- 1917 20 Dec Soviet security chief Felix Dzerzhinsky founds the 'Cheka', forerunner to the KGB.
- 1973 20 Dec Spanish Prime Minister Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco is killed by a Basque terrorist car bomb in Madrid.
- 1989 20 Dec The United States invades Panama and overthrows military dictator Manuel Noriega.
World War One Centenary
- Find out more about how the BBC is covering the World War One Centenary, and see the latest programmes and online content
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