1940s Summary
Nicole Gaethke
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Roosevelt served as the President of the United States from 1933-1945. He died in 1945.
Harry S. Truman
Truman served as President of the United States from 1945-1953. He became president after the death of Roosevelt.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was the Chancellor of Germany and initiated the Holocaust.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Eisenhower led Allied forces into Europe.
General Douglas MacArthur
MacArthur led Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific.
General Ludwig Beck
Beck was a German leader who opposed Hitler's views.
WWII
WWII began on September 1, 1939 and ended on August 14, 1945. The War began with the Battle of the Atlantic. The United States didn't declare war on Japan until December 8, 1941 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945 while Japan waited until August 14th to surrender.
Battle of France
German invasion of France.
Battle of Midway
June 7, 1942.
A four day battle with Japan.
Battle of Berlin
April 1945
Holocaust
The Holocaust was the German genocide of Jews. Jews were forced into concentration camps and were forced to wear the Star of David.
Technological Change
During the 1940s, the first computer was developed. It sparked advancement and brought us to become heavily dependent upon technology today.
Bambi
Bambi was first released in the 1940s and was one of the few movies of the time not dealing with the World Wars.
Frank SInatra
Frank Sinatra was of the Crooners in the 40s. He was one of the top entertainers of the decade.
White Christmas
White Christmas was a top song during the 1940s and was sang by Bing Crosby. This is a classic Christmas tune that you will still hear today.
Anne Frank
Anne Frank was a Jewish child during the Holocaust who kept a diary of her experiences both in hiding and in concentration camps.
Men's Fashion
Men often wore suits or nice shirts that were tucked in.
Woman's Fashion
Girls wore dresses with long, full skirts with tight waists.
Cost of Living
House- $7,211
Car- $850
Stamps- 3 cents
Minimum Wage- 30 cents
Gas- 18 cents
Bread- 8 cents
Jackie Robinson
Robinson broke the color barrier when he signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bill WIllis
Willis was the first African American man to play professional football.
Joe Louis
Louis was known as the first heavy-weight champion.
Important Laws and Supreme Court Decisions
- 1944- The Servicemen's Readjustment Act was passed. It provided benefits to soldiers coming back from WWII. It also provided them with college education. This Act is commonly referred to as the "GI Bill."
- The Jim Crow laws became dismantled.
- Hirabayashi vs. US- gave military permission to exclude Japanese citizens because they were seen as a threat to national defense
- War Relocation Authority- remove, supervise, and maintain people not in military areas.