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On the date

Wednesday, August 23, 1939

From the day

Memories from that day

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The Headlines

FRANCE PREPARES TO STOP GERMANY; Will Fight to Protect Poland if That Ally Resists Attack, Spokesman Declares FRANCE PREPARES TO STOP GERMANY EYED BY BRITISH AND FRENCH MILITARY MEN

Read in The New York Times →

The must-have

View-Master

On This Day

  • World War II: Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. In a secret protocol to the pact, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania are divided into German and Soviet "spheres of influence".

    Wikipedia →

Slang

Slang of the decade

General

damefellaswelllousy

Hardboiled

clip jointgriftershamusgunsel

Swing Era

alligatorjitterbugkiller dillerin the groove

Catchphrases of 1939

  • Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn
  • Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore

Tech Check

Television Sets (World's Fair), View-Master & Helicopter (Sikorsky).

Cost of Living (1930)

Loaf of Bread

$0.09

Gallon of Gas

$0.20

Average Home

$3,900

New Car

$640

Time Elapsed

31,698 days ago

(86 years, 308 days)