1939: what happened around the world

In 1939, 276 events recorded on Erask's globe began — Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Allies of World War II and Winter War among the best known. 75 more were already under way, such as The Holocaust and Spanish Civil War. 147 things were founded or built that year, from Francoist Spain and Slovak Republic.

276events began
75already under way
147founded or built
See 1939 on the globe →

Wars, battles and sieges178

+138 less-known, on the globe.

Revolts, massacres and attacks48

+8 less-known, on the globe.

Accidents and fires29

Treaties, councils and politics12

Expeditions5

Disasters3

Other events1

Already under way in 193975

Came to an end in 193919

Founded or built in 1939147

+117 more, on the globe.

Stories that pass through 1939

Volcanic EruptionsEvery significant eruption on record since 1500 How America Filled UpEvery American city of 60,000 people, in the year it began Women's SuffrageA map filling in, one country at a time, 1893-2012 The Second World WarFrom the Marco Polo Bridge to Tokyo Bay, 1937–1945

Nearby years

1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 All of the 20th century →

Every entry comes from Wikidata and links to its Wikipedia article; entries are ordered by how many language editions of Wikipedia cover them. Only things with a date are listed, and dates before the modern era are often approximate. How this is made →