1940s
From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
| Centuries: | 19th century - 20th century - 21st century |
| Decades: | 1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s |
| Years: | 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 |
The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949.
Contents |
Events and trends
The 1940s were seen as a transition period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s, which also leads the period to be divided in two halves:
The first half of the decade was dominated by World War II, the widest and most destructive armed conflict in human history. So consequential was this event and its brutal aftermath that it laid the foundation for other major world events and trends for decades to follow. This war was also the first modern civilian war.
The second half marked the beginning of the East-West conflict and the Cold War, together with major social upheaval caused by the destruction of the war, the large number of refugees, and soldiers returning home and demanding government recognition for their sacrifice, especially in colonies of European countries, many of which gained independence.
Technology
- The first
- First
- Colossus, the world's first totally electronic and digital computer is built in 1944.
]] flight in 1940.
Science
- Mathematics: cybernetics,
War, peace and politics
- The United States enters World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
- Germany and Japan suffer defeats at
- Germany surrenders May 7, 1945
- World War II officially ends on September 2, 1945.
- The Holocaust (the
- United Nations established in 1945
- In 1946, former British PM Winston S. Churchill gives his famous "
- Beginning of the Cold War (generally thought of as somewhere from 1946-1949)
- Independence for some former colonies (including India and Pakistan in 1947, Israel in 1948, and Indonesia in 1949)
- The
- The
- The
- Truman Doctrine is created.
- Soviets test their first nuclear bomb in 1949 (
Economics
- The Great Depression ends in the United States after it begins participation in World War II, creating millions of jobs for unemployed workers.
- The
Culture, religion
- Frank Capra's
- Michael Curtiz's
- Orson Welles'
- Billy Wilder's
- William Wyler's
- Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious is released in 1946
- Walt Disney's
- Walt Disney's
- Walt Disney's
- The Abstract Expressionism movement in art emerges
- Bebop emerges
- Rhythm and blues emerges
- Rock and roll emerges
- George Orwell publishes
- Arthur Miller publishes
Others
- The Basketball Association of America, soon to be renamed the National Basketball Association (NBA), begins play in 1946
People
World leaders
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- President
- President
- President
- Führer and Reich Chancellor
- Governor-General
- King
- Emperor
- Holy Father
- Taoiseach
- Taoiseach
- General Secretary
- Captain General
- President
- Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (United States)
- President Harry S. Truman (United States)
- Governor
- President
- President
- Awsome Person-Alex Jurenka
Sports figures
- Joe Louis
- Jackie Robinson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Satchel Paige
- Stan Musial
- Sugar Ray Robinson
- Ted Williams
Entertainers
- Orson Welles
- Walt Disney
Musicians
- Matt Heitzmanm