1642
Dutch navigator Abel Tasman becomes the first known European to set eyes on New Zealand.
1862
In the Battle of Fredericksburg, Union troops suffer a crushing defeat during the American Civil War.
1937
Nanjing is overtaken by Japanese forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War, triggering the six-week Nanjing Massacre with widespread civilian casualties.
1938
Neuengamme concentration camp is established in Germany amid the Holocaust.
2001
Terrorists storm the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, killing several people and escalating political tensions.
2003
Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces near Tikrit after months in hiding.
1972
Apollo 17 returns to Earth, marking the most recent human mission to the Moon.
