December 21

This Day in History

Also on This Day

Lead Story
Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over Scotland, 1988
American Revolution
Patriot Robert Barnwell is born, 1761
Automotive
"The Graduate" opens in New York; makes Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider famous, 1967
Civil War
Trent crisis escalates, 1861
Cold War
Soviet republics proclaim the Commonwealth of Independent States, 1991
Crime
Sunny von Bulow is found comatose, 1980
Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988
Disaster
Earthquake sends tsunami toward Japan, 1946
General Interest
De Gaulle elected, 1958
Apollo 8 departs for moon's orbit, 1968
Carlos the Jackal attacks OPEC headquarters, 1975
Hollywood
Russell Crowe stars in A Beautiful Mind, 2001
Literary
William Wordsworth moves into Dove Cottage, 1799
Curious George co-creator Margret Rey dies, 1996
Music
Harry Chapin earns a #1 hit with "Cat's In The Cradle", 1985
Old West
Indians massacre Fetterman and eighty soldiers, 1866
Presidential
Nixon meets Elvis Presley, 1970
Sports
Hobey Baker killed in plane crash, 1918
Vietnam War
Thailand announces plans to withdraw troops, 1969
Defense Department reports eight B-52s lost during Linebacker II, 1972
World War I
Sir William Robertson is appointed chief of the Imperial General Staff, 1915
World War II
"Old Blood and Guts" dies, 1945

Vietnam War

Dec 21, 1972:

Defense Department reports eight B-52s lost during Linebacker II

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The Defense Department announces that eight B-52 bombers and several fighter-bombers were lost since the commencement of Operation Linebacker II on December 18. These losses included at least 43 flyers captured or killed. President Richard Nixon ordered the operation after the North Vietnamese negotiators walked out of the peace talks in Paris. In response, President Nixon immediately issued an ultimatum that North Vietnam send its representatives back to the conference table within 72 hours "or else." When they rejected Nixon's demand, he ordered a full-scale air campaign against Hanoi and Haiphong to force them back to the negotiating table. On December 28, after 11 days of intensive bombing, the North Vietnamese agreed to return to the talks.

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This Week in History, Dec 21 - Dec 27

Dec 21, 1969
Thailand announces plans to withdraw troops
Dec 21, 1972
Defense Department reports eight B-52s lost during Linebacker II
Dec 22, 1971
Soviet Union attacks Chinese policy toward Vietnam
Dec 22, 1972
Washington announces Linebacker II raids will continue
Dec 23, 1966
Francis Cardinal Spellman visits South Vietnam
Dec 23, 1972
Operation Linebacker II continues
Dec 24, 1964
Viet Cong bomb Brinks Hotel
Dec 24, 1972
Bob Hope gives his last show in Vietnam
Dec 25, 1966
Harrison Salisbury reports on damage caused by U.S. bombing
Dec 25, 1972
Linebacker II resumes after Christmas pause
Dec 26, 1967
Laos says communists launched an offensive
Dec 26, 1971
U.S. jets strike North Vietnam
Dec 27, 1966
U.S. and South Vietnamese troops attack Viet Cong stronghold
Dec 27, 1969
U.S. and North Vietnamese forces battle near Loc Ninh.

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