1940 United States presidential election: Democrat incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt decisively defeats Republican challenger Wendell Willkie, and becomes the United States' first and only third-term …

Historical events from year 1940. Learn about 498 famous, scandalous and important events that happened in 1940 or search by date or keyword.

The 1940s (pronounced "nineteen-forties" and commonly abbreviated as " the '40s " or " the Forties ") was a decade that began on January 1, 1940, and ended on December 31, 1949.

World War II dominated the first half of the decade, driving technological advances, accelerating nuclear research, and exposing the horrors of the Holocaust and atomic warfare.

Nov 19, 2025 · These photos, found by Thomas Hawk, offer an intimate window into 1940s America, capturing a generation that faced extraordinary challenges yet embraced the future with …

1940: Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

1940 was more than a list of headlines. It was a lived year of routines, cultural moments, and milestones that can still feel immediate when you look back through the songs, films, books, leaders, and …

What happened and who was famous in 1940? Browse important and historic events, world leaders, famous birthdays and notable deaths from the year 1940.

It was dominated by a war we didn't want to be in, but Pearl Harbor changed on that, a war that took American soldiers to Europe, Africa, and Asia before a President Truman ended World War II with …

Mar 16, 2020 · World War II began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and shaped the entire 1940s. The United States joined World War II after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941. …