1945
Michael J
Michael John Smith, was an American engineer and astronaut. He served as the pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger when it was destroyed during the STS-51-L mission, breaking up 73…
Michael J
The 1940s
Explore 6096 historical events from 1940–1949.
1945
World War II: Axis Sally delivers her last propaganda broadcast to Allied troops
Mildred Elizabeth Gillars was an American broadcaster employed by Nazi Germany to disseminate Axis propaganda during World War II. Following her capture in post-war Berlin, Gillars…
World War II: Axis Sally delivers her last propaganda broadcast to Allied troops
1945
World War II: The Prague Offensive, the last major battle of the Eastern Front, begins
The Prague offensive was the last major military operation of World War II in Europe. The offensive was fought on the Eastern Front from 6 May to 11 May 1945. Fought concurrently w…
World War II: The Prague Offensive, the last major battle of the Eastern Front, begins
1945
End of the Prague uprising, celebrated now as a national holiday in the Czech Republic
The Prague uprising was a partially successful attempt by the Czech resistance movement to liberate the city of Prague from German occupation in May 1945, during the end of World W…
End of the Prague uprising, celebrated now as a national holiday in the Czech Republic
1945
The Halifax riot starts when thousands of civilians and servicemen rampage through Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Halifax VE-Day riots, 7–8 May 1945, in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, began as a celebration of the World War II victory in Europe. This rapidly evolved into a rampage by …
The Halifax riot starts when thousands of civilians and servicemen rampage through Halifax, Nova Scotia
1945
World War II: the Channel Islands are liberated from Nazi occupation
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: the Channel Islands are liberated from Nazi occupation
1945
Rita Coolidge, American singer-songwriter
Rita Coolidge is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on Billboard magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two…
Rita Coolidge, American singer-songwriter
1945
Judge Dread, English singer-songwriter (died 1998)
Alexander Minto Hughes, better known as Judge Dread, was an English reggae and ska musician. He was the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica, and the BBC ha…
Judge Dread, English singer-songwriter (died 1998)
1945
Bianca Jagger, Nicaraguan-American model, actress, and activist
Bianca Jagger is a Nicaraguan social activist, human rights advocate, and a former actress. She gained international prominence in the 1970s through her marriage to Mick Jagger, t…
Bianca Jagger, Nicaraguan-American model, actress, and activist
1945
Robert Machray, American actor (died 2025)
Robert Machray Ward was an American stage and television actor. He was perhaps best known for playing the recurring role of fire marshal Dobbins in the American sitcom television s…
Robert Machray, American actor (died 2025)
1945
World War II: The Battle of Poljana, the final skirmish in Europe is fought near Prevalje, Slovenia
The Battle of Poljana took place outside of Poljana, near the town of Prevalje in Yugoslavia between the Yugoslav Army and a column of 30,000 retreating Axis soldiers, which consis…
World War II: The Battle of Poljana, the final skirmish in Europe is fought near Prevalje, Slovenia
1945
Beginning of the Levant Crisis between Britain and France in Syria
The Levant Crisis, also known as the Damascus Crisis, the Syrian Crisis, or the Levant Confrontation, was a military confrontation that took place between British and French forces…
Beginning of the Levant Crisis between Britain and France in Syria
1945
Syrian demonstrators in Damascus are fired upon by French troops injuring twelve, leading to the Levant Crisis
Syrians are the majority inhabitants of Syria, indigenous to the Levant, most of whom have Arabic, especially its Levantine and Mesopotamian dialects, as a mother tongue. The cultu…
Syrian demonstrators in Damascus are fired upon by French troops injuring twelve, leading to the Levant Crisis
1945
World War II: Heinrich Himmler, head of the Schutzstaffel, commits suicide while in Allied custody
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was a German Nazi politician and military leader. He was the 4th Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel from 1929 to 1945. He was a leading member of the Nazi …
World War II: Heinrich Himmler, head of the Schutzstaffel, commits suicide while in Allied custody
1945
World War II: Germany's Flensburg Government under Karl Dönitz is dissolved when its members are arrested by British for
The Flensburg Government, also known as the Flensburg Cabinet, the Dönitz Government, or the Schwerin von Krosigk Cabinet, was the rump government of Nazi Germany during a period o…
World War II: Germany's Flensburg Government under Karl Dönitz is dissolved when its members are arrested by British for
1945
Kurt Loder, American journalist, author, and critic
Kurt Loder is an American entertainment critic, author, columnist and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later c…
Kurt Loder, American journalist, author, and critic
1945
Jimmie Dale Gilmore, American country singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and producer
Jimmie Dale Gilmore is an American country singer-songwriter currently living in Austin, Texas.
Jimmie Dale Gilmore, American country singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and producer
1945
Robin Strasser, American actress
Robin Victory in Europe Strasser is an American actress, best known for her role as Dorian Lord on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live.
Robin Strasser, American actress
1945
Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer
Keith Jarrett is an American pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, …
Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer
1945
First combat mission of the Consolidated B-32 Dominator heavy bomber
Combat is a purposeful violent conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed or unarmed. Combat is resorted to either as a method…
First combat mission of the Consolidated B-32 Dominator heavy bomber
1945
The Allied Control Council, the military occupation governing body of Germany, formally takes power
The Allied Control Council (ACC) or Allied Control Authority, also referred to as the Four Powers, was the governing body of the Allied occupation zones in Germany (1945–1949/1991)…
The Allied Control Council, the military occupation governing body of Germany, formally takes power
1945
Australian Imperial Forces land in Brunei Bay to liberate Brunei
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Ge…
Australian Imperial Forces land in Brunei Bay to liberate Brunei
1945
World War II: Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army liberate the captured in Ilocos Sur and start the Batt
The Philippine Army is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. As of 2025, it had an estimated strength of…
World War II: Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army liberate the captured in Ilocos Sur and start the Batt
1945
William Joyce ("Lord Haw-Haw") is charged with treason for his pro-German propaganda broadcasting during World War II
William Brooke Joyce, nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an American-born Nazi propaganda broadcaster during the Second World War. After moving from New York to Ireland and subsequently t…
William Joyce ("Lord Haw-Haw") is charged with treason for his pro-German propaganda broadcasting during World War II