Explore 3967 historical events from 1940–1949.
Ronald Wycherley, known professionally as Billy Fury, was an English musician. An early star of rock and roll, he spent 332 weeks on the UK singles chart. His hit singles include "…
Billy Fury, English singer-songwriter (died 1983)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving US president and the…
World War II: U
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on…
World War II: Military resistance to the German occupation of Norway ends
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 Siege of Malta begins with a series of Italian air raids
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: Thirteen thousand British and French troops surrender to General Erwin Rommel at Saint-Valery-en-Caux
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 German occupation of Paris begins
John Michael McCririck was an English horse racing pundit, television personality and journalist.
John McCririck, English journalist (died 2019)
Charles David Menville was an American animator and writer for television. His credits included Batman: The Animated Series, Land of the Lost, The Real Ghostbusters, The Smurfs, St…
Chuck Menville, American animator and screenwriter (died 1992)
Anja Silja Regina Langwagen is a German soprano singer.
Anja Silja, German soprano and actress
Agostino Vallini is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been a cardinal since 2006. From 2008 to 2017, he served as Vicar General of Rome. He is also the Archpriest e…
Agostino Vallini, Italian cardinal and vicar general of Rome
Michael Graham Vickers is an English musician who came to prominence as the guitarist, flautist, and saxophonist with the 1960s band Manfred Mann.
Mike Vickers, English guitarist, saxophonist, and songwriter
The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum to Lithuania before midnight of 14 June 1940. The Soviets, using a formal pretext, demanded that an unspecified number of Soviet soldiers be al…
The Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Lithuania, resulting in Lithuanian loss of independence
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. I…
Seven hundred and twenty-eight Polish political prisoners from Tarnów become the first inmates of the Auschwitz concentr
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: Operation Aerial begins: Allied troops start to evacuate France, following Germany's takeover of Paris and
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: Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of State of Vichy France (Chef de l'État Français)
James Richard Gammon was an American actor, known for playing grizzled "good ol' boy" types in numerous films and television series. Gammon portrayed Lou Brown, the manager of fict…
James Gammon, American actor (died 2010)
Souleymane Cissé was a Malian film director, regarded as one of the first generation of African filmmakers. He was called "Africa's greatest living filmmaker" while his film Yeelen…
Souleymane Cissé, Malian director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2025)
Dale & Grace was an American singing duo consisting of Dale Houston and Grace Broussard. They had two Billboard chart hits. The first was the No. 1 gold record "I'm Leaving It Up t…
Dale Houston, American singer-songwriter (died 2007)
Michael "Lufa" Kadosh was an Israeli footballer who also worked as the manager of Hapoel Jerusalem. He died on 29 April 2014 from cancer at the age of 74.
Michael Kadosh, Israeli footballer and manager (died 2014)
Sue Taylor Grafton was an American author of detective novels. She is best known as the author of the "alphabet series" featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictio…
Sue Grafton, American author (died 2017)
The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It…
The Soviet Union occupies Lithuania, which will eventually become the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR)
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: RMS Lancastria is attacked and sunk by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France
The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Euroz…
The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union
The Appeal of 18 June was the first speech made by Charles de Gaulle after his arrival in London in 1940 following the Battle of France. Broadcast to France by the radio services o…
Appeal of 18 June by Charles de Gaulle