the death of his father Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un was officially named Supreme Commander of North Korea's Armed Forces, marking a significant leadership transition in the secretive nation.