On This Day for December 23 - Aleksander Kwaśniewski inaugurated as Polish president, Akihito is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. December 23 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Akihito READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1995 Aleksander Kwaśniewski inaugurated as Polish president READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2013: Russian weapons designer Mikhail Kalashnikov—who invented the AK-47 (automatic Kalashnikov Model 1947), an assault rifle that became one of the most successful and ubiquitous firearms of the modern era—died in Izhevsk, Russia. [ Take our weapons and warfare quiz.] 2001: Argentina announced the suspension of payments on its external debt—the biggest debt default in history to date. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about South America.] 1972: American gridiron football running back Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers made "the Immaculate Reception," a dramatic catch that is regarded as one of the most famous plays in NFL history. [Test your knowledge of American football.] 1968: Eighty-two crewmen of the USS Pueblo were released after being held in captivity for 11 months by North Korea , which claimed the U.S. Navy intelligence ship had crossed into its waters. 1941: Early in World War II, invading Japanese forces defeated U.S. troops at the Battle of Wake Island. [Sort fact from fiction in our wars throughout history quiz.] 1929: American jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker, who was noted for the plaintive, fragile tone of both his playing and his singing, was born. [Test your knowledge of music.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1933 Akihito emperor of Japan [born 1933] 1805 Joseph Smith American religious leader [1805–1844] 1777 Alexander I emperor of Russia 1929 Chet Baker American musician and vocalist 1955 Joseph Dunford United States general 1867 Madam C.J. Walker American businesswoman and philanthropist 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