A massive underwater earthquake measuring 9.3 on the Richter scale produced a tsunami wave which caused devastation in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, The Maldives as well as several other around the Indian Ocean. The disaster, which is considered as one of the worst natural disasters in history, caused the death of more than 300,000 people.

A strong earthquake hit the Iranian city of Bam, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of people.

British actor, Nigel Hawthorne, died at the age of 72. His most famous role was that of Sir Humphrey Appleby in the British TV series, Yes, Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister.

Severe weather conditions over France resulted in the death of more than one hundred people.

The Supreme Soviet officially dissolved the USSR.

The Mount Pinatubo volcano in the Philippines erupted after more than 500 years of dormancy. It was the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century and one that had global atmospheric repercussions.

TIME magazine awards its 'Man of the Year' award to a non-human, the personal computer.

President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, died at the age of 88. He was the 33rd President of the United States and is most remembered for his controversial decision to drop the atomic bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Nissan Motor Company was founded in Tokyo, Japan.

Researchers, Marie and Pierre Curie, announced that they had isolated radium.

American writer, Henry Miller, was born in New York City. He is considered as on of the most influential writers of the 20th century, having written such classics as the 'Tropic of Cancer' and the 'Tropic of Capricorn'.

During the course of the American Revolutionary War, British forces were defeated in the Battle of Trenton.