What happened in December 1991?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1991, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Dec 1🏆 U.S. Women Win World Cup – The United States women's soccer team won its first World Cup, defeating Norway 2-1, marking a historic achievement in women's sports.
- Dec 2🏛️ Ukraine Votes for Independence – Ukrainian voters overwhelmingly support a declaration of independence from the Soviet Union, aiming to create a new nation of 52 million people.
- Dec 3🗳️ Ukraine's First Election – Leonid M. Kravchuk wins Ukraine's first presidential election, with independence recognized by Russia, marking a significant political shift.
- Dec 4🌍 Salmon Spawning Return – Salmon were spotted spawning in Connecticut's Salmon River, marking a significant ecological recovery after two centuries of absence.
- Dec 5🕎 Hanukkah Celebrations Begin – On the 8th Day of Hanukkah, children light candles and exchange gifts, marking a festive celebration.
- Dec 6🌍 Gorbachev Seeks Aid – President Gorbachev declared a critical food crisis in Moscow, urgently requesting assistance from other regions of the country.
- Dec 7🏛️ Soviet Sports Ministry Closes – The Soviet Union's sports agency shut down due to financial issues, jeopardizing its Olympic team's future.
- Dec 8🌍 Yeltsin on Commonwealth – Boris Yeltsin states that a commonwealth of fully independent countries is the only viable outcome from the Soviet Union's dissolution.
- Dec 9🌍 Soviet Union Dissolves – Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia declare the Soviet Union has ceased to exist, forming the Commonwealth of Independent States.
- Dec 10🌍 Commonwealth Formed – Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia agree to form a commonwealth, marking a significant shift in post-Soviet relations.
- Dec 11📈 Smoking Ads Impact Kids – Studies reveal cartoon camel ads for Camel cigarettes attract children more than adults, prompting calls for a total advertising ban.
- Dec 12🧬 Alzheimer's Cloned in Mice – Researchers have produced genetically modified mice that exhibit brain changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
- Dec 13🔬 Polio Synthesized – Scientists have synthesized the polio virus in the test tube, marking the first time an entire virus has been created outside living cells.
- Dec 14🌍 Commonwealth of Independent States – Five Central Asian republics join the Commonwealth of Independent States, marking a significant step in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- Dec 15🌍 Yeltsin Promises Stability – President Boris Yeltsin of Russia vows to stabilize the economy within a year, aiming for food baskets to be 'two-thirds filled.'
- Dec 16🌍 Russia Seeks Independence – Russia requests U.S. recognition of independence for itself, Belarus, and Ukraine, challenging Gorbachev's authority.
- Dec 17🔬 Cervical Cancer Test Hope – Researchers developed a new technique for detecting cervical cancer, aiming for a quick and inexpensive diagnostic method.
- Dec 18🌍 Soviet Union's Last Rites – Yeltsin and Gorbachev discuss the future of the Soviet Union, focusing on its dissolution and the transition to a new commonwealth.
- Dec 19🕊️ Ukraine-Soviet Accord – Ukraine and Soviet officials agreed on initial steps for removing 4,000 nuclear arms stationed in Ukraine, marking a significant disarmament effort.
- Dec 20🌍 Yeltsin Controls Soviet State – President Boris Yeltsin takes control of key Soviet institutions, marking a significant shift in power during the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- Dec 21🌍 Moscow Withdraws Nuclear Arms – Moscow begins withdrawing nuclear weapons from Ukraine, removing some of the 4,000 arms stationed there amid significant geopolitical changes.
- Dec 22🌍 Taiwan Elections Win – The Nationalist Party won a significant victory in Taiwan's first full election in over 40 years, rejecting calls for independence from China.
- Dec 23🌍 Commonwealth of Independent States – Leaders of 11 former Soviet republics signed declarations in Kazakhstan, forming the Commonwealth of Independent States.
- Dec 24🌍 Europeans Act on Russia – The European Community granted de facto recognition to the Russian republic, marking a significant geopolitical shift post-Soviet Union.
- Dec 25🗺️ Gorbachev Resigns Today – Mikhail Gorbachev plans to announce his resignation as President of the Soviet Union in a televised address, marking the end of an era.
- Dec 26🏛️ Soviet Union Dissolves – The Soviet state, marked by great achievement and suffering, officially dissolved today after a long decline, ending its 74-year history.
- Dec 27🇷🇺 New Russian Flag Raised – Russians celebrated the first day under the new Russian flag, marking a significant change after 74 years under the Soviet banner.
- Dec 28🎤 Pocket-Size CD Recorders – Battery-operated digital recorders now offer professional quality sound, weighing only two pounds and costing around $1,000.
- Dec 29🌍 Yeltsin Signs Land Reform – President Boris N. Yeltsin signed an executive order to begin agricultural land reform in Russia, granting collective farm workers rights to buy and sell land.
- Dec 30🌍 Yeltsin's New Year Address – Boris Yeltsin warns Russians of upcoming hardships as the economy transitions, but assures improvements by the end of 1992.
- Dec 31🔬 Tiny Lasers Break Record – Scientists at Cornell University developed the fastest lasers ever, measuring no longer than a human hair.
Happy Birthday! 1991 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1991 in real headlines. See the 1991 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: