#TodayInHistory Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown in Romania in 1989, as the protestors take over Bucharest and other cities, bringing a bloody revolt to an end. He and his wife Elena would be later captured and shot dead on Christmas Day. 
Ceaușescu had tried to pacify the protestors addressing a 100,000 strong crowd to condemn the uprising in Timișoara. However with the crowd jeering,booing him, he knew his time was up. And it soon turned into a full fledged riot.
Protestors took over Bucharest, as they waved the Romanian national flag, with the Communist insignia cut out. The protestors were shot at by the armed guards, beaten up and arrested, as the violence spiralled out of control.
The tipping point was the mysterious death of Ceaușescu's minister of defence, Vasile Mile, who many believed was murdered on his orders, for refusing to fire on protestors. Though Victor Stănculescu was appointed in place, he himself turned against Ceaușescu.
The army revolting against Ceaușescu proved to be the main factor in his downfall, and he escaped along with his wife in a helicopter. He would be captured at Târgoviște and executed on Christmas along with his wife.
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