What Happened In January 1940 In History

Historical Events for January, 1940

• 5th » FM broadcasting e.g FM radio is demonstrated to the Federal Communications Commission for the first time.
• 7th » Winter War: The Finnish 9th Division Battle of Raate Road named stops and completely destroys the overwhelming Soviet forces on the Raate-Suomussalmi road.
• 8th » World War II: Britain Rationing in the United Kingdom called introduces food rationing.
• 29th » Three trains on the Sakurajima Line, in Osaka, Japan, collide and explode while approaching Ajikawaguchi Station. 181 people are killed.

Famous Birthdays on January in 1940

• 2nd » Susan Wittig Albert, American author
• 2nd » Jim Bakker, American minister and television host
• 2nd » S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, Indian-American mathematician
• 3rd » Leo de Berardinis, Italian stage actor and theatre director (d. 2008)
• 4th » Alexander Chancellor, English journalist
• 4th » Gao Xingjian, Chinese-French author and playwright, Nobel Prize in Literature known as Nobel Prize laureate
• 4th » Helmut Jahn, German-American architect, designed Liberty Place and Messeturm
• 4th » Brian David Josephson, Welsh physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics named Nobel Prize laureate
• 4th » Jill Pitkeathley, Baroness Pitkeathley known as Jill Pitkeathley, British politician
• 5th » Athol Guy, Australian bassist (The Seekers)
• 5th » Michael Rose (British Army officer) known as Mike Rose, English general
• 6th » Penny Lernoux, American journalist (d. 1989)
• 6th » Van McCoy, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 1979)
• 7th » Anton Norris, Barbadian high jumper
• 9th » Barbara Buczek, Polish composer (d. 1993)
• 9th » Al Downing (musician) or Al Downing, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2005)
• 9th » Ruth Dreifuss, Swiss politician, 151st President of the Swiss Confederation
• 10th » Guy Chevrette, Canadian politician
• 10th » Harry Gant, American race car driver
• 10th » Godfrey Hewitt, English geneticist (d. 2013)
• 10th » Walter Hill (director) named Walter Hill, American director, screenwriter, and producer
• 10th » Ntare VI of Ankole (d. 2011)
• 10th » K. J. Yesudas, Indian singer-songwriter
• 11th » Andres Tarand, Estonian geographer and politician, 10th Prime Minister of Estonia
• 12th » Ronald Shannon Jackson, American drummer and composer (Last Exit (free jazz band) known as Last Exit) (d. 2013)
• 13th » Edmund White, American author
• 14th » Julian Bond, American activist and politician
• 14th » Ron Kostelnik, American football player (d. 1993)
• 14th » Trevor Nunn, English director and composer
• 16th » Lepa Lukić, Serbian singer
• 17th » Kipchoge Keino, Kenyan runner
• 17th » Umashanker Singh, Indian politician (d. 2013)
• 17th » Tabaré Vázquez, Uruguayan politician, President of Uruguay
• 19th » Paolo Borsellino, Italian judge (d. 1992)
• 19th » Mike Reid (actor) called Mike Reid, English comedian, actor, and author (d. 2007)
• 20th » Carol Heiss, American figure skater
• 20th » Krishnam Raju, Indian actor and politician
• 20th » Mandé Sidibé, Malian politician, Prime Minister of Mali (d. 2009)
• 21st » John J. McGinty III, American captain, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 2014)
• 21st » Jack Nicklaus, American golfer
• 22nd » John Hurt, English actor
• 22nd » George Seifert, American football player and coach
• 22nd » Gillian Shephard, English politician, life peer
• 23rd » Joe Dowell, American singer
• 23rd » Ted Rowlands, Baron Rowlands, Welsh politician
• 23rd » Johnny Russell (singer) called Johnny Russell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2001)
• 24th » Joachim Gauck, German politician, 11th President of Germany
• 26th » Séamus Hegarty, Irish bishop
• 27th » James Cromwell, American actor
• 27th » Terry Harper, Canadian ice hockey player
• 27th » Petru Lucinschi, Romanian politician, 2nd President of Moldova
• 28th » Carlos Slim, Mexican businessman, founded Grupo Carso
• 28th » Trebor Jay Tichenor, American pianist and composer (d. 2014)
• 29th » Katharine Ross, American actress
• 29th » Kunimitsu Takahashi, Japanese motorcycle racer and race car driver
• 30th » Mitch Murray, English songwriter and producer
• 31st » Kitch Christie, South African rugby player and coach (d. 1998)

Famous Deaths for January 1940

• 1st » Panuganti Lakshminarasimha Rao, Indian author (b. 1865)
• 4th » Flora Finch, English-American actress (b. 1867)
• 5th » Humbert Wolfe, Italian-English poet and civil servant (b. 1885)
• 12th » Edward Smith (VC) called Edward Smith, English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1899)
• 18th » Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, Polish author, poet, and playwright (b. 1865)
• 20th » Omar Bundy, American general (b. 1861)
• 21st » Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark (b. 1888)
• 21st » John Duha, American gymnast (b. 1875)
• 25th » Elias Simojoki, Finnish clergyman and activist (b. 1899)
• 27th » Isaak Babel, Russian journalist, author, and playwright (b. 1894)

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