On This Day for December 20 - Macau made an administrative region of China, John Steinbeck is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. December 20 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY John Steinbeck READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1999 Macau made an administrative region of China READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2008: American director Robert Mulligan, whose credits most notably include the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), died at age 83. [How much do you know about To Kill a Mockingbird?] 1996: The horror classic Scream, directed by Wes Craven , was released in American theatres; it became especially known for using the genre's clichés for comic effect. [Test your knowledge of scary movies.] 1989: The United States launched Operation Just Cause, a military invasion of Panama, the initial attack focusing primarily on the Panama City headquarters of leader Manuel Noriega. [Take our quiz about Latin American history.] 1946: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, a drama starring Jimmy Stewart, premiered and later became a holiday classic. [ Test your knowledge of famous movie quotes.] 1841: French educator Ferdinand-Édouard Buisson, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1927 (jointly with the German pacifist Ludwig Quidde), was born. [ Take our quiz about the Nobel Prize.] 1974: Ethiopia was declared a socialist state under the leadership of Mengistu Haile Mariam. [ Test your knowledge of African leaders.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1925 Mahathir bin Mohamad prime minister of Malaysia 1898 Irene Dunne American actress 1957 Billy Bragg British singer, songwriter, and musician 1954 Sandra Cisneros American author 1917 David Bohm American physicist 1881 Branch Rickey American baseball executive SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help