Explore 4728 historical events from 1940–1949.
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. World War II …
World War II: The Royal Navy attacks the French naval squadron in Algeria, to ensure that it will not fall under…
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. World War II …
World War II: Foreign relations of Vichy France are severed with the United Kingdom.
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. World War II …
World War II: The Vichy government is established in France.
Michael "Lufa" Kadosh was an Israeli footballer who also worked as the manager of Hapoel Jerusalem. He died on 29 April 2014 from cancer at the age of 74.
Michael Kadosh, Israeli footballer and manager (died 2014)
Sue Taylor Grafton was an American author of detective novels. She is best known as the author of the "alphabet series" featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictio…
Sue Grafton, American author (died 2017)
Giovanni Giorgio Moroder is an Italian composer and record producer. Dubbed the "Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering Euro disco and electronic dance music. His wo…
Giorgio Moroder, Italian singer-songwriter and producer
Clifford H. Watson was an English professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop in the 1960s and 1970s. He played for the St Helens in the Rugby Football League Champio…
Cliff Watson, English rugby league player (died 2018)
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany in the Nazi era, from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Par…
World War II: Six days before Adolf Hitler issues his Directive 16 to the combined Wehrmacht armed forces for…
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. World War II …
World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State.
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. World War II …
World War II: Battle of Cape Spada: The Royal Navy and the Regia Marina clash; the Italian light cruiser Bartolomeo…
The 1940 field marshal ceremony was a promotion ceremony held at the Kroll Opera House in Berlin in which Adolf Hitler promoted twelve generals to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall …
Field Marshal Ceremony: First occasion in World War II that Adolf Hitler appoints field marshals due to military…
The League of Nations was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Pea…
Denmark leaves the League of Nations.
Adrian Tan Cheng Bock is a Singaporean former politician and physician who has served as the secretary-general of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) between 2019 and 2021 and chair…
Tan Cheng Bock, Singaporean doctor and politician
George Rufus Adams was an American jazz musician who played tenor saxophone, flute and bass clarinet. He is best known for his work with Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Roy Haynes and i…
George Adams, American musician (died 1992)
Jeroen Godfried Marie Brouwers was a Dutch writer.
Jeroen Brouwers, Dutch journalist and writer (died 2022)
Michael Arthur Cleary AO is an Australian former rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and a politician. He represented Australia in both rugby cod…
Michael Cleary, Australian rugby player and politician
Ülo Õun was an Estonian sculptor whose career began in the late 1960s and came to prominence in the 1970s. Õun mainly worked as a portrait and figural sculptor and was known for hi…
Ülo Õun, Estonian sculptor (died 1988)
California is a U.S. state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, and Nevada and Arizona to the east; it also shares an intern…
California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway.
Henri Guisan was a Swiss military officer who held the office of General of the Swiss Armed Forces during the Second World War. He was the fourth and the most recent person to be a…
General Henri Guisan orders the Swiss Army to resist German invasion and makes surrender illegal.
A Wild Hare is a 1940 American animated comedy short film directed by Tex Avery, produced by Leon Schlesinger, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures as part of the Merrie Melodi…
The animated short A Wild Hare is released, introducing the character of Bugs Bunny.
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many eng…
World War II: Italian forces begin the invasion of British Somaliland.
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many eng…
World War II: The Soviet Union formally annexes Latvia.
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the we…
Estonia is annexed by the Soviet Union.
Gerald Tommaso DeLouise, known professionally as Burt Young, was an American actor. He played Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the Rocky film series,…
Burt Young, American actor and painter (died 2023)