1946

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Here is what was happening in the world.

January

• January 4 - Theodore Schurch becomes the last person to be executed for offences committed under the Treachery Act of 1940

• January 7 - Allies recognize Austrian republic with 1937 borders - the country is divided into four occupation zones

• January 10 - First meeting of the United Nations

• January 10 - Project Diana bounces Radar waves off the moon, measuring the exact distance between the earth and the moon and proving that the communication was possible between the earth and outer space, effectively opening the space age.

• January 16 - Charles de Gaulle resigns as a head of a French provisional government

• January 17

  • The UN Security Council holds its first session

  • Senator Dennis Chavez (D-NM) calls for a vote on an FEPC bill which called for the end to discrimination in the work place. A filibuster prevents it from passing.

• January 20 - Charles De Gaulle resigns as president of France

• January 22 - Iran:Qazi Muhammad declares the independent people's Republic of Mahabad at the Chuwarchira Square in the kurdish city of Mahabad. He is the new president, Hadschi Baba Scheich is the prime minister.

• January 25 - The United Mine Workers rejoins the American Federation of Labor

• January 29 - Central Intelligence Group established, CIA established in 1947

• January 31 - Yugoslavia's new constitution, modeling the Soviet Union, establishes six constituent republics (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia).

February

• February 1 - Trygve Lie of Norway is picked to be the first United Nations Secretary General.

• February 2 - Kingdom of Hungary becomes a republic.

• February 14 - ENIAC (for "Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer"), the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania

• February 15 - Canada indicts 22 communist agents.

• February 28 - In Philadelphia, strikers of General Electric and police clash

March

• March 2 - British troops withdraw from Iran according to treaty - Soviets do not.

• March 2 - Ho Chi Minh elected the President of North Vietnam

• March 5 - In his speech in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill talks about Iron Curtain.

• March 6 - Vietnam War: Ho Chi Minh signs an agreement with France which recognizes Vietnam as an autonomous state in the Indochinese Federation and the French Union.

• March 10 - British troops begin withdrawal from Lebanon

• March 15 - Clement Attlee promises independence to India as soon as they can agree on constitution

• March 19 - Soviet Union and Switzerland reform diplomatic relations.

• March 22 – Great Britain grants Transjordan, as it was then known, its independence. Three years later the country changes its name to Jordan. ^[1]

April

• April 1 - 14-meter high tsunami strikes Hilo, Hawaii - 173 dead, thousands injured.

• April 1 - Formation of the Malayan Union.

• April 1 - Singapore becomes a Crown colony

• April 3 - Japanese Lt. General Masaharu Homma is executed outside Manila in the Philippines for leading the Bataan Death March.

• April 7 - Syria's independence from France is officially recognized

• April 10 - In Japan, women vote for the first time in parliamentarian elections

• April 18 - USA recognizes Josip Broz Tito's government in Yugoslavia

• April 18 - Last meeting of League of Nations – it transfers its mission to United Nations and disbands itself.

• April 29 - Trial against war criminals begin in Tokyo – accused include Hideki Tojo, Shigenori Togo and Hiroshi Oshima.

May

• May 2 - Six prisoners unsuccessfully try to escape from the Alcatraz prison island

• May 5 - Glenmore Celtic FC Founded in Dublin Ireland

• May 7 - Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded with about 20 employees.

• May 9 - King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy abdicates, and is succeeded by his son Humbert II.

• May 10 - Nehru elected leader of the Congress Party in India

• May 20 - In Britain, the House of Commons decides to nationalize mines.

• May 21 - Radiation accident in Los Alamos laboratory; Dr Louis Slotin saves his coworkers but receives a fatal dose of radiation. Incident is initially classified

• May 22 - Kingdom of Transjordan founded.

• May 25 - The parliament of Transjordan makes emir Abdullah their king.

• May 26 - Czechoslovak parliamentary election, last before communist take over

• May 31 - Greece referendum supports return of monarchy

June

• June 1 - Ion Antonescu, prime minister and "Conducător" (Leader) of Romania during World War II is executed; he was found guilty of betraying Romanian people for benefits of Germany and sentenced to death by Bucharest People's Tribunal.

• June 2 - In a referendum Italians decide to turn Italy from a monarchy into a Republic. After this referendum the king of Italy Umberto II di Savoia was exiled. Women vote for the first time.

• June 6 - The Basketball Association of America is formed in New York City.

