World Events in 1938
Munich Agreement
On 30 September, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy signed the Munich Agreement, ceding Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland to Hitler. Chamberlain returned to London declaring 'peace for our time', but the agreement is now regarded as the most notorious act of appeasement in modern history.
Anschluss — Germany Annexes Austria
On 12 March, German troops marched into Austria to enforce its annexation into the Third Reich. Hitler, himself Austrian-born, received a rapturous welcome in Vienna. The Western democracies protested but took no action.
Kristallnacht
On the night of 9-10 November, Nazi paramilitaries and civilians attacked Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues across Germany and Austria. Over 1,400 synagogues were destroyed, 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps, and at least 91 people were killed.
War of the Worlds Broadcast
On 30 October, Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre on the Air broadcast a radio dramatisation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds as a simulated news broadcast. The realistic format reportedly caused widespread panic among listeners who believed Martians had actually invaded New Jersey.
Superman Debuts
In June, Action Comics No. 1 introduced Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The character launched the superhero genre in comics and became a cultural icon. Original copies of this issue are now among the most valuable comic books in existence.
Music in 1938
"A-Tisket, A-Tasket"
Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb
Ella Fitzgerald's playful reworking of the nursery rhyme, recorded with drummer Chick Webb's orchestra, was a transatlantic smash and established the 20-year-old singer as a major star.
"A-Tisket, A-Tasket"
Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb and His Orchestra
This infectious swing number spent 19 weeks on the charts and was the song that made Ella Fitzgerald a household name. Her youthful energy and impeccable phrasing announced the arrival of one of the greatest voices in jazz history.
#1 Film of 1938
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Box Office: $3.9 million
Errol Flynn's swashbuckling Technicolor adventure became the year's biggest hit and is widely regarded as the finest adventure film of the 1930s. Its lavish production values and Erich Wolfgang Korngold's stirring score set the template for Hollywood adventure films.
Born in 1938
Christopher Lloyd
Actor — Doc Brown in Back to the Future, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family
Rod Laver
Australian tennis player — only person to win the calendar-year Grand Slam twice
Kofi Annan
Ghanaian diplomat — seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations; Nobel Peace Prize
Kenny Rogers
Country music star — The Gambler, Lucille, Islands in the Stream
Natalie Wood
Actress — West Side Story, Rebel Without a Cause, Splendor in the Grass
Lost in 1938
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey
Age 57
Karel Capek
Czech writer who coined the word 'robot' in his play R.U.R.
Age 48
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Italian poet, dramatist, and nationalist political figure
Age 74
Thomas Wolfe
American novelist — Look Homeward, Angel; You Can't Go Home Again
Age 37
Technology in 1938
Nuclear fission was discovered by Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann, though its significance would only become clear in the coming years. Ballpoint pens were patented by Laszlo Biro, and nylon stockings were about to transform the hosiery industry. Television sets were becoming available commercially in Britain.
- ● Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann achieve nuclear fission of uranium in Berlin
- ● Laszlo Biro patents the modern ballpoint pen in Hungary
- ● DuPont begins manufacturing nylon toothbrush bristles, the first nylon product
- ● Chester Carlson makes the first xerographic (photocopier) image
Cost of Living in 1938
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £570 | $4,300 |
| Average salary | £200 | $1,299 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | $0.06 |
| Loaf of bread | 4d | $0.09 |
| Dozen eggs | 1s | $0.32 |
| Pint of beer | 5d | $0.15 |
| Cinema ticket | 7d | $0.25 |
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The Zeitgeist of 1938
The year was dominated by the agonising question of war or peace. Chamberlain's Munich Agreement was initially greeted with relief but quickly became synonymous with appeasement. Kristallnacht revealed the murderous reality of Nazi antisemitism to the world. Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast caused panic, and Superman debuted in Action Comics, giving Americans a fantasy protector in uncertain times.
In the News in 1938
Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement. Kristallnacht attacked Jewish communities across Germany. Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast caused panic. Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss.