Historical Events on December 31

22 significant historical events occurred on December 31. December 31 has seen important historical events such as wartime naval battles, political changes, and social crises. Notable events on this date include the 1942 Battle of the Barents Sea between German and British naval forces in Arctic waters, the 1992 dissolution of Czechoslovakia which created the independent Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the 2015 New Year's Eve sexual assaults in various German cities.