• June 8 - In Indonesia, Sukarno incites his supporters to fight Dutch colonial occupation

• June 9 - In Thailand, king Rama IX accedes the throne.

• June 10 - Italy declared republic

• June 13 - Humbert II of Italy leaves the country and goes into exile in Portugal; Alcide de Gasperi becomes head of state.

• June 17 - Tornado on the Detroit river - 17 dead

July-September

• July 4 - After over 425 years of Western Dominance , the Philippines achieves full independence.

• July 5 - Bikinis go on sale in Paris

• July 7 - Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini becomes the first American saint to be canonized.

• July 21 - Irgun bomb explodes in Jerusalem.

• July 22 - King David Hotel bombing: Irgun bombs King David Hotel in Jerusalem, headquarters of the British civil and military administration killing 90.

• July 25 - Nuclear testing: In the first underwater test of the atomic bomb, the surplus USS Saratoga is sunk near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean when the United States detonates the "Baker Day" device.

• July 25 - At Club 500 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis stage their first show as a comedy team.

• August 18 - Founding of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.

• August 19 - Violence between Muslims and Hindus in Calcutta – 3000 dead.

• August 25 - Ben Hogan wins PGA Championship

• September 4 - Street violence between Muslims and Hindus in Bombay.

• September 8 - Bulgaria declared a People's Republic after a referendum – King Simeon II leaves.

• September 28 - George II of Greece returns to Athens

October

• October 2 - Communists take over in Bulgaria

• October 13 - France adopts the constitution of the Fourth Republic.

• October 15 - Nuremberg Trials: Founder of the Gestapo and recently convicted Nazi war criminal, Hermann Göring, poisons himself hours before his scheduled execution.

• October 23 - United Nations' first meeting in Long Island.

November

• November 6 - Senate and House elections in the United States both give majorities to the Republicans.

• November 8 - Vietnamese riot in Haiphong and clash with French troops. French cruiser Suffren opens fire. 6000 Vietnamese killed.

• November 12 - Truce between Indonesian nationalist troops and Dutch army in Indonesia.

• November 12 - A branch of the Exchange National Bank in Chicago, Illinois opens the first ten drive-up teller windows.

• November 17 - Eight British servicemen are killed in Jerusalem by Jewish terrorists.

• November 15 - Netherlands recognized Republic of Indonesia.

• November 19 - Afghanistan, Iceland and Sweden join the United Nations

• November 22 - Tony Benn is elected as Treasurer of the Oxford Union.

• November 27 - Cold War: Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appeals to the United States and the Soviet Union to end nuclear testing and to start nuclear disarmament, stating that such an action would "save humanity from the ultimate disaster."

December

• December 11 - UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) founded.

• December 12 - United Nations severs relations with Franco's Spain and recommends the member countries to sever diplomatic relations

• December 12 - Léon Blum founds a government of socialist parties in France

• December 19 - Martial law in Vietnam

• December 22 - Havana Conference begins between US organized crime bosses in Havana, Cuba

• December 24 - France's Fourth Republic founded

• December 26 - Flamingo Hotel opens in Las Vegas.

• December 31 - President Harry Truman officially proclaims an end of hostilities in World War II.

Unknown Dates

• The 20mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun is invented.

• Devil's Island penal colony closes permanently.

• Female suffrage in Belgium, Romania, Yugoslavia, Argentina and Canadian province of Quebec. First female police officers in Korea and Japan.

• Chinese Civil War intensifies between Kuomintang and Communist Party of China.

• First Tupperware sold in department and hardware stores.

• Grantley Adams becomes the premier of Barbados.

• Alcatraz Island prison riot.

• The British government takes emergency powers to deal with the balance-of-payments crisis.

• Eva Perón tours Spain, Italy and France on behalf of Argentina, a circuit called the Rainbow Tour.

• Breathalyzer machine for estimating blood alcohol concentration was invented.

• Howard Hyde Russell established the Anti-Saloon League.

