What Happened in 1939

Porsche 64 is First Produced

The Porsche 64, also known as the VW Aerocoupe, Type 64 and Type 60K10, is considered by many to be the first automobile from what was to become... Read more

Malcolm X drops out of school after 8th grade

In December 1938 Louise Little had a nervous breakdown and was declared legally insane. The Little siblings were split up and sent to different... Read more

Jackie Robinson attends UCLA

Jackie Robinson transferred from Pasadena Junior College to the nearby University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he became the school's... Read more

German/Russian occupation of Poland

This article deals with the occupation of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War (1939–1945). In the beginning of the... Read more

Ford Taunus is First Produced

Ford Taunus was a range of family cars sold by Ford in Germany and other countries. Models from 1970 onward were similar to the Ford Cortina in the... Read more

Ford N Series is First Produced

The first of the 'N Series' of Ford tractors was the 9N. It included the first three-point hitch system on tractors, in the United States (Ferguson... Read more

Ford Model 91 is First Produced

The Ford Model 91 was a car made by the British Ford in 1939 only and was the last of the British pre war V-8 range that had started with the V8 18... Read more

Ford Anglia is First Produced

The Ford Anglia was a British car from Ford in the UK. It was related to the Ford Prefect and the later Ford Popular. The Ford Anglia name was... Read more

Chrysler Windsor is First Produced

The Chrysler Windsor was a full-sized car built by the Chrysler Corporation of Highland Park, Michigan (USA) from 1939 through to the 1960s. The... Read more

Chrysler Saratoga is First Produced

The Chrysler Saratoga was a full-sized automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler first used the Saratoga nameplate on its 1939... Read more

Chrysler New Yorker is First Produced

The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939 to 1996, serving for several years as the brand's... Read more

'The Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family' is Published

Mr. Geisel began using his middle name as a pen name for his cartoons because he hoped to use his surname as a novelist one day. But when he got... Read more

The 'Augusta National Invitation' Tournament is Officially named 'The Masters'

he idea for Augusta National originated with Bobby Jones, who wanted to build a golf course after his retirement from the game. He sought advice... Read more

'If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem' Is Published

Wild Palms/Old Man is a blend of two stories, a love story and a river story, entitled "Wild Palms" and "Old Man", respectively. Both stories tell... Read more

William Faulkner Appears on the Cover of Time Magazine

Random House retitles Faulkner’s latest novel, which he originally called “If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem.” It becomes The Wild Palms, and when it is... Read more

Chillán Earthquake of 1939

The 1939 Chillán earthquake was a major earthquake in south-central Chile. It is currently the single earthquake that has caused the most deaths in... Read more

Adolf Hitler orders "Plan Z"

Plan Z was the name given to the planned re-equipment and expansion of the Nazi German Navy (Kriegsmarine) ordered by Adolf Hitler on January 27,... Read more

'Finnegans Wake' Is Published

Finnegans Wake, Joyce’s final work was created over a period of fifteen years with composition starting in 1923. It was finally completed in 1938.... Read more

Pope Pius XI dies

Pope Pius had been ailing for a while, when, on 25 November 1938, he suffered two heart attacks within several hours. He had serious breathing... Read more

Hainan Island Operation

The Japanese Navy, after the capture of Canton the previous year, had maintained a formidable blockade all along the coast of south, central and... Read more

Sidney Robertson Cowell Records Six Italian Folk Songs

Italian-American Mario Olmeda shared his passion for traditional Italian singing with folk music collector Sidney Robertson Cowell on February 13,... Read more

"Gunga Din" Is Released

Gunga Din is a 1939 RKO adventure film directed by George Stevens, (very) loosely based on the poem by Rudyard Kipling, combined with elements of... Read more

11th Academy Awards

The 11th Academy Awards were held on February 23, 1939 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. It was the first Academy Awards show... Read more

Eugenio Pacelli (Pius XII) elected Pope

The Venerable Pope Pius XII (Latin: Pius PP. XII; Italian: Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (2 March 1876 – 9 October 1958),... Read more

Gandhi Announces Fast-Unto-Death in the Effort to Form a People's Council in Rajkot

Before the convening of the plenary session of the Congress Party at Tripuri on March 11, India watched with interest and alarm the struggle... Read more