1942
en:1942 Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
Decades: 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Years: 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 - 1942 - 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947
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.
- The Japanese capture Kuala Lumpur.
- January 12 - President Franklin Roosevelt creates the National War Labor Board.
- January 13 - Henry Ford patents a plastic automobile, which is 30% lighter than a regular car
- January 17 -
- January 19 - World War II: Japanese forces invade Burma.
- January 20 - World War II: Nazis at the Wannsee conference in Berlin decide that the "final solution to the Jewish problem" is relocation.
- January 25 - Thailand declares war on the United States and United Kingdom
- January 26 - World War II: The first American forces arrive in Europe landing in Northern Ireland.
- 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
- The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds
- Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West
- West with the Night by Beryl Markham
- 1942 in music
- "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
- 1942 in sports
- 1942 in television
Births
- January 3 - John Thaw, actor (+ 2002)
- January 5 - Charlie Rose, talk show host
- January 7 - Paul Revere, singer and musician
- January 8 -
- Stephen Hawking, British theoretical physicist.
- Yvette Mimieux, actress
- January 11 - Clarence Clemens, musician (E Street Band)
- January 13 - Richard Moll, actor
- January 14 - Stig Engström, actor
- January 15 - Charo, singer, actress
- January 19 - Michael Crawford, singer, actor
- January 31 - Derek Jarman, director, writer (+ 1994)
- February 1 - Terry Jones, actor, writer ("Monty Python's Flying Circus")
- February 2 - Graham Nash, musician
- February 5 - Roger Staubach, Football Hall of Famer
- February 11 -
- Archie Andrews, (comic book character).
- Leon Haywood, vocalist/keyboardist.
- Tony Colton, rock producer.
- Otis Clay, gospel/R&B-singer.
- [[February 13] - Peter Tork, musician/actor.
- March 17 - John Wayne Gacy, serial killer
- May 22 - Theodore Kaczynski, neo-luddite terrorist
- July 13 - Harrison Ford, Actor/producer
- July 17 - Tim Brooke-Taylor, radio and TV comedian
- July 23 - Myra Hindley, Moors murderess
- August 7 - Garrison Keillor, radio host
- September 10 - Stephen Jay Gould, American biologist
- November 27 - Jimi Hendrix, rock musician
- December 6 - Peter Handke, Austrian novelist
- December 9 - Dick Butkus, Chicago Bears linebacker
- Unknown date - Moammar Al Qadhafi
Deaths
- January 16 - Carole Lombard, actress
- April 15 - Robert Musil, Austrian novelist (The Man Without Qualities)
- Ernest Brastins, organizer of Dievturiba
- Physics - not awarded
- Chemistry - not awarded
- Medicine - not awarded
- Literature - not awarded
- Peace - not awarded
Books