Events and trends

Technology

• First nuclear bomb
• First cruise missile, the V1 flying bomb and the first ballistic missile, the V-2 rocket
• First transistor
• Colossus, the world's first totally electronic computer. See History of computing hardware
• First supersonic flight by Chuck Yeager on October 14, 1947

The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18 km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ... A Tomahawk cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile which uses a lifting wing and most often a jet propulsion system to allow sustained flight. ... The Vergeltungswaffe 1 Fi 103 / FZG-76 (V-1), known as the Flying bomb, Buzz bomb or Doodlebug, was the first modern guided missile used in wartime and the first cruise missile. ... Polish missile wz. ... German test launch. ... Through hole transistors (tape measure marked in centimeters) The transistor is a solid state semiconductor device which can be used for amplification, switching, voltage stabilisation, signal modulation and many other functions. ... A Colossus Mark II computer. ... Computing hardware has been an essential component of the process of calculation and data storage since it became necessary for data to be processed and shared. ... This article concerns the process of flying. ... General Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Chuck Yeager (born February 13, 1923 in Myra, Lincoln County, West Virginia) is a former World War II ace and test pilot. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Science

• Quantum electrodynamics developed by Feynman, Dyson, Schwinger, and Tomonaga
• Mathematics: game theory, cryptology
• TRIZ

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is a quantum field theory of electromagnetism. ... Richard Phillips Feynman (May 11, 1918–February 15, 1988) (surname pronounced FINE-man; in IPA) was one of the most influential American physicists of the 20th century, expanding greatly the theory of quantum electrodynamics. ... Freeman Dyson at Harvard University in 2004 Freeman John Dyson (born December 15, 1923) is an English-born American physicist and mathematician. ... Julian Seymour Schwinger (February 12, 1918 -- July 16, 1994) was an American theoretical physicist. ... Sin-Itiro Tomonaga or Shinichirō Tomonaga (朝永 振一郎 Tomonaga Shinichirō, March 31, 1906–July 8, 1979) was a Japanese physicist, influential in the development of quantum electrodynamics, work for which he was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 along with Richard Feynman and Julian Schwinger. ... Mathematics, often abbreviated maths in Commonwealth English and math in American English, is the study of abstraction. ... Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that uses models to study interactions with formalised incentive structures (games). It has applications in a variety of fields, including economics, international relations, evolutionary biology, political science, and military strategy. ... Cryptography (from Greek kryptós, hidden, and gráphein, to write) is, traditionally, the study of means of converting information from its normal, comprehensible form into an incomprehensible format, rendering it unreadable without secret knowledge — the art of encryption. ... For the U.S. government securities, see Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities TRIZ (pronounced [treez]) is a Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TIPS) developed by Genrich Altshuller and his colleagues. ...

War, peace and politics

• World War II ends in 1945
• The shoah (Holocaust)
• Beginning of the Cold War
• Independence for some former colonies
• 1948 Arab-Israeli War
• The Irish Free State becomes a republic in 1948
• NATO founded in 1949
• The Chinese Civil War ends in victory for the Communists
• Informbiro period in Yugoslavia begins
• Indian independence and partition
• US Air Force civilian auxiliary the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) formed

Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article deals with the Nazi Holocaust. ... This article deals with the Nazi Holocaust. ... The Cold War ( 1947- 1991) was the open yet restricted rivalry that developed after World War II between groups of nations practicing different ideologies and political systems. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... World map of colonialism circa 1945. ... The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, called the War of Independence (Hebrew: מלחמת העצמאות) by Israelis and al Nakba (Arabic: النكبة, the catastrophe) by Arabs, was the first in a series of wars in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was (1922–1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and Irish... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The flag of NATO NATO 2002 Summit The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1949. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... The Chinese Civil War was a conflict in China between the Kuomintang (the Nationalist Party; KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC). ... Communist Party of China flag The Communist Party of China ( Simplified Chinese: 中国共产党; Traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨; pinyin: ) is the ruling party of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Informbiro (also the Informbiro period or the Time of the Informbiro) was a period 1948-1955 in the history of Yugoslavia characterized by conflict and schism with the Soviet Union. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all south Slavic languages) is a term used for three separate but successive political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... The Partition of India was the process by which British dependencies and treaty states in the Indian subcontinent were granted independence in the 1940s. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The Civil Air Patrol, or CAP, is the auxiliary service of the United States Air Force (USAF). ...

