Transcript Pop Culture - Glasgow Independent Schools

Decade:1940s
World War II

1940
◦ Census shows an increase of 7.3%
in population since the 1930
census. This is the lowest rate of
increase during the 20th century.
◦ US Government approves a sale of
surplus war material to Great
Britain.
◦ US Congress approves the first
peacetime conscription draft
(Selective Training and Service Act
of 1940).
◦ President Roosevelt is elected for a
third term. He becomes the first
man to hold office for three terms.

1941
◦ The Lend-Lease Act is
approved, providing Great
Britain and other allies with $7
billion in military credits for
American war supplies.
◦ US declares war on Japan on
December 8 and officially
enters the war.

1942
◦ Japanese detainment camps are
established along the west
coast. 110,000 Japanese
Americans are confined to the
camps.
◦ Development of the first atomic
bomb is signed into agreement
between Winston Churchill and
Franklin Roosevelt. It would be
successfully detonated 6
months later in December.

1943
◦ Jefferson Memorial in
Washington, D.C. is
dedicated on the 200th
anniversary of Thomas
Jefferson’s birth.
◦ The Tehran Conference is
held for 3 days. Franklin
Roosevelt, Winston
Churchill, and Josef Stalin
agree on a plan for a June
invasion of Europe, under
the code name Operation
Overlord.
◦ Construction of the
Pentagon, which began in
1941, was completed.

1944
◦ Normandy Invasion, DDay, occurs when 155,000
troops land in France. This
is the largest amphibious
military operation in
history.
◦ The G.I. Bill of Rights is
signed into law, providing
benefits to veterans.
◦ The greatest continental US
tragedy of WWII occurs
when two ships loading
ammunition at a naval
station in CA explodes,
killing 320 people.

1945
◦ Pres. Franklin
Roosevelt, PM Winston
Churchill, and Premier
Josef Stalin hold the
Yalta Conference,
agreeing to require
Germany’s
unconditional
surrender and to set up
four occupation zones
in Germany after the
war.
◦ Pres. Roosevelt dies
suddenly; VP Harry S.
Truman assumes the
presidency.
◦ Germany
unconditionally
surrenders in May.
◦ The atomic bomb is
dropped on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, Japan in
Aug. Japan surrenders.

1947
◦ The Truman Doctrine is implemented, granting
$400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey to battle
Communist terrorism.
◦ The Marshall Plan is established, giving aid to
European nations for war recovery. $12 billion
would be given over a four year period.

1949
◦ NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is
formed between the US, Canada and ten Western
European countries, stating that any attack one
nation would be considered an attack against them
all.

1940

1941
◦ Fantasia by Walt Disney
◦ Pinocchio by Walt
Disney
◦ F. Scott Fitzgerald dies
from a heart attack
◦ Tom and Jerry
(originally called Jasper
and Jinx)
◦ Bugs Bunny (The Wild
Hare)
◦ Curious George by H.A.
Rey
◦ Boogie Woogie Bugle
Boy by The Andrews
Sisters
◦ Captain America comic
book
◦ Dumbo movie by Walt
Disney

1942

1943

1946

1947
◦ Casablanca (starring
Humphrey Bogart)
◦ Bambi
◦ Oklahoma premieres on
Broadway
◦ Norman Rockwell’s
Rosie the Riveter is
shown on the front
cover of the Saturday
Evening Post
◦ It’s a Wonderful Life
(starring Jimmy Stewart)
◦ A Streetcar Named
Desire – play written by
Tennessee Williams
◦ Miracle on 34th Street

1946
◦ The Basketball Association of America is founded. It
would merge with the National Basketball League to
form the National Basketball Association in 1949.

1947
◦ Jackie Robinson breaks Major League Baseball’s
barrier against colored players when he debuts at
first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1943
◦ Slinky
◦ Silly putty

1944
◦ Kidney dialysis machine

1945
◦ Atomic bomb invented
◦ Microwave oven
◦ First computer (ENIAC)

1948
◦ Frisbee
◦ Velcro

1940
◦ The Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is
officially dedicated. It is
the most visited park in the
NPS today.

1941
◦ Pearl Harbor is attacked on
December 7 by Japanese
fighter pilots.

1942
◦ T-shirt introduced

1947
◦ Chuck Yeager breaks the
sound barrier

1949
◦ Captain James Gallagher
completes the first
around-the-world nonstop airplane flight.
◦ Candyland board game
makes it’s debut

As the Great Depression came to an end and war
descended on Europe, fashion for both men and
women was dictated by economics more strongly
than it had been during the first world war and
the 1930s. The war meant Paris and Italy were no
longer fashion leaders, and strict rationing,
beginning in Britain in 1939 and America in
1941, meant designers had their work cut out for
them. Substance mattered much more than style.
Everyone needed practical, sturdy clothing, and
no one wanted to be accused of a lack of
patriotism by wearing something too flashy.
Natural fibers weren't used for civilian wear,
because they were needed for uniforms.

Women
◦ Women's clothes of the
1940s were typically
modeled after the utility
clothes produced during
war rationing. Squared
shoulders, narrow hips,
and skirts that ended just
below the knee were the
height of fashion.
Tailored suits were also
quite popular.
Utility clothing
was introduced by
the British in 1941
to aid the
economy and help
the war effort.
Although utility
clothing was not
manufactured by
the military, it was
very close to
becoming a
“civilian uniform.”

Men
◦ Men's suits lost their vests,
pocket flaps and trouser
cuffs.
◦ The end of the war and
rationing in America saw
the development of the
style that is most often
associated with the swing
era. Clothes were full-cut
again, with doublebreasted, longer jackets
and wider trousers. Shirts
and coats came in a range
of colors and hand-painted
silk ties ran the range from
elegant to exotic featuring geometric
designs or pin-up girls.
Everyone wore a tie and
through it, a man could
express his individuality.
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Take a powder – to leave
Fuddy-Duddy – old-fashioned person
Gobbledygook – double talk, long speech
Fat-head – stupid or foolish person
Chrome-dome – word for a bald headed man
Eager beaver – enthusiastic helper
In cahoots with – conspiring with
Snap your cap – get angry
Above my pay grade – don’t ask me
Cook with gas – to do something right
Flip your wig – to lose control of yourself
Pennies from heaven – easy money
Gone with the wind – run off (with the money)
Lettuce - money
Gas - either a good time or something that was really funny
Grandstand – to show off
What’s buzzin’, cousin? – how’s it going?