1940s
A look back at the atomic bombing of Hiroshima (1945)
With a blinding flash of light, 100,000 people or more were killed instantly when the United States dropped a bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945.
With a blinding flash of light, 100,000 people or more were killed instantly when the United States dropped a bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945.
In that old expression, ‘You don’t know s*** from Shinola?’ — what the heck are they talking about? Find out here.
Recipe for creamed chipped beef on toast (1954) The Herald-News (Passaic, New Jersey) May 6, 1954 This inexpensive dish of dried beef with white gravy
What were mutts and pedigreed pups eating in the ’40s-’80s? Here’s a look back at vintage dog food print ads & TV commercials you might remember.
Vintage diners descended from the railroad dining car, and often sport shiny metal on the outside and a long counter with stools on the inside. Take a ride back in time to see 40 examples!
Through the 40s, 50s & 60s, you’d see a new set of vintage calendar girls & pin-ups in garages, diners and dens each year. Take a look back!
Betty Grable’s legs: They have now achieved the stature of a major Hollywood landmark LIFE – June 7, 1943 No one since Paavo Nurmi has
Take a look back at the beautiful classic Studebaker cars from the ’40s, made so owners could travel in a delightful new world of motoring comfort!’
See original vintage headlines, news stories, photos and more from the Japanese attack on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, marking the American entry into WWII.
Love those classic cocktails? Get the recipes here for some of the finest from the 40s: Gin Rickey, Creme de Menthe Frappe, Hot Toddy, Side Car, Pink Lady, Stinger, Champagne Cocktail, Manhattan, Daiquiri & more!
Hot punch is one of the traditional winter warmer-uppers, whether or not there’s booze in it. Here are more than a dozen old-fashioned hot punch recipes for the holidays, both with and without alcohol.
Although penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, real research and production started in earnest in mid-1941, thanks to World War II.
To help keep an eye on the war, during both WWI and WWII, the Navy asked to borrow binoculars from American citizens, paying them $1 per pair – which was much cheaper and simpler than buying new optics for the military.
Pecan pumpkin pie recipe adds the rich flavor of pecans in a crunchy top layer. Corn syrup is combined with canned pumpkin and eggs for a fast, smooth custard filling.
Find out about the teen marriages of Sonny Wisecarver – aka “The Woo Woo Kid” – who went on to inspire the 1987 movie ‘In the Mood,’ starring Patrick Dempsey.
Take a look back at all kinds of American WWII military medals, decorations, shoulder insignia and other Army and Navy honors from the 1940s and earlier.
The judgments are harsh, and nobody is worried about subtlety in these ridiculously mean vintage ads that ran in popular magazines years ago.
As they said in the ’40s: Clear-eyed, clean-hearted young Americans are up there in those Flying Fortress planes – writing new chapters of a free world’s destiny.
Find out more about World War II’s important military offensive, the Battle of the Bulge, and see several pictures from the snowy scene.
While orchestra leader Glenn Miller himself disappeared, his music has done rather the opposite – reaching and speaking to generations well beyond his untimely death.
See portraits of vintage Halloween pin-up girls from the 1930s and 1940s – themed photos featuring famous actresses and beautiful models.
What does it take to be a tip-top vintage full-service gas station service attendant during the 1940s? Find out how customer care went beyond ‘Shall I fill it up with Super Special?’
I’d love to know you better ’cause… (1946) I like “smooth” men who keep presentable longer with Mennen Brushless Shave Cream I’ll wait until you call
See some of the dozens of the most popular vintage board games from the ’40s, including Camelot, Ro-Nock-O, Crow Hunt, Senet and more forties fun.
It is useless to deny that motion picture stars have been getting the best of it (as to immunity from draft). Some have been given special deferments and choice assignments and have been allowed extra months to finish pictures before having to report for active duty.
Kurt Vonnegut Jr has hit in fact on a true science-fiction subject. As an American prisoner, in German hands, he was a witness to the Dresden holocaust, that appalling Day of Judgment for thousands — although who deserves to be judged by whom is less obvious than you may think.
Once electrical power became widely-available in homes, vintage vacuum cleaners debuted, including ones from the famous Hoover brand.
I’ve just received the most beautiful gift ever… my shining new cedar Lane hope chest is as unexpected, as precious, as my first love letter – and as lucky, somehow, as a four-leaf clover.
Rickenbacker sells speedway to Terre Haute sportsman Indianapolis, November 15, 1945 — Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, a 70-mile-an-hour daredevil of the automobile tracks 30 years ago,
Nazi plunder made Huns look like pickpockets Looting told in indictment: Valuable books, art works carried off By Graham Hovey As plunderers and despoilers, the Nazis
If you’ve ever been curious as to why neckties and aftershave are considered the quintessential Father’s Day gifts, wonder no more.
Dorothy Lamour on FM Radio Listen — it’s Dorothy Lamour herself in natural color on FM radio Dorothy Lamour… A beloved voice, floating on velvety
President Proclaims Victory in Europe Truman warns Japanese to quit or face destruction; unconditional surrender will be ratified in Berlin Washington — President Truman proclaimed
V-E Proclamation touches off celebration: Downtown Hamilton thronged by thousands May 8, 1945 – Hamilton Journal and Daily News (Hamilton, OH) Blasts of air-raid siren ignite
“Keep mum, chum” is Army’s advice Lowell Sun (Lowell, Massachusetts) January 31, 1942 Hold your tongue. While the toiling hands and fighting hearts of America
Take a few minutes to reflect on the awesome and terrifying power unleashed on the world in the summer of 1945 while remembering the lives lost — and possibly saved.
The original: Just You, Just Me (1929) The song’s first performance, by Lawrence Gray and Marion Davies Duke Ellington “Just You, Just Me”
In some ways new parenthood looks just like it did in the 1940s… and in other ways, it’s pretty different. Here’s a little peek.
Ten years of Temple Shirley has faced the problem of growing up The little girl who led the movie-star popularity list during the first three
Don’t give Russia A-bomb secret, Einstein warns by Joseph Nolan Boston – Asserting that two-thirds of the earth’s inhabitants might die in an atomic war,
Want to remember to remember? Our weekly newsletter shows you the latest vintage, old-fashioned & historic stuff that we have published or refreshed during the past seven days. Sign up here.
Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis.
Don’t miss out on the latest and greatest vintage stuff!
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter here.
