Category Archives: 1940s

President Truman signs National Security Act of 1947 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 26 1947)

1940s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents

(Saturday, July 26, 1947, 12:15 p.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — President Harry S. Truman today (aboard his VC-54C presidential aircraft Sacred Cow, the first aircraft used for the role of Air Force One) signed the National Security Act of 1947, which merged the Department of War (renamed as the Department of the Army) and the Department of the Navy into the National Military Establishment (NME), headed by the Secretary of Defense. Continue reading President Truman signs National Security Act of 1947 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 26 1947) →

House speaker placed second in line to U.S. presidency 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (July 18 1947)

1940s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Presidential Succession Act of 1947'

(Friday, July 18, 1947) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman today signed the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which clarified the order of succession in the event of the death of a sitting president by placing the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tempore next in the line of succession after the vice president. Continue reading House speaker placed second in line to U.S. presidency 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (July 18 1947) →

Larry Doby breaks American League color barrier 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 5 1947)

1940s, African-American Civil Rights


Video: 'Larry Doby Biography'

(Saturday, July 5, 1947) — Larry Doby, 23, made his debut with the Cleveland Indians today, becoming the first black player in the American League three months after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League. Continue reading Larry Doby breaks American League color barrier 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 5 1947) →

Soviets reject Marshall Plan European recovery 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 2 1947)

1940s, Cold War


Video: '45 85 Part 2' (July 2, 1947, at 6:33)

(Wednesday, July 2, 1947; during the Cold War) — Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov walked out of a conference with representatives of the British and French governments today in Paris, signaling the Soviet Union’s rejection of the Marshall Plan (officially known as the European Recovery Program, ERP), an American initiative to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II. Continue reading Soviets reject Marshall Plan European recovery 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 2 1947) →

Truman becomes first president to address NAACP 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 29 1947)

1940s, African-American Civil Rights, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'American Experience Truman 2 of 3' (June 29, 1947, at 38:11)

(Sunday, June 29, 1947, 4:30 p.m. EDT) — President Harry S. Truman became the first President to address the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People today, declaring that the nation has “reached the turning point in the long history of its efforts to guarantee freedom and equality to all our citizens” in a speech at the closing session of the civil rights organization’s 38th annual conference at Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Continue reading Truman becomes first president to address NAACP 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 29 1947) →

Truman writes about upcoming historic speech to NAACP 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 28 1947)

1940s, African-American Civil Rights, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'American Experience Truman 2 of 3' (June 28, 1947, at 37:56)

(Saturday, June 28, 1947) — President Harry S. Truman wrote his sister a letter today, mentioning his upcoming speech to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People: “I’ve got to make a speech tomorrow to the Society for the Advancement of Colored People and I wish I didn’t have to make it… Mamma won’t like what I say.” Continue reading Truman writes about upcoming historic speech to NAACP 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 28 1947) →

‘Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)’ by Perry Como peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 28 1947)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, June 28, 1947) — “Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)” by Perry Como and the Satisfiers (with Lloyd Shaffer and his Orchestra) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for three consecutive weeks (June 28, July 5/12, 1947).

‘The Ghost and Mrs. Muir’ opens in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 26 1947)

1940s, Movies 1940s


Video: 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir' trailer

(Thursday, June 26, 1947, 10:40 a.m. EDT) — The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a fantasy romantic comedy-drama film about a spirited widow who rents a haunted cottage and builds an emotional bond with the resident ghost, opened this morning at Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Continue reading ‘The Ghost and Mrs. Muir’ opens in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 26 1947) →

‘The Diary of a Young Girl,’ personal journal of Anne Frank, first published 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 25 1947)

1940s, The Holocaust


Video: 'Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl'

(Wednesday, June 25, 1947) — The Diary of a Young Girl, the personal journal of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish girl hiding with her family from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II and The Holocaust, was first published today under the title The Annex: Diary Notes 14 June 1942 – 1 August 1944 by Contact Publishing in Amsterdam. Continue reading ‘The Diary of a Young Girl,’ personal journal of Anne Frank, first published 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 25 1947) →

First modern UFO sighting takes place near Mount Rainier in Washington 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 24 1947)

1940s


Video: 'Kenneth Arnold UFO Documentary'

(Tuesday, June 24, 1947, a few minutes before 3:00 p.m. PDT) — In what’s regarded as the first modern UFO sighting took place today as private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine silvery objects flying in a “weaving formation” past Mount Rainier in Washington at speeds he estimated at a minimum of 1,200 miles an hour. Continue reading First modern UFO sighting takes place near Mount Rainier in Washington 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 24 1947) →