What happened in 1940
61 entries recorded for 1940, listed by date. That was 86 years ago.
1940 at a glance
- Years ago
- 86 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 20th century
- Decade
- 1940s
- Generation born
- Silent Generation
- Entries here
- 61
- Breakdown
- 61 historical events
February
- February 7
Walt Disney
Walt Disney's Pinocchio, the first animated feature to win a competitive Academy Award, debuted at the Center Theatre in New York City.
- February 10
Puss Gets the Boot
Puss Gets the Boot, the first Tom and Jerry cartoon, was released to theaters.
- February 10
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union begins mass deportations of Polish citizens from occupied eastern Poland to Siberia.
- February 15
Paul Creston
The official premiere of Paul Creston's Saxophone Sonata took place at the Carnegie Chamber Hall, with saxophonist Cecil Leeson, who commissioned the work, and Creston on piano.
- February 27
Martin Kamen
American biochemists Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, which is now used extensively as the basis of the radiocarbon dating method to date archaeological and geological samples.
- February 29
12th Academy Awards
At the 12th Academy Awards, Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to be awarded an Oscar, winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind.
March
- March 3
Left Party (Sweden)
Five people are killed in an arson attack on the offices of the communist newspaper Flamman in Luleå, Sweden.
- March 12
Moscow Peace Treaty
The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed, ending the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union.
April
- April 8
Mongolian People's Party
The Central Committee of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party elects Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal as General Secretary, marking the beginning of his 44-year-long tenure as de facto leader of Mongolia.
- April 9
World War II
World War II: During the German invasion of Norway, Vidkun Quisling attempted to seize power in the first coup to be broadcast over radio.
May
- May 5
World War II
World War II: A squad of 250 Norwegian volunteers defending Hegra Fortress surrendered to a superior Nazi force after a 25-day siege.
- May 7
Norway Debate
A three-day debate began in the House of Commons that resulted in British prime minister Neville Chamberlain being replaced by Winston Churchill (pictured).
- May 10
World War II
World War II: German forces commenced their invasion of Belgium.
- May 10
Neville Chamberlain
British prime minister Neville Chamberlain resigned and formally recommended Winston Churchill as his successor.
- May 14
World War II
World War II: The bulk of Dutch forces surrendered to the German Wehrmacht, ending the Battle of the Netherlands.
- May 25
World War II
Second World War: German troops captured Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, forcing British forces to evacuate via Dunkirk.
- May 26
World War II
Second World War: The Allies began a mass evacuation of British, French and Belgian troops cut off by the German army during the Battle of Dunkirk.
- May 27
World War II
World War II: Ninety-seven soldiers of the British Royal Norfolk Regiment were killed after surrendering to German forces.
- May 28
World War II
Second World War: Belgium surrendered to Nazi Germany, ending the Battle of Belgium.
- May 30
World War II
Second World War: HMS Cambrian was sunk by a mine in The Solent, with the loss of 23 lives.
June
- June 3
Franz Rademacher
Franz Rademacher, a Nazi official, proposed that the island of Madagascar be made available as a destination for the resettlement of the Jewish population of Europe.
- June 4
World War II
Second World War: The remaining Allied forces protecting the Dunkirk evacuation surrendered, ending the Battle of Dunkirk; in response, British prime minister Winston Churchill gave a speech in which he declared "We shall fight on the beaches".
- June 14
World War II
Second World War: Four days after the French government fled Paris, German forces occupied the French capital, a major accomplishment in the Fall Rot operation.
- June 14
Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania
The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum to Lithuania demanding that the Red Army be allowed to enter the country and form a pro-Soviet government.
- June 15
World War II
World War II: Operation Aerial begins: Allied troops start to evacuate France, following Germany's takeover of Paris and most of the nation.
- June 17
World War II
Second World War: RMS Lancastria was sunk by German aircraft near Saint-Nazaire, France, causing thousands of fatalities in Britain's worst maritime disaster.
- June 18
World War II
World War II: Charles de Gaulle gave his Appeal of 18 June speech, often considered to be the origin of the French Resistance.
- June 21
World War II
World War II: The main offensive of the unsuccessful Italian invasion of France began.
- June 24
World War II
Second World War: The British Army carried out Operation Collar, its first commando raid into German-occupied France.
- June 25
World War II
Second World War: Operation Aerial, an evacuation of nearly 200,000 Allied soldiers from French ports, was completed.
July
- July 1
World War II
Second World War: The Grand Quartier Général of the French Army was disbanded, following the French surrender.
- July 3
World War II
Second World War: The Royal Navy attacked the French fleet at Mers El Kébir (pictured), fearing that the ships would fall into Axis hands after the French–German armistice.
