1940: what happened around the world

In 1940, 282 events recorded on Erask's globe began — Katyn massacre, Battle of France and 1948 Palestine war among the best known. 98 more were already under way, such as The Holocaust and Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. 117 things were founded or built that year, from Auschwitz and Vichy France.

282events began
98already under way
117founded or built
See 1940 on the globe →

Wars, battles and sieges159

+119 less-known, on the globe.

Revolts, massacres and attacks68

+28 less-known, on the globe.

Accidents and fires35

Treaties, councils and politics10

Disasters7

Expeditions3

Already under way in 194098

Came to an end in 194021

Founded or built in 1940117

+87 more, on the globe.

Stories that pass through 1940

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

1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 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 →