Today's Highlight in History:
On December 22nd, 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason叛国罪 in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism反犹太主义. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated¹.)

On this date:
In 1775, a Continental² naval³ fleet was organized in the rebellious⁴反抗的，造反的 American colonies.

In 1807, Congress passed the Embargo⁵ Act, designed to force peace between Britain and France by cutting off切断 all trade with Europe.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman sent a message to President Lincoln: "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah."

In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with President Roosevelt.

In 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge⁶, US Brigadier General准将 Anthony C. McAuliffe reportedly said "Nuts!" when the Germans demanded the Americans' surrender.

In 1963, an official 30-day mourning period following the assassination⁷ of President Kennedy came to an end.

In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly voted to ratify批准 the election of Kurt Waldheim to be Secretary-General.

In 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot four black youths on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to rob him.

In 1990, Lech Walesa took the oath of office就职宣誓 as Poland's first popularly elected president.

In 1991, the body of Lieutenant陆军中校 Colonel陆军上校 William R. Higgins, an American hostage murdered by his captors, was found dumped along a highway in Lebanon.

Ten years ago: Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of Eastern Europe's hard-line Communist rulers, was toppled颠覆，推倒 from power in a popular uprising. Playwright¹⁰ Samuel Beckett died in Paris at age 83.

Five years ago: North Korea handed over the body of American pilot David Hilemon, killed when his helicopter was shot down over the communist country three days earlier. House Democrats¹¹ chastised¹²惩罚，责骂 Speaker-to-be Newt Gingrich for accepting a $4.5 million book advance from Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

One year ago: A third Chinese dissident (Qin Yongmin) was sentenced to prison for trying to organize an opposition¹³ party.