What Happened in 1940

'Native Son' is Published

Native Son tells the story of a "bad nigger," coal-black, 20-year-old Bigger Thomas, who lives with his pious mother, a mild sister and brother in... Read more

Joseph Stalin Is Named Time Magazine's 'Person Of The Year'

Since J. Stalin became the supreme power in Russia, much of the Revolution's history has been rewritten to magnify his part in those stirring... Read more

Irving Berlin Assigns Royalties from 'God Bless America' to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America

In 1938, with the rise of Hitler, Berlin, who was Jewish, and a first-generation European immigrant, felt it was time to revive it as a "peace... Read more

'Horton Hatches the Egg' is Published

I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one-hundred percent. Read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Founded

In 1940, Frank Lloyd Wright and his third wife, Olgivanna (December 27, 1898 - March 1, 1985), formed the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which... Read more

Chrysler Newport is First Produced

The Newport was a name used by the Chrysler division of the Chrysler Corporation used as both a hardtop body designation and also for its entry... Read more

Synthetic Biotin Produced

Biotin is also available from supplements. The synthetic process developed by Leo Sternbach and Moses Wolf Goldberg in the 1940s uses fumaric acid... Read more

Heavy Fighting Along the Raate Road as Finns Break Soviet 44th Rifle Division

The Battle of Raate Road was fought during the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland in January, 1940, as a part of the Battle of... Read more

The Mechelen Incident

The Mechelen Incident of 10 January 1940, also known as the Mechelen affair, was an event during the Phoney War. A German aircraft with an officer... Read more

"His Girl Friday" Is Released

His Girl Friday is a 1940 screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, an adaptation by Charles Lederer, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur of the... Read more

"The Shop Around The Corner" Is Released

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) is a romantic comedy film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch, and starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. The... Read more

"The Grapes Of Wrath" Is Released

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) is an American drama film directed by Academy Award Winner Best Director, John Ford. It was based on the Pulitzer Prize... Read more

Frank Sinatra makes first appearance with Tommy Dorsey

In November 1939, in a meeting at the Palmer House in Chicago, IL, Sinatra was asked by bandleader Tommy Dorsey to join his band as a replacement... Read more

Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman Get Married

In 1938, Reagan co-starred in the film Brother Rat with actress Jane Wyman (1917–2007). They were engaged at the Chicago Theatre,[35] and married... Read more

Soviets Launch All-Out Offensive on Karelian Isthmus

Although the Karelian Isthmus front was less active in December than in January, the Soviets began increasing bombardments, wearing down the... Read more

Japanese Occupy Wuyuan

On 3 and 4 Feb, Wuyuan and Linhe were taken successively. On 20 Mar, Chinese General Fu Zuoyi's 35th Corps, the New 31st Division, and a regiment... Read more

Adolf Hitler Approves the Manstein Plan

Adolf Hitler gave his approval to the Manstein Plan on 17th February, 1940, but it was not activated until the 10th May, when the Luftwaffe bombed... Read more

12th Academy Awards

The twelfth Academy Awards ceremony was held on Thursday, February 29, 1940 at the Coconut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel. Though the winners were... Read more

Agatha Christie publishes Sad Cypress

Sad Cypress is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in March 1940 and in the US... Read more

Soviet Politburo Members Sign Order to Execute 25,700 Polish Prisoners

On 5 March, 1940, pursuant to a note to Stalin from Beria, the members of the Soviet Politburo — Stalin, Vyacheslav Molotov, Kliment Voroshilov and... Read more

Signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty Between Finland and the Soviet Union

The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed by Finland and the Soviet Union on March 12, 1940, and the ratifications were exchanged on March 21. It marked... Read more

Indiana Beats Kansas in NCAA Men's Basketball Championship

The 1940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 8 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the participating champion... Read more

'The Hamlet' Is Published

The Hamlet is the first of the "Snopes" trilogy, completed by The Town (1957), and The Mansion (1959). The novel follows the exploits of the... Read more

Katyn Forest Massacre

On April 13, 1943, the Germans announced that mass graves had been discovered in the Katyn Forest, in their area of occupation, containing the... Read more

Soviets Begin Month-long Murder of Polish Prisoners, Known as the Katyn Massacre

After 3 April, 1940, at least 22,436 POWs and prisoners were executed: 15,131 POWs (most or all of them from the three camps) and at least 7,305... Read more