Category Archives: 1940s

First man-made contact with the moon made 80 years ago this hour (Jan 10 1946)

1940s, space exploration


Video: 'U.S. Army Makes Radar Contact With the Moon 1946'

(Thursday, January 10, 1946, 11:58 a.m. EST) — The first man-made contact with the moon was made today as radar signals transmitted by the U.S. Army Signal Corps from a laboratory in Belmar, New Jersey, as part of Project Diana were bounced off the lunar surface, measuring its exact distance from the Earth (a mean of 238,857 miles or 384,403 kilometers), and proving that communication is possible between Earth and outer space. Continue reading First man-made contact with the moon made 80 years ago this hour (Jan 10 1946) →

First General Assembly of the United Nations convenes in London 80 years ago this hour (Jan 10 1946)

1940s


Video: 'First Session of UN General Assembly - 10 January 1946'

(Thursday, January 10, 1946, 3:00 p.m. GMT) — The fifty-one nations of the greatest wartime coalition in history, representing four-fifths of the people in the world, started another chapter in man’s melancholy search for peace and security today as the First session of the United Nations General Assembly convened at Westminster Central Hall in London.

The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger born in Los Angeles 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 8 1946)

1940s, The Monkees


Video: '"Break on Through": How The Doors began'

(Tuesday, January 8, 1946) — guitarist Robby Krieger, a founding member of the rock band The Doors, was born Robert Alan Krieger today in Los Angeles. Continue reading The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger born in Los Angeles 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 8 1946) →

Actress Diane Keaton born in Los Angeles 80 years ago today (Jan 5 1946)

1940s, Movies 1940s, Woody Allen


Video: 'Diane Keaton: On Her Own (Biography, A&E Network, 2002)'

(Saturday, January 5, 1946) — Film actress, director, producer and screenwriter Diane Keaton was born Diane Hall today in Los Angeles. Continue reading Actress Diane Keaton born in Los Angeles 80 years ago today (Jan 5 1946) →

Nazi radio propagandist ‘Lord Haw Haw’ executed 80 years ago this hour (Jan 3 1946)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'WILLIAM JOYCE HANGED'

(Thursday, January 3, 1946, 9:00 a.m. GMT) — William Joyce, the 39-year-old pro-Nazi radio propagandist known as “Lord Haw-Haw,” was hanged today at Wandsworth Prison in south London for high treason, unrepentant and defiant to the end. Continue reading Nazi radio propagandist ‘Lord Haw Haw’ executed 80 years ago this hour (Jan 3 1946) →

Monkee Davy Jones born in Manchester, England 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 30 1945)

1940s, The Monkees


Video: 'The Life & Death of The Monkees' DAVY JONES'

(Sunday, December 30, 1945) — English actor, singer, and songwriter Davy Jones, best known as a member of the band The Monkees and a co-star of the TV series The Monkees (1966–1968), was born David Thomas Jones today in Manchester, England. Continue reading Monkee Davy Jones born in Manchester, England 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 30 1945) →

International Monetary Fund formally established 80 years ago today (Dec 27 1945)

1940s


Video: 'Ask an Economist - What is the IMF?'

(Thursday, December 27, 1945) — The International Monetary Fund and the Bank for Reconstruction and Development came into being this afternoon when representatives of twenty-eight nations signed documents confirming that their Governments had ratified the Bretton Woods Agreements and deposited the nominal initial payment toward the expenses of the organizations.

U.S. President Harry S. Truman flies home for Christmas 80 years ago this hour (Dec 25 1945)

1940s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'American Experience - Truman (1997) - Part 4' (Dec. 25, 1945, at 5:36)

(Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25, 1945, 12:05 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Harry Truman woke to find the capitol covered in ice and snow; his wife Bess and daughter Margaret were in their hometown of Independence, Missouri, and the president missed them. Continue reading U.S. President Harry S. Truman flies home for Christmas 80 years ago this hour (Dec 25 1945) →

‘Scarlet Street’ film noir premieres in Baltimore 80 years ago today (Dec 25 1945)

1940s, Movies 1940s


Video: 'Scarlet Street' trailer

(Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25, 1945) — Scarlet Street, a crime film noir about a middle aged would-be painter who falls into the clutches of an unscrupulous woman, premiered today at Keith’s Theatre at 114 West Lexington Street in Baltimore. Continue reading ‘Scarlet Street’ film noir premieres in Baltimore 80 years ago today (Dec 25 1945) →