1520day.year
Martin Luther burns his copy of the papal bull Exsurge Domine outside Wittenberg's Elster Gate.
On December 10, 1520, Martin Luther publicly burned Pope Leo X's bull Exsurge Domine in Wittenberg, defiantly rejecting the papal decree.
Martin Luther's act of burning the papal bull Exsurge Domine took place outside Wittenberg's Elster Gate. The bull, issued by Pope Leo X, demanded Luther retract his criticisms of church practices. Luther's dramatic gesture symbolized his open defiance of papal authority and galvanized the Protestant Reformation. Supporters across Germany were emboldened, while Church officials escalated their opposition. This moment ignited enduring religious conflicts that would reshape Europe's spiritual and political landscape. The burning remains an iconic statement in the struggle for religious reform.
1520
Martin Luther
papal bull
Exsurge Domine
Wittenberg
1907day.year
The worst night of the Brown Dog riots in London, when 1,000 medical students, protesting against the existence of a memorial for animals that have been vivisected, clash with 400 police officers.
The Brown Dog riots in London saw medical students clash with police over a vivisection memorial, spotlighting early animal rights protests.
During the peak of the Brown Dog riots in London in 1907, around one thousand medical students clashed with police officers. The protests erupted over a memorial celebrating animals used in vivisection, sparking debates on animal rights. Demonstrators accused vivisectionists of cruelty, while authorities defended scientific research. The violent confrontations lasted several nights, drawing public attention to ethical issues in medicine. The riots exposed deep societal divisions over animal welfare and academic freedom. Ultimately, the memorial remained a flashpoint in the city’s heated discourse.
1907
Brown Dog riots
1968day.year
Japan's biggest heist, the still-unsolved "300 million yen robbery", is carried out in Tokyo.
In Tokyo, thieves executed the "300 million yen robbery", Japan's largest unsolved heist to date.
On December 10, 1968, masked gunmen halted a police money transport van on a suburban Tokyo road.
They absconded with 300 million yen in cash—equivalent to several million dollars at the time.
Despite extensive investigations, no definitive suspects were ever charged.
The meticulously planned operation exploited gaps in security protocols.
Rumors swirled about insider collusion and hidden banknotes still unaccounted for.
The case captured the Japanese public's imagination and inspired books and films.
To this day, the 300 million yen robbery remains a symbol of one of Japan's greatest mysteries.
1968
300 million yen robbery
1979day.year
Kaohsiung Incident: Taiwanese pro-democracy demonstrations are suppressed by the KMT dictatorship, and organizers are arrested.
In Taiwan's Kaohsiung Incident, pro-democracy demonstrations are violently suppressed by the KMT government.
On December 10, 1979, thousands of Taiwanese activists gathered in Kaohsiung to demand democratic reforms.
The protest was organized by the Dangwai movement, challenging the KMT's authoritarian rule.
By nightfall, security forces moved in to crush the demonstrations, using tear gas and batons.
Key opposition leaders were arrested and later tried under sedition charges.
The crackdown fueled domestic and international criticism of Taiwan's martial law era.
Though crushed, the Kaohsiung Incident galvanized the island's democracy movement.
It set the stage for Taiwan's eventual political liberalization in the late 1980s.
1979
Kaohsiung Incident
KMT
1989day.year
Mongolian Revolution: At the country's first open pro-democracy public demonstration, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj announces the establishment of the Mongolian Democratic Union.
Mongolia's first public pro-democracy rally leads to the founding of the Mongolian Democratic Union.
On December 10, 1989, thousands gathered in Ulaanbaatar for Mongolia's first open pro-democracy demonstration.
Led by Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, the crowd demanded political pluralism and an end to communist one-party rule.
Elbegdorj announced the creation of the Mongolian Democratic Union, the country's first opposition group.
Security forces briefly detained key activists, but the movement continued to gain momentum.
These events triggered constitutional reforms and free elections the following year.
Mongolia transitioned peacefully from Soviet-style socialism to a multi-party democracy.
The Mongolian Revolution of 1989 inspired democratic movements across Central Asia.
1989
Mongolian Revolution
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
Mongolian Democratic Union