By the Numbers in 1942
World Population
—
UK Life Expectancy
52.2 years
US Life Expectancy
53.5 years
Gold Price (per oz)
$35
Dow Jones Index
137
US National Debt
—
Sovereign Nations
57
How Much Did Things Cost in 1942?
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £550 | $3,600 |
| Average salary | £240 | $1,900 |
| Pint of milk | 2½d | $0.14 |
| Loaf of bread | 4½d | $0.09 |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 8d | $0.44 |
| Pint of beer | 7d | $0.16 |
| Cinema ticket | 10d | $0.27 |
Technology and Inventions in 1942
Wartime innovation accelerated rapidly. The first V-2 rocket was successfully launched in Germany. Magnetic tape recording was refined for military communications. Napalm was developed at Harvard, and the first nuclear chain reaction was achieved in Chicago.
- ● First controlled nuclear chain reaction achieved by Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago
- ● V-2 rocket successfully launched at Peenemünde, Germany
- ● Napalm developed at Harvard University for military use
- ● First electronic digital computer, Colossus, development begun at Bletchley Park
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