December 27 in history — What Happened Today in History

The Romanian Revolution concludes, as the last minor street confrontations and stray shootings abruptly end in the country's capital, Bucharest.

Palestinian guerrillas kill eighteen people inside the airports of Rome, Italy, and Vienna, Austria.

Pope John Paul II visits Mehmet Ali Ağca in Rebibbia's prison and personally forgives him for the 1981 attack on him in St. Peter's Square.

Spain becomes a democracy after 40 years of fascist dictatorship.

Apollo program: Apollo 8 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first orbital crewed mission to the Moon.

North Central Airlines Flight 458 crashes at O'Hare International Airport, killing 28.

The Cave of Swallows, the largest known cave shaft in the world, is discovered in Aquismón, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

Indonesian National Revolution: The Netherlands officially recognizes Indonesian independence. End of the Dutch East Indies.

The International Monetary Fund is created with the signing of an agreement by 29 nations.

The 7.8 Mw Erzincan earthquake shakes eastern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme). At least 32,700 people were killed.

Winter War: Finland holds off a Soviet attack in the Battle of Kelja.

Regina Jonas is ordained as the first female rabbi in the history of Judaism.

Radio City Music Hall, "Showplace of the Nation", opens in New York City.

Soviet General Secretary Joseph Stalin orders the "liquidation of the kulaks as a class".

Kern and Hammerstein's musical play Show Boat, considered to be the first true American musical play, opens at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Broadway.

Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō becomes the first purpose-built aircraft carrier to be commissioned in the world.

The Great Poland Uprising against the Germans begins.

Ukrainian War of Independence: The Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine occupies Yekaterinoslav and seizes seven airplanes from the UPRAF, establishing an Insurgent Air Fleet.

"Jana Gana Mana", the national anthem of India, is first sung in the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.

Ether anesthetic is used for childbirth for the first time by Dr. Crawford Long in Jefferson, Georgia.

Having coined the phrase "manifest destiny" the previous July, journalist John L. O'Sullivan argued in his newspaper New York Morning News that the United States had the right to claim the entire Oregon Country.

The worst ever avalanche in England occurs at Lewes, Sussex, killing eight people.

Charles Darwin embarks on his journey aboard HMS Beagle, during which he will begin to formulate his theory of evolution.

War of 1812: The destruction of the schooner USS Carolina brings to an end Commodore Daniel Patterson's makeshift fleet, which fought a series of delaying actions that contributed to Andrew Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans.

Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which allows Portugal to export wines to England on favorable trade terms.

The Dutch Guards, commanded by Count Solms, enter London and occupy the Palace of Whitehall and St James's Palace, securing the capital for William of Orange during the 1688 invasion of England.

The Flushing Remonstrance articulates for the first time in North American history that freedom of religion is a fundamental right.

Second Northern War/the Deluge: Monks at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa are successful in fending off a month-long siege.

Olivia Cooke, English actress

Joel Indermitte, Estonian footballer

Maicel Uibo, Estonian decathlete

Chloe Bridges, American actress

Michael Morgan, Australian rugby league player

Beth Potter, Scottish triathlete and long-distance runner

Danny Wilson, Scottish footballer

Max Lindholm, Finnish figure skater

Jonathan Marchessault, Canadian ice hockey player

Milos Raonic, Canadian tennis player

Zelina Vega, American wrestler

Ingrid Várgas Calvo, Peruvian tennis player

Jorge Gutiérrez, Mexican basketball player

Meadowlark Lemon, American basketball player and minister (born 1932)

Alfredo Pacheco, Salvadoran footballer (born 1982)

Stevie Wright, English-Australian singer-songwriter (born 1947)

Ben Ammi Ben-Israel, American-Israeli religious leader, founded the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem (born 1939)

Ulises Estrella, Ecuadorian poet and academic (born 1939)

Ronald Li, Hong Kong accountant and businessman (born 1929)

Karel Poma, Belgian bacteriologist and politician (born 1920)

Richard Ambler, English-Scottish biologist and academic (born 1933)

Mohamad Chatah, Lebanese economist and politician, Lebanese Minister of Finance (born 1951)

Gianna D'Angelo, American soprano and educator (born 1929)

John Matheson, Canadian colonel, lawyer, and politician (born 1917)

Farooq Sheikh, Indian actor, philanthropist and a popular television presenter (born 1948)

Harry Carey, Jr., American actor, producer, and screenwriter (born 1921)