Historical Events268 - Saint Dionysius, Roman Pope (259-260), dies1825 - Decembrist uprising in Russia against Tsar Nicholas I begins [O.S. 14 December]1979 - Soviet special forces take over the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan1993 - Antonov-26 crashes in Gyumri, Armenia, killing 36 people2012 - China opens the worlds longest high speed rail route from Beijing to Guangzhou More Historical Events Famous Birthdays1820 - Gustavus Adolphus Smith, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (d. 1885)1837 - George Dewey, American admiral, naval hero in Battle of Manila Bay, born in Montpelier, Vermont (d. 1917)1855 - Arnold Mendelssohn, German composer, born in Ratibor, Province of Silesia (now Poland) (d. 1933)1945 - John Walsh, American activist and television host (America's Most Wanted), born in Auburn, New York1948 - Chris Chambliss, American baseball first baseman (MLB All Star 1976; World Series 1977, 78 NY Yankees; AL Rookie of the Year 1971 Cleveland Indians), born in Dayton, OhioMore Famous Birthdays Famous Deaths1530 - Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur, Timurid founder and 1st Emperor of the Mughal dynasty in the Indian Subcontinent (1526-30), dies at 471918 - Bertram Luard-Selby, British organist and composer, dies at 651974 - Farid al-Atrash [El-Atrache], Syrian composer, musician, virtuoso oud player, and actor (Akher kedba), dies of heart disease at 591980 - (John) "Peck" Kelley, American jazz pianist and bandleader (Peck's Bad Boys), dies from complications of Parkinson's disease at 821997 - Cornelius Castoriadis, Greek philosopher and economist, dies at 75More Famous Deaths