About the day » Sunday December 8, 1940Calender converter

• Donald KANE, Quebec, Canada († 2015)
• Arnoldus Julianus (Arnold) Damhuis, Basse († 2008)
• Jeffrey MUIR, Red Hills, Tasmania, Australia († 2004)
• Josephus Wilhelmus Antonius ADRIAANS, Mierlo († 2003)
• Jan Mettrop, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Nederland
• Cocky Cornelis Duijvesteijn, Poeldijk († 1942)
• Bauke Koster, Wieringen († 1941)
• Bernardus Hermanus Maria Engelbertink, Oldenzaal († 1964)
• Carla Meijer, amsterdam, Nederland († 2014)
• Henrica Johanna Maria van de Ven, Helmond († 1940)

• Bauke Lippes Poelstra (85), Deventer, Overijssel, Nederland
• Barbera van Alphen (74), Terheijden
• Cornelis Thomas van Leeuwen (67), Utrecht
• Clarence Herman Flach (53), Ohio, Marion County, Marion
• (49), Hecla, S.D.-U.S.A
• Bernardina Anna Antonia Regeling (44), Rheden (Gelderland)
• Annij Martina Johanna Koene (4), Den Haag, Nederland
• Catharina Cornelia Knijnenburg (31)
• Antonius Hubertus van Bokhoven (65), Helmond
• Abel Doornbos (72), Ezinge

• 1939 » Dariush Mehrjui, Iranian director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1939 » Felipe Gozon, Filipino lawyer and businessman
• 1939 » James Galway, Irish flute player
• 1939 » Jerry Butler, American singer-songwriter and producer
• 1939 » Red Berenson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
• 1939 » Soko Richardson, American drummer († 2004)
• 1940 » Brant Alyea, American baseball player
• 1941 » Bob Brown, American football player
• 1941 » Duke Cunningham, American commander and politician
• 1941 » Ed Brinkman, American baseball player and coach († 2008)

• 1929 » José Vicente Concha, Colombian politician and 8th President of Colombia (b. 1867)
• 1932 » Gertrude Jekyll, British horticulturist and writer (b. 1843)
• 1937 » Hans Molisch, Czech-Austrian botanist and academic (b. 1856)
• 1938 » Friedrich Glauser, Swiss author (b. 1896)
• 1940 » George Lloyd, English-Canadian bishop and theologian (b. 1861)
• 1942 » Albert Kahn, American architect, Fisher Building, Packard Automotive Plant, Ford River Rouge Complex (b. 1869)
• 1952 » Charles Lightoller, English sailor (b. 1874)
• 1954 » Claude Cahun, French artist, photographer, and writer (b. 1894)
• 1954 » Gladys George, American actress (b. 1904)
• 1954 » Joseph B. Keenan, American lawyer and politician (b. 1888)

1. Jan
2. Johannes
3. Cornelis
4. Hendrik
5. Willem
6. Gerrit
7. Pieter
8. Jacob
9. Robert
10. Adrianus
11. Petrus
12. Jacobus
13. Wilhelmus
14. Gerardus
15. Dirk
16. Arie

1. Maria
2. Johanna
3. Anna
4. Cornelia
5. Elisabeth
6. Wilhelmina
7. Hendrika
8. Adriana
9. Catharina
10. Petronella
11. Geertruida
12. Jacoba
13. Annie
14. Margaretha
15. Marie
16. Helena

• Koningin Wilhelmina (Huis van Oranje-Nassau) was from 1890 till 1948 sovereign of the Netherlands (also known as Koninkrijk der Nederlanden)
• In The Netherlands , there was from August 10, 1939 to September 3, 1940 the cabinet De Geer II, with Jonkheer mr. D.J. de Geer (CHU) as prime minister.
• In The Netherlands , there was from September 3, 1940 to July 27, 1941 the cabinet Gerbrandy I, with Prof. dr. P.S. Gerbrandy (ARP) as prime minister.
• The Netherlands had about 8.8 million citizens.
• April 25 » Merkið, the flag of the Faroe Islands is approved by the British occupation government.
• June 15 » World War II: Operation Ariel begins: Allied troops start to evacuate France, following Germany's takeover of Paris and most of the nation.
• June 28 » Romania cedes Bessarabia (current-day Moldova) to the Soviet Union after facing an ultimatum.
• August 18 » World War II: The Hardest Day air battle, part of the Battle of Britain. At that point, the largest aerial engagement in history with heavy losses sustained on both sides.
• September 12 » Cave paintings are discovered in Lascaux, France.
• October 1 » The Pennsylvania Turnpike, often considered the first superhighway in the United States, opens to traffic.

The temperature on December 8, 1940 was between -0.9 °C and 7.2 °C and averaged 3.2 °C. There was 3.4 mm of rain during 2.3 hours. There was 2.3 hours of sunshine (29%). The average windspeed was 4 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the west-northwest.