THE DAY IN HISTORY · DECEMBER 18
December 18 in history
What happened on December 18: 3 moments from the Maps of History atlases, in 1916, 1979 and 1986, each linked to the map that shows it.
— Battle of Verdun
21 Feb-18 Dec 1916 — Falkenhayn attacks Verdun, a fortress France cannot abandon. Attrition is his goal: French forces must keep fighting for it. Over ten months, about 300,000 die on the two sides and nine villages are erased forever. The fighting bleeds Germany white as well. “Ils ne passeront pas.”
READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE WWI MAP → · THE FULL STORY →
— Adoption of CEDAW
18 Dec 1979 — By 130 votes to none, the UN General Assembly adopts the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The convention enters into force on 3 September 1981, after twenty states have ratified it.
READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE PROTEST AND CHANGE MAP → · THE FULL STORY →
— Jeltoqsan protests in Alma-Ata
16–18 Dec 1986 — Moscow replaced Kazakhstan’s long-serving Kazakh party chief with a Russian from outside the republic. Students gathered in the capital’s main square to protest, and troops broke up the demonstration. It was the first sign that glasnost would release national grievances.
READ THIS MOMENT → · SEE IT ON THE REMAKING THE STATE MAP → · THE FULL STORY →
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