Today in History: First successful human kidney transplant

The following are some of the major notable events that occurred on December 23 throughout history:

1783 – George Washington Resigns His Military Commission: On December 23, 1783, General Washington addressed the Continental Congress in Annapolis and formally resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. This voluntary surrender of military power to civilian authorities was unprecedented; Americans have long regarded it as a testament to Washington’s republican values and the principle of civilian control of the military.

1913 – Federal Reserve Act Signed: On December 23, 1913, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law. This landmark legislation created the Federal Reserve System – America’s central bank – establishing a regulated central banking authority to stabilize the financial system. The Fed’s creation on that date marked a turning point in U.S. economic policy with global impact, as it ended three years of debate over how to prevent financial panics.

1944 – Eisenhower Authorizes Execution of Eddie Slovik: During World War II, on December 23, 1944, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) endorsed the court-martial verdict against Private Eddie Slovik for desertion and authorized his execution. Slovik was the only U.S. serviceman executed for desertion in World War II – indeed, the first such U.S. military execution since the Civil War. The decision was meant as a deterrent amid heavy combat (the Battle of the Bulge), and Slovik was shot by firing squad the following January.

1948 – Top Japanese War Criminals Executed: On December 23, 1948, the Allies carried out executions of seven top Japanese leaders convicted of war crimes at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. Among those hanged was former Prime Minister General Hideki Tōjō. The executions were the culmination of postwar justice in the Pacific theater; seven of the 25 defendants were found guilty of crimes against humanity, including atrocities in China, and the executions signified the final enforcement of the Tokyo war crimes tribunal rulings.

1954 – First Successful Human Kidney Transplant: In a medical breakthrough on December 23, 1954, surgeons Joseph Murray and J. Hartwell Harrison performed the first successful human kidney transplant at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. The operation transplanted a kidney from a healthy donor into his identical twin brother, who suffered from kidney failure. Both donor and recipient did well post-surgery, proving that organ transplantation was possible and opening the way for modern transplant surgery.

1968 – USS Pueblo Crew Released: After being held for 11 months by North Korea, the surviving crewmen of the U.S. Navy intelligence ship Pueblo were released on December 23, 1968. The Pueblo had been seized on January 23, 1968, in the Sea of Japan. Under intense negotiations, North Korea agreed on this date to free all but one of the 83 crew (one had died) in exchange for a U.S. statement about the incident. This release ended a major Cold War crisis, though North Korea’s admission of Pueblo’s intrusion remained a contentious issue.

1983 – Publication of the First “Nuclear Winter” Report: On December 23, 1983, a landmark scientific study was published in the journal Science. Authored by Carl Sagan and others, the paper “Nuclear Winter: Global Consequences of Multiple Nuclear Explosions” introduced the concept that a large-scale nuclear war could throw enough smoke and dust into the stratosphere to drastically cool the Earth’s climate (a “nuclear winter”). Coming during Cold War tensions, the study profoundly influenced public understanding of the environmental impact of nuclear war.

1986 – Voyager Aircraft Completes First Nonstop Global Flight: On December 23, 1986, the experimental Rutan Voyager airplane piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager landed at Edwards Air Force Base, completing the first nonstop, non-refueled flight around the world. After flying 25,012 miles over nine days without stopping or refueling, Voyager set a new aviation record. The flight demonstrated novel aircraft engineering (a lightweight, fuel-maximized design) and became a landmark achievement in aerospace history.

1990 – Slovenian Independence Referendum: In Europe, December 23, 1990 marked a key step toward the breakup of Yugoslavia. On that day, Slovenia held a referendum on seceding from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. An overwhelming 88.2% of the electorate voted in favor of independence. The referendum’s result paved the way for Slovenia’s declaration of independence in June 1991 and subsequent recognition by other nations, making it one of the first republics to leave Yugoslavia.

2008 – Guinea Coup Attempt: On December 23, 2008, Guinean soldiers attempted a coup d’état just hours after longtime President Lansana Conté’s death was announced. Mutinous troops seized the state radio, suspended the constitution and announced that a junta (the National Council for Democracy and Development led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara) was taking power. Though initially met with resistance, the coup effectively ended Conté’s 24-year rule and brought military leaders to power in Conakry.