- July 6
Story Bridge
The Story Bridge in Brisbane, the longest cantilever bridge in Australia, was opened by Sir Leslie Wilson, Governor of Queensland.
- July 23
Sumner Welles
Sumner Welles, U.S. Under Secretary of State, issued a declaration that the U.S. government would not recognize the Soviet Union's annexation of the Baltic states.
- July 28
Salzburg Conference
At the Salzburg Conference, Adolf Hitler demanded the replacement of much of Slovakia's cabinet.
August
- August 3
World War II
World War II: Italian forces began a conquest of British Somaliland, capturing the region in 16 days.
- August 6
Estonia
Estonia is annexed by the Soviet Union.
- August 13
World War II
World War II: The German Luftwaffe launched an air operation, codenamed Adlertag, to destroy the British Royal Air Force; its failure indefinitely postponed the German invasion of the United Kingdom.
- August 18
World War II
Second World War: During the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe made an all-out effort to destroy RAF Fighter Command, with both sides combined losing more aircraft on this day than at any other point during the campaign.
- August 26
1940 New England hurricane
The 1940 New England hurricane formed over the Atlantic Ocean; it would go on to cause widespread damage despite never making landfall in the United States.
- August 31
World War II
Second World War: Two Royal navy destroyers were lost to mines and two other vessels damaged off Texel, Netherlands, killing around 300 men.
September
- September 7
World War II
Second World War: The Luftwaffe changed their strategy in the Battle of Britain and began bombing London and other cities and towns.
- September 14
Ip massacre
Hungarian forces massacred at least 150 ethnic Romanians in Ip, Transylvania, following rumors that Romanians were responsible for the deaths of two soldiers.
- September 16
World War II
Second World War: Italian forces captured the town of Sidi Barrani, but their invasion of Egypt progressed no further.
- September 19
World War II
World War II: Polish resistance leader Witold Pilecki allowed himself to be captured by German forces and sent to Auschwitz to gather intelligence.
- September 27
World War II
World War II: Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and the Empire of Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin, officially forming a military alliance known as the Axis.
- September 29
Royal Australian Air Force
During a Royal Australian Air Force training exercise over Brocklesby, two planes collided and interlocked in mid-air (pictured); the pilot of the upper plane was able to land safely using the lower plane's engines.
October
- October 14
World War II
Second World War: During the Blitz, a semi-armour-piercing fragmentation bomb fell on the road above Balham station in London, which was being used as an air raid shelter, killing at least 64 people.
- October 22
Vichy France
After evading Vichy French and Francoist Spanish authorities, Belgian prime minister Hubert Pierlot arrived in London, marking the beginning of the Belgian government in exile.
- October 28
World War II
World War II: Italy invaded Greece after Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas rejected Benito Mussolini's ultimatum demanding the cession of Greek territory.
November
- November 8
Greco-Italian War
The Italian invasion of Greece failed as outnumbered Greek units repulsed the Italians at the Battle of Elaia–Kalamas.
- November 10
1940 Vrancea earthquake
An earthquake registering 7.7 Mw struck the Vrancea region of Romania.
- November 11
World War II
Second World War: The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history against the Italians in the Battle of Taranto.
- November 12
World War II
World War II: Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov arrived in Berlin to discuss the possibility of the Soviet Union joining the Axis powers.
- November 13
Walt Disney
Walt Disney's Fantasia, the first commercial film shown with stereophonic sound, premiered at the Broadway Theatre in New York City.
- November 25
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland Mosquito, one of the most successful military aircraft in the Second World War, made its first flight.
- November 26
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard killed 64 political detainees at a penitentiary near Bucharest and followed up with several high-profile assassinations, including that of former Romanian prime minister Nicolae Iorga.
December
- December 9
World War II
Second World War: British and Commonwealth forces began Operation Compass, the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert campaign.
- December 20
Captain America
The superhero Captain America made his first published appearance in the comic book Captain America Comics #1.
- December 29
World War II
Second World War: The Luftwaffe began a major night bombing raid on the British capital as part of the Blitz, beginning what was later called the "Second Great Fire of London".
- December 30
Arroyo Seco Parkway
The Arroyo Seco Parkway, one of the first freeways built in the U.S., connecting downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena, California, was officially dedicated.
Questions about 1940
What happened in 1940?
This site records 61 entries for 1940, including Walt Disney on February 7. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1940?
86 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1940 turns 86 this year.
Which century is 1940 in?
1940 falls in the 20th century, in the 1940s.
Which generation was born in 1940?
Silent Generation (1928–1945). Children of the Depression and war years.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.