1940 United States presidential election: Democrat incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt decisively defeats Republican challenger Wendell Willkie, and becomes the United States' first and only third-term …

Historical events from year 1940. Learn about 497 famous, scandalous and important events that happened in 1940 or search by date or keyword.

Nov 20, 2025 · World War II dominated the first half of the decade, driving technological advances, accelerating nuclear research, and exposing the horrors of the Holocaust and atomic warfare.

April 1, 1940 - The 1940 census indicates a United States population of 132,164,569. This represented an increase of 7.3% since 1930, the lowest rate of increase in the 20th century. The center of the …

Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths. A message from Benito Mussolini is forwarded to Adolf Hitler. In the...

Jul 2, 2025 · 1940 was a year of profound transformation for the United States. The Lend-Lease Act, the Selective Service Act, and the military buildup signaled a decisive shift towards global engagement …

Relive the key moments of 1940! From political shifts to cultural breakthroughs, discover the most significant events that shaped the year.

Mar 16, 2020 · World War II began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and shaped the entire 1940s. The United States joined World War II after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941. …

Find out what was happening in the United States in the early part of World War II as fighting broke out overseas.

November 5 – U.S. presidential election, 1940: Democratic incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt defeats Republican challenger Wendell Willkie and becomes the nation's first and only third-term president.