1939

Facts and Events That Happened in This Year

Dec 30

The American drama movie 'Of Mice and Men' was released in the US.

Dec 27

Between 20,000 and 40,000 people died in a magnitude eight earthquake in Erzincan, Turkey.

Dec 15

Gone with the Wind, the drama film directed by Victor Fleming, premiered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dec 14

After invading Finland, the Soviet Union was kicked out of the League of Nations.

Nov 20

DC Comics released Flash Comics Issue 1, featuring Flash Gordon.

Oct 11

US President Franklin D. Roosevelt received a letter from Albert Einstein detailing the possibility of atomic weapons.

Sep 30

The NBC broadcasted the first live American football game.

Sep 17

Finnish long-distance runner Taisto Mäki broke the 10,000-meter world record in 29:52:06.

Sep 14

The Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 became the first successful helicopter to fly.

Sep 1

Germany invaded Poland in the free city of Danzig, which started World War II.

Aug 27

The world's first jet-powered aircraft, the Heinkel He 178, completed its first flight.

Jul 13

Legend Frank Sinatra recorded his debut single with the Harry James band.

Jun 24

Siam changed its name to Thailand.

Jun 19

In Atlanta, Georgia, legislation passed that made pinball machines illegal in the city.

Jun 17

France carried out its last public execution.

Jun 7

Queen Elizabeth I and George VI became the first king and queen of Great Britain to travel to the US.

May 22

The 'Pact of Steel' was signed, an agreement between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.

May 17

The first televised baseball game was broadcasted on NBC, featuring Princeton defeating Colombia 2-1.

Apr 18

Robert Menzies, Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, was elected.

Mar 30

The Heinkel He 100 fighter set a world airspeed record of 463 mph (745 km/h).

Feb 28

The erroneous word 'Dord' was added to Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition.

Jan 24

Chillán earthquake killed approximately 28,000 people.