1939 Germany and the Soviet Union attacked Poland and Britain, France, India, Australia and new Zealand declared war on Germany on September 3rd , the United States decided to remain neutral but did begin rearming for war , which helped end the great depression. The United States also hosted the Worlds Fair in New York early in the year. Also after speaking to the physicist Albert Einstein president Roosevelt initiated the Americas A-Bomb programme.

How Much things cost in 1939 Average Cost of new house $3,800.00 Average wages per year $1,730.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 10 cents Average Cost for house rent $28.00 per month A loaf of Bread 8 cents A LB of Hamburger Meat 14 cents Average Price for new car $700.00 Toaster $16.00 Due to increased number of users Electricity prices have been cut by 1/2 in ten years.

Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Sterling
Average House Price 590

What Events Happened in 1939

Australia
  • 71 people die across Victoria in one of Australia's worst ever bush fires
Chili
  • Earthquake kills 30,000 in Chile
Spain
  • Dictator Francisco Franco conquers Madrid, on March 28th ending the Spanish Civil War
France
  • Last public execution in France - murderer Eugene Weidmann is decapitated by the guillotine.
U.S.
  • Albert Einstein writes President Franklin Roosevelt about developing the Atomic Bomb using Uranium. This led to the creation of the Manhattan Project.
U.S.
  • The Worlds Fair Opens in New York
U.S.
  • LaGuardia Airport Opens in New York
Czechoslovakia
  • The independent republic of Czechoslovakia is dissolved
U.S.
  • Regular television broadcasts began in the United States
U.S.
  • America amends Neutrality Acts to allow sending military aid to countries in Europe
U.S.
  • Continuing drought conditions in the North Eastern US causing mass crop failure and hardship
Palestine
  • Following the Royal Commission recommending the formation of Arab and Jewish States Palestinians revolt
Poland
  • Nazi Germany attacks Poland on September 1st , and France, Australia and the United Kingdom declare war on Germany. This is the start of World War II
Finland
  • Russia Invades Finland
Germany
  • Germany and Italy sign "The Pact Of Steel"
Germany
  • Assassination Attempt On Hitler fails by 8 minutes
Thailand
  • Thailand Changes it's Name From Siam
Vatican
  • Pope Pius XI dies after failing health aged 81 after being the Pope for 17 years.


Popular Culture

Popular Films

  • Gone with the Wind
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Stagecoach
  • Of Mice and Men
  • Wuthering Heights
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Popular Music

  • Glen Miller has a series of hits including "Moonlight Serenade."
  • Moon Love , Over the Rainbow with Judy Garland and Stairway to the Stars
  • Address Unknown by the Inkspots

Born This Year

John Cleese October 27th
Tina Turner November 26th
Marvin Gaye April 2nd
Francis Ford Coppola April 7th
Ginger Baker August 19th -- London, England
Francis Ford Coppola April 7th -- Detroit, Michigan, United States
James Fox May 19th -- London, England
George Hamilton August 12th -- Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Paul Hogan October 8th -- Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia
Ayatollah Khamenei July 15th -- Mashhad, Iran
Ralph Lauren October 14th -- The Bronx, New York, United States
George Lazenby September 5th -- Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Lee Majors April 23rd -- Wyandotte, Michigan, U.S.
Lee Harvey Oswald October 18th -- New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Neil Sedaka March 13th -- Brooklyn, New York, United States
Jackie Stewart June 11th -- Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Terry Waite May 31st -- Styal, Cheshire, England




Technology

  • The outbreak of World War II brings television broadcasting at the BBC to an end and it restarts in 1946
  • The first air conditioned car the Packhard goes on show
  • Hewlitt Packard is formed

Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
Frequency Modulation USA by Edwin H Armstrong - sound by radio waves


Major World Political Leaders

Australia Prime Minister Joseph Lyons Till 7 April
Australia Prime Minister Sir Earle Page From 7 April
Australia Prime Minister Sir Earle Page Till 26 April
Australia Prime Minister Robert Menzies From 26 April
Brazil President Getúlio Vargas Canada Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King

Germany Chancellor Adolf Hitler

Italy Prime Minister Benito Mussolini

Japan Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe Till 5 January
Japan Prime Minister Kiichiro Hiranuma From 5 January
Japan Prime Minister Kiichiro Hiranuma Till 30 August
Japan Prime Minister Nobuyuki Abe From 30 August

Mexico President Lázaro Cárdenas Russia / Soviet Union
General Secretary of the Central Committee Joseph Stalin South Africa Prime Minister James Barry Munnik Hertzog Till 5 September
South Africa Prime Minister Field Marshal Jan Christiaan Smuts From 5 September
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt United Kingdom Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain


Some of the Products You May Have Seen Advertised
Nash cars
Campbells Tomato Soup
Toastmaster fully Automatic Toasters 1 slice $9.95 2 slice $16.00