1. A History of the United States in 1940-1949 Jared May 8,2008

2. 1940s

3. Bad Guys Adolf Hitler In his self-created role as Fuehrer and Reichchancellor of Germany, he ordered the mass executions of millions of Jews, Gypsies, and homosexuals while sending his armed forces against most of Europe during World War II. Using a large and vicious secret police force to root out and squelch any voices raised in opposition to his general rule or individual policies, Hitler maintained his dictatorship with an iron grip for more than a decade.

4. Bad Guys Martin Bormann He has been described as coarse, brutal, and lacking in culture, and his slow and gradual rise in Hitler's esteem at first went unnoticed by other Nazi Party officials. Martin Bormann was said to have been an unlikable man, completely without moral sense. He was one of the major planners of the Final Solution, which called for the total elimination of European Jews. By the end of World War II (1939-45), Bormann had become second only to Adolf Hitler in the power he wielded.

5. Art Art Kandinsky's "Sky Blue," "Moderation Kandinsky's "Sky Blue," "Moderation Russian-born Wassily Kandinsky was one of the great masters of modern art and an outstanding representative of the pure abstract painting that dominated the first half of the twentieth century. Though he came late to art--at age thirty-- Kandinsky became highly respected for his work, theories, and teaching. Russian-born Wassily Kandinsky was one of the great masters of modern art and an outstanding representative of the pure abstract painting that dominated the first half of the twentieth century. Though he came late to art--at age thirty-- Kandinsky became highly respected for his work, theories, and teaching.

6. Who Died   Writer and poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1911. One of Maeterlinck's early poems appeared in the November, 1883, issue of the periodical Jeune Belgique. His second submission of poetry, however, met with harsh rejection. A letter from the magazine's editor, according to W. D. Halls in Maurice Maeterlinck: A Study of His Life and Thought, read: "M. Maeter.--bad, your verses to your friend Charles V[an] L[erberghe], supremely bad." Writer and poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1911. One of Maeterlinck's early poems appeared in the November, 1883, issue of the periodical Jeune Belgique. His second submission of poetry, however, met with harsh rejection. A letter from the magazine's editor, according to W. D. Halls in Maurice Maeterlinck: A Study of His Life and Thought, read: "M. Maeter.--bad, your verses to your friend Charles V[an] L[erberghe], supremely bad."

7. Who Died   A key figure in the creation of the Soviet Union, Leon Trotsky was later unseated and expelled by the ruthless Joseph Stalin. As a young man Trotsky became a disciple of Karl Marx and a friend of future Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin. A key figure in the creation of the Soviet Union, Leon Trotsky was later unseated and expelled by the ruthless Joseph Stalin. As a young man Trotsky became a disciple of Karl Marx and a friend of future Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin.

8. Money Postage stamps 3¢, of 1940. Postage stamps 3¢, of 1940. gallon of gas 19¢ gallon of gas 19¢

9. Events of the Decade U.S. drops Atomic Bombs on Japan Korean People's Republic (North Korea)

10. Science  Bell Laboratories new "transistor  Fluoride discovered to reduce dental cavities

11. Who's 'In' Josef Stalin Joseph Stalin was the dictator of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953. His expansionist foreign policy after World War II contributed to the Cold War and the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

12. Who's 'In' Attlee Attlee Clement Attlee Led the British Labour party's rise to power when he was elected prime minister in 1945. He first became involved in politics while working as a lawyer and teaching at Ruskin College. Clement Attlee Led the British Labour party's rise to power when he was elected prime minister in 1945. He first became involved in politics while working as a lawyer and teaching at Ruskin College.

13. Media NBC Television Network on the air Stars and Stripes U.S. Forces publication

14. Entertainment Mother Courage and Her Children" by Berthold Brecht Mother Courage and Her Children" by Berthold Brecht Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit“ Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit“ Big Band Music http://cfelt.com/bigband.html Big Band Music http://cfelt.com/bigband.html http://cfelt.com/bigband.html