The Year 1940
History and Politics
World War II: Finland signs peace treaty with USSR after being attacked.
Germany invades Norway and Denmark.
Churchill becomes British Prime Minister.
Germany invades Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Italy declares war on France and Britian.
RAF begins night bombing of Germany.
Japan, Germany, and Italy sign military and economic pact.
Congress passes Selective Service Act to mobilize US military.
Germany intensifies U-boat warfare.
Eight Army under Wavell opens offensive in North Africa.
Trotsky assassinated in Mexico on Stalin's orders.
F.D. Roosevelt re-elected President of the US for third term.
President Roosevelt appoints Frank Murphy to Supreme Court.
Science, Technology, Growth
Giant ciclotron built at the University of California
for producing mesotrons from atomic nuclei.
Howard Florey developes penicillin as a practical anitbody.
New combustion chamber for jet engines designed.
Cavity magnetron invented.
First electronic microscope demonstrated by Radio Corp. of America, Camden, N.J.
Edwin McMillan and Philip Abelson (both US) discover neptunium,
first transuranic element (atomic number 93)
First successful helicopter flight in US by Vought-Sikorsky Corp.
Daily Life
George Cross instituted by King George VI.
Jack Dempsey retires from the ring.
Statistics: US population of 132 millon, average life expectancy
in US is 64 (from 49 in 1900), 30 millon US homes have radios.
US Lawn Tennis Assc. Men's Singles won by W. Donald
Mc Neill; Women's Singles won by Alice Marble.
US Gold Assc. Amateur championship won by R.D.
Chapman; Open by W. Lawson Little Jr.
"Bimelech," F.A. Smith up, wins Belmont and Preakness Stakes.
World Series won by Cincinnati (NL) against Detroit (AL), 4-3.
Galloping Gertie, suspension bridge over the Puget Sound,
breaks up in wind and drops alomost 200 feet.
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