Explore 1392 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. Tanks and air…
World War II: The Greek government and King George II evacuate Athens before the invading Wehrmacht
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: German troops enter Athens
Greville Patrick Charles Howard, Baron Howard of Rising is a British Conservative politician and, before the 2010 general election, was variously an Opposition Whip and Shadow Mini…
Greville Howard, Baron Howard of Rising, English politician
Eliane Ducos, known professionally as Jacqueline Boyer, is a French singer and actress. She is also the daughter of performers Jacques Pills and Lucienne Boyer.
Jacqueline Boyer, French singer and actress
Arie den Hartog was a Dutch road bicycle racer. Den Hartog won the Milan–San Remo Classic in 1965, as well as the Amstel Gold Race in 1967.
Arie den Hartog, Dutch road bicycle racer (died 2018)
Michael Lynne was an American film executive, best known as the former co-chair of New Line Cinema alongside its founder Robert Shaye.
Michael Lynne, American film producer, co-founded New Line Cinema (died 2019)
The Ustaše, was a Croatian fascist and ultranationalist organization active, as one organization, between 1929 and 1945. It was formally known as the Ustaša – Croatian Revolutionar…
The Ustaše massacre nearly 200 Serbs in the village of Gudovac, the first massacre of their genocidal campaign against S
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: Following the coup d'état against Iraq Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah earlier that year, the United Kingdom lau
California is a state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares an international borde…
At California's March Field, Bob Hope performs his first USO show
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: The German Luftwaffe launches a bombing raid on Nottingham and Derby
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: The German submarine U-110 is captured by the Royal Navy
Edward Stewart Mainwaring, known as Ed "Stewpot" Stewart, was an English radio broadcaster and TV presenter. He was principally known for his work with the BBC as a DJ on Radio 1 a…
Ed Stewart, English radio and television host (died 2016)
Raymond Samuel Tomlinson was an American computer programmer who invented the first email program on the ARPANET system, the precursor to the Internet, in 1971; it was the first sy…
Ray Tomlinson, American computer programmer and engineer (died 2016)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian and English guitarist known for his solo and ensemble playing as well as his interpretation and promotion of the modern classical guitar …
John Williams, Australian-English guitarist and composer
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England.…
World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a German politician, convicted war criminal, and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Germany. Appointed Deputy to the Führer in 1933, Hess held tha…
World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi
Konrad Ernst Otto Zuse was a German civil engineer, pioneering computer scientist, inventor and businessman. His greatest achievement was the world's first programmable computer; t…
Konrad Zuse presents the Z3, the world's first working programmable, fully automatic computer, in Berlin
The Battle of Crete, codenamed Operation Mercury, was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island of Crete. It began on the morning of …
World War II: Battle of Crete: German paratroops invade Crete
The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq, then ruled by Rashid Ali al-Gaylani who had seized power in …
During the Anglo-Iraqi War, British troops take Fallujah
Bertrand Tavernier was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer.
Bertrand Tavernier, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2021)
Dorothy Shea was an Australian librarian who was the Librarian of the Supreme Court of Tasmania from 1988 to 2016, president of the Australian Law Librarians' Association (ALLA) fr…
Dorothy Shea, Australian librarian (died 2024)
Claudine Auger was a French actress best known for her role as a Bond girl, Dominique "Domino" Derval, in the James Bond film Thunderball (1965). She earned the title of Miss Franc…
Claudine Auger, French model and actress (died 2019)
Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti is an Indian archaeologist, Professor Emeritus of South Asian Archaeology at Cambridge University, and a Senior Fellow at the McDonald Institute for Archaeo…
Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti, Indian archaeologist
Lee Roy Jordan was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) from 1963 to 1976. He …
Lee Roy Jordan, American football player