Economics

• The Marshall Plan is implemented by the United States, giving billions of dollars in aid to reconstruct the war-devastated economies of Europe

U.S. postage stamp issued 1997 honoring the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...

Culture, religion

• Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life
• The NBA begins play, in 1947
• Rhythm and blues emerges

Frank Capra (May 18, 1897 - September 3, 1991) was an American film director and a major creative force behind a number of highly popular films. ... Its a Wonderful Life is a 1946 Frank Capra film, released originally by RKO Radio Pictures. ... The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ...

Others

People

World leaders

• Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King (Canada)
• President Lin Sen (Republic of China)
• President Chiang Kai-shek (Republic of China)
• Marshal Henri Petain (Vichy France}
• Adolf Hitler (Germany)
• Mohandas Gandhi (India) († 1948)
• Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (India)
• Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion (Israel)
• King Victor Emmanuel III (Italy)
• Prime Minister Benito Mussolini (Italy)
• Emperor Hirohito (Japan)
• Pope Pius XII
• Taoiseach Eamon de Valera (Éire)
• Taoiseach John A. Costello (Republic of Ireland)
• Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)
• Prime Minister Winston Churchill (United Kingdom)
• Prime Minister Clement Attlee (United Kingdom)
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt (United States)
• President Harry S. Truman (United States)
• Governor Luis Muñoz Marín (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico)
• President Getúlio Vargas (Brazil)

