Pakistani Army General Niazi surrenders to Indian Army in Dhaka. Image: Wikipedia
Each day in the calendar is significant and 16 December is no exception. Several notable events occurred on this date, from the Boston Tea Party in 1773 to the Battle of Blood between the Zulu and the Voortrekker Boers in South Africa. One of the most well-known writers in English literature, Jane Austen, was also born on 16 December 1775. She remains beloved by generations for her novels including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma and Persuasion. Without further ado, let’s look at some major events that took place in history on 16 December:
Battle of the Bulge
During World War II, the German troops tried to make their way through the Allied lines in the Ardennes, marking the start of the Battle of the Bulge. While the Allied troops were initially surprised, they later won the battle and inflicted severe losses on the German troops.
Bangladesh Victory Day
Bangladesh Victory Day or Bijoy Dibos commemorates the victory of Bangladeshi and Indian soldiers over their Pakistani counterparts, which brought an end to the Bangladesh Liberation War. On this day in 1971, Pakistan’s forces surrendered at Dhaka’s Ramna Race Course. This year marks the 51st Victory Day of Bangladesh.
Avatar released
James Cameron’s Avatar hit theatres on 16 December 2009. The movie shattered box office records and earned $2.7 billion worldwide. Avatar follows Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine who has to choose between following his mission on the moon Pandora and protecting his new home. The sequel of the science-fiction movie, Avatar: The Way of Water, is set to release this year on the same date.
Peshawar school massacre
Seven members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an Islamist militant organisation that sprang from the Taliban, stormed an army-run school in Peshawar. The militants killed 150 people, at least 134 of whom were students. The attack lasted about eight hours before commandos from the Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group could manage to corner the attackers. The attackers, all of whom were wearing suicide vests, perished in the confrontation with the Pakistani troops. The TTP later claimed that the massacre was retribution for the government’s attack on its members.
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