The 1940s Lifestyles and Social Trends: Overview The United States did not enter World War II (1939–45) until after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. But even before that, the war had made an impact on American life. Manufacturers began to put more effort into supplying the wartime needs of Europe, creating shortages at home.

Hollywood's golden age had reached a peak by 1940. The eight largest studios (Warner Brothers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], RKO Radio, Twentieth Century Fox, United Artists, Paramount, Universal, and Columbia) controlled more than 90 percent of film production and distribution. The big studios were churning out at least one film per week.

The 1940s Education: OverviewAmerican education was transformed in the 1940s. At all levels it became better organized, better funded, and more standardized across the country. Universities were modernized. In subjects such as literature, history, and the arts, the college curriculum was made more professional and was more carefully thought out.

MIKE AND IKE. Mike & Ike is chewy, fruit-flavored candy from the 1940s. It was introduced in 1940 by the company Just Born, Inc. The name of the candy has an interesting history. Some believe that name referred to Marina brothers, two of whom were nicknamed Mike and Ike because they looked alike.

The Quintessential 40s Film: Casablanca The most subtle of all wartime propaganda films was the romantic story of self-sacrifice and heroicism in Michael Curtiz' archetypal 40s studio film Casablanca (1942). It told about a disillusioned nightclub owner (Humphrey Bogart) and a former lover (Ingrid Bergman) separated by WWII in Paris.

The spotlight of the music of the 1940's was jazz and big band styles created by breakthrough artists. In this decade the advent of bebop music in jazz music created significant change in the history of music. During the forties the distress among the people after the Second World War transformed the jazz techniques and attitudes of the people.

From Quiz: Finding Entertainment in 19-Forty-Eight. 9 Perhaps because living with the fear of death every day during the 1940s was very real, people grasped at life with both hands as eagerly as they could. They flocked to the various entertainment centres to forget their cares with music, dance and song.

The show was unlike anything that was airing on television at the time, and 40+ years later, it’s enjoying a new wave of popularity. Shutterstock 29. Landmark Decision On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States …

The 40s. The 1940s were a bloody decade, which saw World War II, the Holocaust, atomic bombs, and the beginning of the Cold War. Learn about the most influential figures and events in the 1940s. American History.