William Lyon Mackenzie King ( December 17, 1874– July 22, 1950) was the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921, to June 28, 1926; September 25, 1926, to August 7, 1930; and October 23, 1935, to November 15, 1948. ... Canada is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ... Lin Sen (Chinese: 林森, pinyin: Lín Sēn) (1868 – August 1, 1943), courtesy name Zichao (子超), sobriquet Changren (長仁), was Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China from 1932 until his death. ... The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: 中華民國; Simplified Chinese: 中华民国; Wade-Giles: Chung-hua Min-kuo, Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó) is a multiparty democratic state that is de facto composed of the island groups of Taiwan, the Pescadores, Quemoy, and the Matsu. ... Chiang Kai-shek ( October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was a Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. ... The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: 中華民國; Simplified Chinese: 中华民国; Wade-Giles: Chung-hua Min-kuo, Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó) is a multiparty democratic state that is de facto composed of the island groups of Taiwan, the Pescadores, Quemoy, and the Matsu. ... World War II and Vichy France After the fall of France during World War II, in the spring of 1940, the Chamber of Deputies appointed Pétain as Prime Minister of France and granted him extraordinary powers. ... Vichy France (French: now called Régime de Vichy or Vichy; called itself at the time État Français, or French State) was the French state of 1940-1944 which was a puppet government under Nazi influence, as opposed to the Free French Forces, based first in London and later in Algiers. ... Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945), a German politician who was the founder of the Third Reich (1933-1945), is widely regarded as one of the most significant and reviled leaders in world history. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ... Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948) (Devanagari: मोहनदास करमचन्द गांधी), called Mahatma Gandhi, was the charismatic leader who brought the cause of Indias independence from British colonial rule to world attention. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू, Javāharlāl Nehrū) (November 14, 1889 – May 27, 1964), also called Pandit (Teacher) Nehru, was the leader of the socialist wing of the Indian National Congress during and after Indias struggle for independence from the British Empire. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... David Ben-Gurion David Ben-Gurion (October 16, 1886—December 1, 1973; Hebrew: דוד בן גוריון) was the first Prime Minister of Israel. ... The State of Israel (Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, transliteration: ; Arabic: دَوْلَةْ اِسْرَائِيل, transliteration: ) is a country in the Middle East on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. ... Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele III) (November 11, 1869 - December 28, 1947), nicknamed The Soldier, was the King of Italy (July 29, 1900 - May 9, 1946), and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia (1936 - 1943) and King of Albania (1939 - 1943). ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Hirohito (裕仁), the Shōwa Emperor (昭和天皇), (April 29, 1901 - January 7, 1989) reigned over Japan from 1926 to 1989. ... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... The Venerable Pius XII, born Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Eugenio Pacelli (Rome, March 2, 1876 - October 9, 1958) served as the Pope from March 2, 1939 to 1958. ... Eamon de Valera1 (born Edward George de Valera, Irish name Éamonn de Bhailéara) (October 14, 1882 - August 29, 1975), was a leader of Irelands struggle for independence from Britain in the early 20th Century, and of the Republican opposition in the ensuing Irish Civil War, and was subsequently... Map of Éire Éire (pronounced AIR uh, in the Irish language, translated as Ireland) is the name given in Article 4 of the 1937 Irish constitution to the 26-county Irish state, created under the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, which was known between 1922 and 1937 as the Irish Free... John Aloysius Costello (20 June 1891 - 5 January 1976), a successful barrister, was one of the main legal advisors to the government of the Irish Free State after independence, Attorney-General of Ireland from 1926-1932 and Taoiseach from 1948-1951 and 1954-1957. ... The Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვილი; see Other names section) (December 21, 1879[1] – March 5, 1953) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and leader of the Soviet Union. ... Soviet Union - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS (November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965) was a British statesman, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. At various times an author, soldier, journalist, and politician, Churchill is generally regarded as... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH (January 3, 1883 – October 8, 1967) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... For the victim of Mt. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... Luis Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898 - April 30, 1980) was a poet, journalist and politician. ... The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico) is a self-governing unincorporated organized territory of the United States located east of the Dominican Republic in the northeastern Caribbean. ... Getúlio Dornelles Vargas ( April 19, 1883 - August 24, 1954) was the president of Brazil from 1930 to 1945 and from 1950 to his suicide in 1954. ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ...

Sports figures

• Joe Louis
• Sugar Ray Robinson
• Ted Williams
• Jackie Robinson
• Joe DiMaggio
• Sammy Baugh
• Steve Van Buren
• Satchel Paige

WWII poster featuring Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914–April 12, 1981), better known in the boxing world as Joe Louis and nicknamed The Brown Bomber, was a native of Lexington, Alabama who became World Heavyweight Champion. ... Walker Smith Jr. ... Ted Williams & Tom Yawkey Theodore Samuel Ted Williams (August 30, 1918 - July 5, 2002), also called The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame or The Kid, was a Baseball Hall of Famer who spent 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service, with the Boston Red Sox. ... Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 - October 24, 1972) became the first African American Major League Baseball player of the modern era in 1947. ... Joseph Paul DiMaggio (born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio November 25, 1914 in Martinez, California - March 8, 1999 in Hollywood, Florida) was an American baseball player. ... Samuel Adrian Baugh (b. ... Steve Van Buren (b. ... Leroy Robert Satchel Paige (7 July 1906 - 8 June 1982) was one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time. ...

Entertainers

• Abbott and Costello
• Bette Davis
• Bing Crosby
• Bob Hope
• Cary Grant
• Clark Gable
• Frank Sinatra
• Humphrey Bogart
• Ingrid Bergman
• James Cagney
• Jimmy Stewart
• Katharine Hepburn
• Lauren Bacall
• John Wayne
• Orson Welles
• Spencer Tracy
• Duke Ellington