1949 After many years of misery through the depression and World War 11 postwar prosperity is starting to get underway with companies now able to supply the cars, Televisions and the other goods demanded in a consumer society. The cars got bigger, the TV's got bigger, with some 6.2 million new cars sold in the US and nearly 10 million Televisions in American homes, A new type of TV programme appeared we now call Soap Operas ( the name came from the fact many soap manufacturers sponsored the shows to catch the stay at home mum with advertising ) . China became a communist country and Russia had the Nuclear Bomb which increased the tension between East and West ( The Cold War ).
Cost Of Living, - Other News, Facts and Events, - Movies, TV and Music, - Technology, - Born This Year, World Leaders,

How Much things cost in 1949
Yearly Inflation Rate U.S.A. -0.95% UK 2.6%

Average Cost of new house $7,450.00 Average wages per year $2,950.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 17 cents Average Cost of a new car $1,420.00 Minimum Hourly Wage Rate 70 cents per hour Bacon per pound 50 cents Dobbs Hat $8.50 Kitchen Table and Chairs $100.00 Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Sterling
Average House Price 1,911

What Events Happened in 1949

Ecuador
  • 6.75 Richter scale earthquake in Ecuador kills 6000 and destroys 50 towns
Russia
  • Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb.
NATO
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Established
Germany
  • Federal Republic of Germany officially founded
Indonesia
  • Indonesia gains it's independence From Netherlands
Germany
  • Berlin Airlift officially comes to an end on May 12th
China
  • The Communist People’s Republic of China is proclaimed under Mao Tse Tung.
Taiwan
  • Republic of China / Taiwan on the island of Formosa comes into being following the defeat by Mao Tse Tung
Switzerland
  • The Geneva Convention is agreed providing an agreement on the treatment of prisoners
U.S.
  • RCA Perfects a system for broadcasting color television
U.S.
  • First Polaroid Camera sold for $89.95
U.S.
  • President Harry S. Truman authorizes $16 million in aid for Palestinian refugees
U.S.
  • The Emmy Awards for US Television first presented
U.S.
  • First Volkswagen Beetle The Peoples Car sold in US
Germany
  • The first car with a Porsche badge is shown at the International Automobile Show in Geneva ( Porsche 356 )
UK
  • De-Havilland Comet first commercial passenger jet airliner test flight
South Africa
  • Apartheid Made official Policy of National party in South Africa
Canada
  • Newfoundland Joins Canada Confederation
United States

Technology


Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use ) 1949

The first automatic street lights are installed in New Milford, Connecticut
45 rpm Record USA

The world's first commercially available computer The Ferranti Mark 1 Released


Popular Culture

  • George Orwell's book Nineteen Eighty-Four is published
  • 45 rpm discs are introduced
  • First Polaroid Camera History sold for $89.95
  • "A" your adorable " by Perry Como
  • "Mule Train " by Frankie laine
  • FILM Twelve O'Clock High
  • First Polaroid Camera sold for $89.95
  • Frank Sinatra stars in "On The Town" with Gene Kelly
  • Rodgers and Hammerstein debut the musical "South Pacific" on Broadway

Born This Year

Larry Holmes November 3rd
Jeff Bridges December 4th
Lionel Richie June 20th
Bruce Springsteen September 23rd
John Belushi February 4th -- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Patrick Duffy March 17th -- Townsend, Montana, U.S.
Gloria Gaynor September 7th -- Newark, New Jersey, United States
Maurice Gibb December 22nd -- Isle of Man
Andy Kaufman January 17th -- New York City, New York, United States
Jessica Lange April 20th -- Cloquet, Minnesota, U.S.
Meryl Streep June 22nd -- Summit, New Jersey, U.S.
Vera Wang June 27th -- New York, New York, U.S.
Sigourney Weaver October 8th -- Manhattan, New York, U.S.



Major World Political Leaders

Australia Prime Minister Ben Chifley Till 19 December
Australia Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies From 19 December
Brazil President Gaspar Dutra Canada Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent

China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Mao Zedong

France President Vincent Auriol

Germany Chancellor Konrad Adenauer From 15 September
India Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru

Italy Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi

Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida Mexico President Miguel Alemán Valdés Russia / Soviet Union
Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Joseph Stalin South Africa Prime Minister Daniel François Malan United States President Harry S. Truman United Kingdom Prime Minister Clement Attlee

Political Elections


Canadian Federal Election 1949 Louis St. Laurent ( Liberal ) defeats George A. Drew ( Progressive Conservatives ).