MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2025

1863-Abraham Lincoln issues his Amnesty Proclamation and plan for Reconstruction of the South

1941-U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan, U.S. enters World War II

1941-U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his famous "Day of Infamy" speech to a joint session of Congress a day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

1965-Pope Paul VI closes final session of the Second Vatican Council - an influential ecumenical council that significantly modernized church practices

1966-U.S. and USSR sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space

2004-Cuzco Declaration is signed in Cuzco, Peru, establishing the Union of South American Nations

2024-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resigns and flees to Moscow after rebel forces sweep into the capital city of Damascus