8.TT.1.2

the 1940's

Maegan Hoffman

March 6th, 2012 Coach Reid's 2nd Social Studies Class

The 1940's was a legendary decade of major historical events. When you think of the 1940's you would normally think of events in WWII, but there are also events in this decade that are historical and important.

The first year on the decade 1940's, around 5:30 p.m. On Agust 20,1940 Leon was sitting on his deck, helping a man on his article when Mercarder was waiting until Leon started to read the article, then snuk up behind him an him with an ice pick belted him in the head. Leon fought back and did so even until people came to his aid. He even fought his death to say who it was and who attack him.When Trotsky's body guards found Mercarder they started to beat him until Leon said “Don't kill him he must talk!” Leon was taken to the nearest ER. The doctors tried to save him by operating on his skull and brain twice, but Leon died at the hopital on August 21,1940, just a little over 25 hours after being attacked. He died at 60 years old. Mercarder was found guilty of murder and was sentanced to 20 years in jail. He was released in 1960.

On the morning of December 7,1941 the Japanese surprise air attack on the U.S. Naval base at pearl harbor in Hawaii. More the 2,400 Americans were killed, 21 ships had either sund or were damaged, and more than 188 U.S. Aircraft destroyed in the two hours! The attack at Pear Harbor on the Americans outraged them so much the U.S. Abandond its policy of isolationism and declared war the very next day. That brought the United States into World War II.

The folowing year, thirteen year old Anne Frank had been had been writing in her red-and-white checkerd diary for less than a month when her sister Margot got a call-up notice around 3 p.m on july 5,1942. Although the Franks had planned to go on the 16th they decided to go into hiding immediately so the Gastapo wouldn't get Margot. Everyone eventually died in the camps including Anne. Well, everyone but her father, Otto, anyways he survived. It was he who kept Anne's and the Frank's story alive.

In the next year 1943, in the United States, woman piolets were trained to fly non-combate missions in order to free male piolets in combate missions or P.O.W. They fired planes from the manufacturing plants to military bases, and ended up doing aircraft such as the B-29, to prove amle piolets that these were not as difficult to fly as they thought. In cause of this effort -WASP merged to become the Woman Airforce Service (WASP), with Conchran as director. More than 25,00 women applied, with piolets license ans many hours of experience.

160,000 allied troops landed along a 50- mile stretch on June 6, 1944. there was heavily fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. It was general Dwight D. Eisenhower who called the operation a crussade in which “We will accept nothing less than full victory.'' More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 air craft supported the D-day invasion, and by days end on June 6, the allies gained a foot ahead of Normandy. The D-day cost was high – more than 9,000 allied soldiers were killed or wounded, but more than 100,000 soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.

The next year, the idea for the sslinky toy origionated in 1943. When an engineer named Richar James dropped a tension spring on the ground and saw how it moved. He thought he might be on to something a bit more fun but universal at the same time. He took the spring home to his wife, Betty, and they both tried so long and so hard to think of a name for this unique toy. After searching in the dictionary they found the word “slinky” which meant sinuous and stealthy. The first Slinky sol;d was on 1945 in Gimbel's Department Store in Philadalphia, Pennsylvania. Ever since then stairs have never been lefft alone.

Winston Churchill, who have been deafeted during the coldwar for re-election of prime minister in 1945 was invited to a college in Fulton, Missouri where he gave his “Iron Curtain Speech.” Also President at the time, Truman joined along side Churchill. He gave his speech to a crowed of 40,000. In addition to getting an honourary degree from the same college, Churchill made his most famous post war speech, in the Missouri, college.

Chuck Yeager had two cracked ribs when he was riding his horse, but he was darnded sure to break the sound barrier in 1947. The U.S air force was counting on him. It was supposed to be his ninth time flighing in the experemental plane Xs-1, each one having edged closer to March1, the never crossed barrier past which man have never crossed had been in 1947.

George Gamow, Ralph Alpher and Robert Herman formulated the “Big bang” theory January 1,1948, it explains the origin of the universe I n terms of a huge explosion producing a burst of energy. It was a ginourmas burst of energy that started the universe.

Captain james Gallagher, flying the B-50 on febuary 26, 1949 at Carswell Air Force base in Fort Worth, Texas. The plane carrieed 14 crew members and averaged 246 miles per hour. The trip took 23,452 mile trip that end on March 2. This was nown as the first trip around the world.

These are some of the main events in the years 1940-1949. These events made a big change in the world as we now it. From the Assastionation of Loeon Trotsky to the First trip around the World. The events made a big change in the United States to even around the WORLD!

Work Cited Page

"1940 - Leon Trotsky Assassinated." //About.com 20th Century History//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  "1940 - Leon TrotskyÂ Assassinated." //About.com 20th Century History//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  "1942 - Anne Frank Goes IntoÂ Hiding." //About.com 20th Century History//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  "Http://womenshistory.about.com/od/waspwwiiaviation." //Wasp-woman Air Force Piolets//. Web  "1945 - Slinky Toy HitsÂ Shelves." //About.com 20th Century History//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  "Winston Churchill's Iron CurtainÂ Speech." //About.com 20th Century History//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  "Chuck Yeager Events." //Timelines.com//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  "The Energy Library." //The Energy Library//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .  //The First Trip around the World//. Web. .