1942

Events

January 1 - World War II: The word "United Nations" is first officially used to describe the Allied pact.
January 2 - World War II: Manila is captured by Japanese forces.
January 6 - Pan American Airlines becomes the first commercial airline to have a flight go around the world.
January 7 - World War II: Siege of the Bataan Peninsula begins
January 11 - Japan declares war on the Netherlands and invades the Netherlands East Indies.
January 11 - The Japanese capture Kuala Lumpur.
February 11 - "Archie" comic book debuts.
June 4-7 - The Battle of Midway
June 9 - The US Philippine Department surrenders to Japan
July 1 - July 27 the First Battle of El Alamein
October 3 - the first V-2 rocket (A4 Rocket) is launched into space in Peenemünde, Germany.
October 23 - November 4 the Second Battle of El Alamein
DDT first used as a pesticide

Art, Culture & Fashion

1942 in film
- Mrs. Miniver
- Bambi
- Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman
1942 in literature
1942 in music
- Chattanooga Choo Choo - Glenn Miller, first ever gold record
- "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
1942 in sports
1942 in television
- April 13 - The FCC minimum programming time required of TV stations is cut from 15 hours to four hours a week during the war.

Births

Deaths

Books