World Events in 1939
Germany Invades Poland — World War II Begins
On 1 September, German forces invaded Poland using Blitzkrieg tactics, overwhelming Polish defences within weeks. Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September, beginning the most devastating conflict in human history.
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
On 23 August, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact that secretly divided Eastern Europe between them. The deal stunned the world and freed Hitler to invade Poland without fear of a two-front war.
End of the Spanish Civil War
In April, General Franco's Nationalist forces captured Madrid, ending nearly three years of civil war that killed over 500,000 people. Franco established a fascist dictatorship that would endure until his death in 1975.
Einstein's Letter to Roosevelt
On 2 August, Albert Einstein signed a letter to President Roosevelt warning that recent nuclear fission research could lead to the construction of extremely powerful bombs. The letter ultimately led to the establishment of the Manhattan Project.
SS St Louis Turned Away
In June, the German ocean liner SS St Louis, carrying over 900 Jewish refugees, was denied entry to Cuba, the United States, and Canada. The ship was forced to return to Europe, where over a quarter of its passengers would later die in the Holocaust.
Battle of the River Plate
In December, British cruisers engaged the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee off the coast of Uruguay in the first major naval battle of the war. The damaged Graf Spee took refuge in Montevideo harbour, where her captain scuttled the ship rather than face the Royal Navy.
Music in 1939
"We're Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line"
Flanagan and Allen
This jaunty wartime novelty song captured the defiant optimism of the early 'Phoney War' period, when many Britons still believed the conflict would be short. The music-hall duo Flanagan and Allen became morale-boosting favourites.
"Over the Rainbow"
Judy Garland
Judy Garland's wistful ballad from The Wizard of Oz won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and became her signature tune. The song almost didn't survive the editing process — MGM executives wanted to cut it from the film.
#1 Film of 1939
Gone with the Wind
Box Office: $32 million (initial release, adjusted: over $400 million)
Victor Fleming's epic Civil War romance starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh became the highest-grossing film in history, a record it held for decades when adjusted for inflation. It won ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win an Oscar.
Born in 1939
Marvin Gaye
Soul singer — What's Going On, Let's Get It On; Motown legend
Francis Ford Coppola
Film director — The Godfather, Apocalypse Now
Tina Turner
Singer — the 'Queen of Rock and Roll'; What's Love Got to Do with It
Margaret Atwood
Canadian author — The Handmaid's Tale, Alias Grace
Ian McKellen
Actor — Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, Magneto in X-Men
Lost in 1939
Sigmund Freud
Founder of psychoanalysis — The Interpretation of Dreams
Age 83
W. B. Yeats
Irish poet and Nobel laureate — Easter, 1916; The Second Coming
Age 73
Zane Grey
Author of Western novels — Riders of the Purple Sage
Age 67
Pope Pius XI
Head of the Roman Catholic Church (1922-1939)
Age 81
Douglas Fairbanks
Silent film swashbuckler and co-founder of United Artists
Age 56
Technology in 1939
The discovery of nuclear fission prompted Albert Einstein to write his famous letter to President Roosevelt warning of the potential for atomic weapons. Television broadcasting was suspended in Britain for the duration of the war. Nylon stockings went on sale for the first time, and helicopter development advanced with the Sikorsky VS-300.
- ● Einstein writes to Roosevelt warning of the potential for an atomic bomb
- ● Igor Sikorsky builds the VS-300, the first practical single-rotor helicopter
- ● Nylon stockings go on sale to the public for the first time in the US
- ● Pan American Airways begins the first regular transatlantic passenger air service
Cost of Living in 1939
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £580 | $4,500 |
| Average salary | £210 | $1,364 |
| Pint of milk | 2½d | $0.06 |
| Loaf of bread | 4d | $0.08 |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 1d | $0.33 |
| Pint of beer | 6d | $0.15 |
| Cinema ticket | 7d | $0.25 |
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The Zeitgeist of 1939
The long-dreaded war finally arrived on 1 September when Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France declared war two days later, and the world changed irrevocably. Yet 1939 was also Hollywood's greatest year — Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington all premiered. It was as if the dream factory was working overtime to create lasting beauty before the darkness fell.
In the News in 1939
Germany invaded Poland, starting World War II. Britain and France declared war on Germany. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact stunned the world. Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz premiered.