January 30
January 30
Gandhi assassinated in New Delhi
Mohandas Gandhi, the world’s chief advocate of non‑violence, is assassinated in New Delhi by a terrorist sponsored by a right‑wing Hindu militia group. The murder came only 10 days after…
A Year In History: 1948
Also Within This Year in History:
1948
A new world order began to emerge in 1948. The U.S. announced the Marshall Plan to help rebuild Europe, while a group of European nations formed an alliance that would evolve into NATO. The Berlin Blockade escalated tensions between the emerging superpowers. Israel became a Jewish state, and Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated less than a year after his country won independence from Great Britain. President Truman desegregated America’s military, while 42-year-old Negro League star Satchel Paige became Major League Baseball’s oldest rookie.
January 30
January 30
Gandhi assassinated
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, is assassinated in New Delhi by a Hindu extremist on January 30, 1948. Born the son of…
February 18
February 18
De Valera resigns
After 16 years as head of independent Ireland, Eamon de Valera steps down as the taoiseach, or Irish prime minister, after his Fianna Fail Party fails to win a majority…
February 21
February 21
NASCAR founded
On February 21, 1948, the National Association for Stock Car Racing—or NASCAR, as it will come to be widely known—is officially incorporated. NASCAR racing will go on to become one…
February 25
February 25
Communists take power in Czechoslovakia
Under pressure from the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, President Edvard Benes allows a communist‑dominated government to be organized. Although the Soviet Union did not physically intervene (as it would in 1968),…
March 10
March 10
Czech diplomat Jan Masaryk dies under strange circumstances
The communist‑controlled government of Czechoslovakia reports that Foreign Minister Jan Masaryk has died by suicide. The story of the noncommunist Masaryk’s death was greeted with skepticism in the West. Masaryk…
March 14
March 14
Billy Crystal is born
On this day in 1948, the comedian and actor Billy Crystal, who will become known for his starring roles in such movies as When Harry Met Sally… and City Slickers,…
March 20
March 20
20th annual Academy Awards celebrated
Hollywood’s elite braved freezing temperatures and strong winds to attend the 20th annual Academy Awards ceremony, which took place on this day in 1948 at the Shrine Civic Auditorium in…
March 30
March 30
Henry Wallace criticizes Truman’s Cold War policies
Henry Wallace, former vice president and Progressive Party presidential candidate, lashes out at the Cold War policies of President Harry S. Truman. Wallace and his supporters were among the few…
April 1
April 1
Soviets stop U.S. and British military trains
On this day, Soviet troops stop U.S. and British military trains traveling through the Russian zone of occupation in Germany and demand that they be allowed to search the trains.…
April 3
April 3
Truman signs Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs into law the Foreign Assistance Act, commonly known as the Marshall Plan. Named after U.S. Secretary of State George C.…
April 3
April 3
“The Louisiana Hayride” radio program premieres on KWKH‑AM Shreveport
“The Lousiana Hayride,” a country radio program broadcast out of Shreveport, Louisiana, premieres. The show would launch the careers not only of several country music giants, but also of a…
April 3
April 3
President Harry Truman signs Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signs the Economic Assistance Act, which authorized the creation of a program that would help the nations of Europe recover and rebuild…
April 3
April 3
President Truman signs Foreign Assistance Act
President Harry S. Truman signs off on legislation establishing the Foreign Assistance Act of 1948, more popularly known as the Marshall Plan. The act eventually provided over $12 billion of…
April 30
April 30
Original Land Rover debuts at auto show
The Land Rover, a British‑made all‑terrain vehicle that will earn a reputation for its use in exotic locales, debuts at an auto show in Amsterdam on April 30, 1948. The…
April 30
April 30
Organization of American States established
The United States and 20 Latin American nations sign the charter establishing the Organization of American States (OAS). The new institution was designed to facilitate better political relations between the…
May 3
May 3
U.S. Supreme Court decides Paramount antitrust case
On May 3, 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court issues a decision in U.S. v. Paramount Pictures, et al., the government’s long‑running antitrust lawsuit against Paramount Pictures and seven other major…
May 4
May 4
Norman Mailer’s first novel, “The Naked and the Dead,” is published
Twenty‑five‑year‑old Norman Mailer’s first novel, The Naked and the Dead, is published on May 4, 1948. The book is critically acclaimed and widely considered one of the best novels to…
May 14
May 14
State of Israel proclaimed
On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben‑Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. Ben‑Gurion became Israel’s first premier.…
May 15
May 15
A three‑year‑old’s brutal murder begins an unusual investigation
On May 15, 1948, 3‑year‑old June Devaney, recovering from pneumonia at Queen’s Park Hospital in Blackburn, England, is kidnapped from her bed. Nurses discovered her missing at 1:20 a.m. the…
