For 24 years, Nicolae Ceaușescu ruled Romania with an iron fist. Then, in late December 1989, his leadership disintegrated in less than a week. By Christmas Day, he’d been executed. How could a leader ...

Note: While the revolution began in earnest in Timișoara days earlier, Nicolae Ceaușescu returned to Bucharest on December 20, setting the stage for his infamous, televised downfall the very next ...