• George Orwell writes Politics and the English Language

Famous Boomer Birthdays

January

• January 3 - John Paul Jones, English bassist (Led Zeppelin)

• January 3 - Cissy King, American dancer and singer The Lawrence Welk Show

• January 5 - Diane Keaton, American actress

• January 6 - Syd Barrett, English guitarist and singer (Pink Floyd)

• January 8 - Stanton Peele, American psychologist

• January 8 - Robby Krieger, American musician (The Doors)

• January 11 - Naomi Judd, American singer

• January 11 - John Piper, American theologian

• January 12 - George Duke, American musician

• January 19 - Dolly Parton, American singer and actress

• January 20 - David Lynch, American film director

• January 21 - Johnny Oates, baseball player and manager (d. 2004)

• January 22 - Serge Savard, Canadian hockey player and executive

• January 24 - Michael Ontkean, Canadian actor

• January 26 - Gene Siskel, American film critic (d. 1999)

• January 27 - Nedra Talley, American singer (Ronettes)

• January 31 - Terry Kath, American musician (d. 1978)

February

• February 6 - Jim Turner, American politician

• February 14 - Gregory Hines, American dancer and actor (d. 2003)

• February 19 - Karen Silkwood, American activist (d. 1974)

• February 21 - Tyne Daly, American actress

• February 21 - Alan Rickman, English actor

• February 24 - Barry Bostwick, American actor

March-April

• March 6 - David Gilmour, English musician (Pink Floyd)

• March 7 - Peter Wolf, American musician (J Geils Band)

• March 8 - Linda Kelliher Samets, American entrepreneur

• March 12 - Liza Minnelli, American singer and actress

• March 15 - Bobby Bonds, baseball player and manager (d. 2003)

• March 21 - Timothy Dalton, Welsh actor

• March 31 - Gonzalo Márquez, Venezuelan Major League Baseball player (d. 1984)

• April 4 - Dave Hill, English guitarist (Slade)

• April 4 - Craig T. Nelson, American actor

• April 7 - John Loder, co founder of a anarcho-punk band CRASS

• April 12 - Ed O'Neill, American actor

• April 16 - Margot Adler, American journalist

• April 19 - Tim Curry, British actor, vocalist, and composer

• April 25 - Talia Shire, American actress

May

• May 7 - Thelma Houston, American singer

• May 9 - Candice Bergen, American actress

• May 10 - Dave Mason, English musician (Traffic)

• May 11 - Robert Jarvik, American physicist and inventor

• May 18 - Reggie Jackson, baseball player

• May 19 - André the Giant, French professional wrestling (d. 1993)

• May 20 - Cher, American actress and singer

• May 26 - Mick Ronson, American guitarist (d. 1993)

• May 30 - Candy Lightner, American founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving

June

• June 12 - Harry Glasper, Football historian

• June 14 - Donald Trump, American real estate magnate

• June 15 - Noddy Holder, English singer (Slade)

• June 15 - Janet Lennon, American singer, The Lennon Sisters

• June 24 - Ellison Onizuka, astronaut (d. 1986)

• June 29 - Egon von Furstenberg, Swiss fashion designer (d. 2004)

July

• July 2 - Richard Axel, American scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

• July 4 - Ed O'Ross, American actor

• July 6 - George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States

• July 6 - Sylvester Stallone, American actor

• July 9 - Bon Scott, Australian singer (AC/DC) (d. 1980)

• July 13 - Cheech Marin, American actor and comedian

• July 15 - Linda Ronstadt, American singer and songwriter

• July 22 - Danny Glover, American actor

• July 23 - Sally Flynn, American singer The Lawrence Welk Show

• July 25 - Rita Marley, Jamaican singer

• July 30 - Neil Bonnett, American race car driver (d. 1994)

August

• August 1 - Sandi Griffiths, American singer

• August 19 - Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States

• August 23 - Keith Moon, English drummer (The Who) (d. 1978)

• August 25 - Rollie Fingers, baseball player

• August 26 - Valerie Simpson, American singer

• August 26 - Mark Snow, American composer

• August 26 - Tom Ridge, first United States Secretary of Homeland Security

September

• September 4 - Gary Duncan, American guitarist (Quicksilver Messenger Service)

• September 4 - Greg Elmore, American drummer (Quicksilver Messenger Service)

• September 5 - Freddie Mercury, Zanzibar-born singer (Queen) (d. 1991)

• September 7 - Willie Crawford, baseball player (d. 2004)

• September 9 - Bruce Palmer, Canadian musician (Buffalo Springfield) (d. 2004)

• September 9 - Billy Preston, American soul musician (d. 2006)

• September 10 - Jim Hines, American athlete

• September 15 - Tommy Lee Jones, American actor

• September 15 - Oliver Stone, American film director

October

• October 3 -