January 5
January 5
President Truman delivers his Fair Deal speech
On January 5, 1949, President Harry S. Truman announces, in his State of the Union address, that every American has a right to expect from our government a fair deal.…
A Year In History: 1949
Also Within This Year in History:
1949
The Cold War heated up in 1949 when the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb and Germany split into two separate nations—one aligned with the West, the other with the Soviets. To counteract the threat, the U.S. and European allies signed the NATO charter. In Asia, Communists declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China. George Orwell predicted scarier times ahead with his novel “1984,” and consumers saw the introduction of 45 r.p.m. records, Kraft singles and Lego plastic bricks.
January 11
January 11
Cornerstone laid at Washington’s Islamic Center
On Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C., the cornerstone is laid at the first mosque of note in the United States. Intended to serve as a national mosque for all American…
January 20
January 20
Truman announces Point Four program
In his inaugural address, President Harry S. Truman calls for a “bold new program for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and…
January 25
January 25
First Emmy Awards ceremony
The first Emmy Awards ceremony is held on January 25, 1949 at the Hollywood Athletic Club. The awards recognize excellence in television (which in the 1940s was a novel medium). …
February 2
February 2
United States rejects proposal for conference with Stalin
In response to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s proposal that President Harry S. Truman travel to Russia for a conference, Secretary of State Dean Acheson brusquely rejects the idea as a…
February 8
February 8
Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary sentenced
Cardinal József Mindszenty, the highest Catholic official in Hungary, is convicted of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Communist People’s Court. Outraged observers in Western Europe and the United States…
February 26
February 26
Lucky Lady II begins nonstop global flight
From Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, the Lucky Lady II, a B‑50 Superfortress, takes off on the first nonstop round‑the‑world flight. Under the command of Captain James…
March 19
March 19
East Germany approves new constitution
In a precursor to the establishment of a separate, Soviet‑dominated East Germany, the People’s Council of the Soviet Zone of Occupation approves a new constitution. This action, together with the…
March 24
March 24
Truman signs off on aid to Palestine
On this day in 1949, President Harry S. Truman signs a U.S. resolution authorizing $16 million in aid for Palestinian refugees displaced and facing starvation as a result of Israel’s…
March 30
March 30
Actor Robert Mitchum is released after serving time for marijuana possession
Actor Robert Mitchum is released from a Los Angeles County prison farm after spending the final week of his two‑month sentence for marijuana possession there. In the fall of 1948,…
April 4
April 4
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pact signed
The United States and 11 other nations establish the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a mutual defense pact aimed at containing possible Soviet aggression against Western Europe. NATO stood as…
April 4
April 4
NATO established
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is established by 12 Western nations: the United States, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Canada, and Portugal. The…
April 7
April 7
Tony‑winning musical “South Pacific” opens on Broadway
On April 7, 1949, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific opens at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway in New York City. The romantic musical about World War II, which…
April 12
April 12
Legal thriller writer Scott Turow is born
Scott Turow, author of Presumed Innocent (1987), is born on this day in Chicago. Turow started writing as a child, inspired by his mother, who wrote articles for local publications…
April 19
April 19
Soviet clowns lampoon U.S. foreign policy
At the opening night of the spring edition of the famous Moscow Circus, clowns and magicians fire salvos of jokes aimed at the United States. Although a relatively minor aspect…
May 2
May 2
Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” wins the Pulitzer Prize for drama
On May 2, 1949, New York playwright Arthur Miller wins a Pulitzer Prize in Drama for “Death of a Salesman,” the most famous work of his career. Miller describes the…
May 11
May 11
Evidence found against French serial killer known as “The Queen of Poisoners”
The body of Leon Besnard is exhumed in Loudun, France, by authorities searching for evidence of poison. For years, local residents had been suspicious of his wife Marie, as they…
May 12
May 12
Soviet Union lifts its 11‑month blockade against West Berlin
On May 12, 1949, an early crisis of the Cold War comes to an end when the Soviet Union lifts its 11‑month blockade against West Berlin. The blockade had been…
May 23
May 23
Federal Republic of Germany is established
The Federal Republic of Germany (popularly known as West Germany) is formally established as a separate and independent nation. This action marked the effective end to any discussion of reuniting…
May 27
May 27
Marilyn Monroe poses for “red velvet” nude photo session
On May 27, 1949, unemployed 22‑year‑old model‑actress Marilyn Monroe receives $50 for posing nude for a Los Angeles photographer against a red velvet backdrop. The picture will go on to…
