Explore 1392 historical events from 1940–1949.
During World War II, the Lapland War saw fighting between Finland and Nazi Germany – effectively from September to November 1944 – in Finland's northernmost region, Lapland. Though…
World War II: The last German troops retreat from Finnish soil in Lapland, ending the Lapland War
Nabiba Naftali Temu was a Kenyan long-distance runner. He became Kenya's first gold medalist when he won the 10,000 metres race at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
Naftali Temu, Kenyan runner (died 2003)
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, also known as Venkat, is an Indian former international cricketer and umpire. He was a right arm off break bowler and a lower order batter. He ca…
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Indian cricketer and umpire
Diana Magdalene Roloff, known professionally as Diana Darvey, was a British actress, singer and dancer, best known for her appearances on The Benny Hill Show.
Diana Darvey, English actress, singer and dancer (died 2000)
Efstratios Dimitriou, known professionally as Demetrio Stratos, was a Greek-Italian vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music researcher, best known as the co-founder, …
Demetrio Stratos, Greek-Egyptian singer-songwriter (died 1979)
Douglas Raymond "Cosmo" Clifford is an American drummer. He is best known as a founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall…
Doug Clifford, American drummer and songwriter
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. Tanks and air…
World War II: Battle of Bautzen: Last successful German tank-offensive of the war and last noteworthy victory of the Weh
Baguio, officially the City of Baguio, is a highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 368,426…
World War II: Filipino troops of the 66th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL and the American tr
During World War II, the Lapland War saw fighting between Finland and Nazi Germany – effectively from September to November 1944 – in Finland's northernmost region, Lapland. Though…
World War II: The last German formations withdraw from Finland to Norway
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician, journalist, and dictator who led Italy as Il Duce from 1922 until his overthrow in 1943. He founded the fascist movement…
World War II: Benito Mussolini is arrested by Italian partisans in Dongo, while attempting escape disguised as a German
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician, journalist, and dictator who led Italy as Il Duce from 1922 until his overthrow in 1943. He founded the fascist movement…
Benito Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci are shot dead by Walter Audisio, a member of the Italian resistance move
Stuart Alden Cook is an American retired bass guitarist, best known for being a member of the rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), for which he is a member of the Rock and…
Stu Cook, American bass player Creedence Clearwater Revival, songwriter, and producer
Richard Charles Hoagland is an American author, former science advisor for CBS News and a proponent of various conspiracy theories about NASA, lost alien civilizations on the Moon,…
Richard C
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish musician, singer, songwriter, and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA. He is also the co-composer of the musicals Chess, K…
Björn Ulvaeus, Swedish singer-songwriter and producer
The Holocaust, known in Hebrew as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered ar…
The Holocaust: Nazi Germany carries out its final use of gas chambers to execute 33 Upper Austrian socialist and communi
Operations Manna, Chowhound and Faust provided food to relieve a famine in the 1944–1945 German-occupied Netherlands. By May 1945, about 20,000 people in the Netherlands had died o…
World War II: Airdrops of food begin over German-occupied regions of the Netherlands
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Germany during the Nazi era from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the N…
World War II: Adolf Hitler marries his longtime partner Eva Braun in a Berlin bunker and designates Admiral Karl Dönitz
Dachau was one of the first concentration camps built by Nazi Germany and the longest-running one, opening on 22 March 1933. The camp was initially intended to intern the Nazi Part…
Dachau concentration camp is liberated by United States troops
Richard Lee Armitage was an American diplomat and government official. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Armitage served as a U.S. Navy officer in three combat tours o…
Richard Armitage, American diplomat and government official (died 2025)
Stephen Howard Davies, was a British theatre and television director.
Howard Davies, English director and producer (died 2016)
Richard Johnson is a part-owner of the V8 Supercar team Dick Johnson Racing and a former racing driver. As a driver, he was a five-time Australian Touring Car Champion and a three-…
Dick Johnson, Australian racing driver
Sylvain Simard is a politician and academic based in the Canadian province of Quebec. He represented Richelieu in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1994 to 2012, and was a cabin…
Sylvain Simard, Canadian academic and politician
Martin Harcourt Chivers was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He began his career with his hometown club Southampton where he had a successful six years a…
Martin Chivers, English footballer and manager (died 2026)
The Führerbunker was an air raid shelter located near the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex constructed in two phases in 1936 and 1…
World War II: Führerbunker: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for less than 40 hours