December 18 Through History

Explanation: The Battle of Verdun, which began on February 21, 1916, lasted nearly ten months and caused around 700,000 casualties on both sides. It remains one of the longest and deadliest battles of the entire First World War, symbolizing the horror of the trenches.

Explanation: The XIIIth Amendment was ratified after the Civil War. It states that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States, except as punishment for a crime. Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 had laid the groundwork, but had no permanent constitutional standing.

Explanation: The Nutcracker, adapted from the tale by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, was choreographed by Lev Ivanov to music by Tchaikovsky. Although it received a cool reception at its premiere, this ballet is today one of the most performed in the world, especially during the Christmas season.

Explanation: Airbus was founded as an economic interest grouping bringing together Aérospatiale (France) and Deutsche Airbus (Germany), driven notably by Roger Béteille. The company was meant to compete with American manufacturers like Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. Today, Airbus is one of the two largest aircraft manufacturers in the world.

Explanation: The Siege of Toulon was Bonaparte's political and military baptism of fire. His mastery of artillery was decisive in retaking the city from the royalists and their British allies. This victory earned him recognition from the representatives on mission Saliceti and Fréron, launching his meteoric rise.

Explanation: Keith Richards, born in Dartford, England, is a co-founder of the Rolling Stones alongside Mick Jagger, whom he met in primary school. His guitar style, often based on open chords in open G, is considered one of the most influential in rock. He is especially known for the iconic track Satisfaction.

Explanation: The Chauvet Cave, discovered in the Ardèche by Jean-Marie Chauvet and two colleagues, contains cave paintings dating back around 36,000 years, making it one of the oldest known works of art. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014 and inspired a documentary film by Werner Herzog.

Explanation: Cette thèse, opposée à celle de la révolution mondiale permanente prônée par Trotski, affirmait que l'URSS pouvait construire le socialisme seule, sans attendre une révolution mondiale. Sa victoire dans ce débat idéologique marqua le début de la marginalisation de Trotski, qui fut finalement expulsé du parti en 1927 puis exilé en 1929.

Explanation: Khubilai Khan était le petit-fils de Gengis Khan, fondateur de l'Empire mongol. En créant la dynastie Yuan, Khubilai étendait sa domination sur la Chine entière, dont il fit sa capitale Khanbalik (l'actuelle Pékin). L'explorateur vénitien Marco Polo séjourna à sa cour et en fit un récit fascinant dans Le Livre des merveilles.

Explanation: Steven Spielberg has won two Academy Awards for Best Director: for Schindler's List in 1994 and for Saving Private Ryan in 1999. His career includes major works like Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones, and Lincoln. He remains one of the most influential filmmakers of the XXth century.