A History of the United States in 1940-1949

Jared May 8,2008

1940s

Bad GuysBad Guys

Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerIn his self-created role as Fuehrer and In his self-created role as Fuehrer and Reichchancellor of Germany, he ordered Reichchancellor of Germany, he ordered the mass executions of millions of Jews, the mass executions of millions of Jews, Gypsies, and homosexuals while sending Gypsies, and homosexuals while sending his armed forces against most of Europe his armed forces against most of Europe during World War II . Using a large and during World War II . Using a large and vicious secret police force to root out and vicious secret police force to root out and squelch any voices raised in opposition squelch any voices raised in opposition to his general rule or individual policies, to his general rule or individual policies, Hitler maintained his dictatorship with an Hitler maintained his dictatorship with an iron grip for more than a decade. iron grip for more than a decade.

Bad Guys

Martin Bormann

He has been described as coarse, brutal, and lacking in culture, and his slow and gradual rise in Hitler's esteem at first went unnoticed by other Nazi Party officials. Martin Bormann was said to have been an unlikable man, completely without moral sense. He was one of the major planners of the Final Solution, which called for the total elimination of European Jews. By the end of World War II (1939-45), Bormann had become second only to Adolf Hitler in the power he wielded.

ArtArt Kandinsky's "Sky Kandinsky's "Sky

Blue," "Moderation Blue," "Moderation Russian-born Wassily Russian-born Wassily

Kandinsky was one of the Kandinsky was one of the great masters of modern great masters of modern art and an outstanding art and an outstanding representative of the representative of the pure abstract painting pure abstract painting that dominated the first that dominated the first half of the twentieth half of the twentieth century. Though he came century. Though he came late to art--at age thirty--late to art--at age thirty--Kandinsky became highly Kandinsky became highly respected for his work, respected for his work, theories, and teaching. theories, and teaching.

Who DiedWho Died

Writer and poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in Writer and poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in

literature in 1911. One of Maeterlinck's early literature in 1911. One of Maeterlinck's early poems appeared in the November, 1883, issue of poems appeared in the November, 1883, issue of the periodical the periodical Jeune Belgique.Jeune Belgique. His second His second submission of poetry, however, met with harsh submission of poetry, however, met with harsh rejection. A letter from the magazine's editor, rejection. A letter from the magazine's editor, according to W. D. Halls in according to W. D. Halls in Maurice Maeterlinck: A Maurice Maeterlinck: A Study of His Life and Thought,Study of His Life and Thought, read: "M. Maeter.-- read: "M. Maeter.--bad, your verses to your friend Charles V[an] bad, your verses to your friend Charles V[an]

L[erberghe], supremely bad."L[erberghe], supremely bad."

Who DiedWho Died

A key figure in the creation of the Soviet A key figure in the creation of the Soviet

Union, Leon Trotsky was later unseated and Union, Leon Trotsky was later unseated and expelled by the ruthless Joseph Stalin. As a expelled by the ruthless Joseph Stalin. As a young man Trotsky became a disciple of Karl young man Trotsky became a disciple of Karl Marx and a friend of future Bolshevik leader Marx and a friend of future Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin.V.I. Lenin.

MoneyMoney

Postage stamps Postage stamps 3¢, of 1940. 3¢, of 1940.

gallon of gas 19¢ gallon of gas 19¢

Events of the Decade

• U.S. drops Atomic Bombs on Japan• Korean People's Republic (North

Korea)

ScienceScience

Bell Laboratories new "transistorBell Laboratories new "transistor Fluoride discovered to reduce dental Fluoride discovered to reduce dental

cavities cavities

Who's 'In' Josef Stalin Joseph Stalin was the

dictator of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953. His expansionist foreign policy after World War II contributed to the Cold War and the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Who's 'In'Who's 'In'

Attlee Attlee Clement Attlee Led the Clement Attlee Led the

British Labour party's rise British Labour party's rise to power when he was to power when he was elected prime minister in elected prime minister in 1945. He first became 1945. He first became involved in politics while involved in politics while working as a lawyer and working as a lawyer and teaching at Ruskin teaching at Ruskin College. College.

Media

• NBC Television Network on the air • Stars and Stripes U.S. Forces

publication

EntertainmentEntertainment

Mother Courage and Her Children" by Mother Courage and Her Children" by Berthold Brecht Berthold Brecht

Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit“Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit“Big Band Music Big Band Music

http://cfelt.com/bigband.htmlhttp://cfelt.com/bigband.html