THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019

1732-Benjamin Franklin (under the name Richard Saunders) begins publication of "Poor Richard's Almanack"

1776-Thomas Paine publishes his first "American Crisis" essay, in which he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls"

1788-Chinese troops occupy capital Thang Long Vietnam

1910-Rayon first commercially produced, Marcus Hook PA

1931-Joseph A. Lyons becomes premier of Australia

1939-Russian air, ground attacks against Finnish positions near Summa

1941-Hitler takes complete command of German Army

1943-Military coup in Bolivia

1946-War breaks out in Indochina as Ho Chi Minh attacks French in Hanoi

1950-Gen. Eisenhower named NATO commander

1950-Tibet's Dalai Lama flees Chinese invasion

1958-First radio broadcast from space (recorded Christmas message by President Eisenhower)

1960-Frank Sinatra's first session with Reprise Records (Ring-A-Ding-Ding)

1963-Zanzibar becomes independent from U.K.