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 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…
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 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 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…
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…
June 8
June 8
George Orwell’s “1984” is published
George Orwell’s novel of a dystopian future, 1984, is published on June 8, 1949. The novel’s all‑seeing leader, known as “Big Brother,” becomes a universal symbol for intrusive government and…
June 8
June 8
FBI report names Hollywood figures as communists
Hollywood figures, including film stars Fredric March, John Garfield, Paul Muni, and Edward G. Robinson, are named in a FBI report as Communist Party members. Such reports helped to fuel…
June 11
June 11
Hank Williams Sr., makes his Grand Ole Opry debut
On June 11, 1949, country singer Hank Williams Sr., takes to the microphone of the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast for the first time. That debut remains one of the…
July 13
July 13
Pope Pius XII excommunicates all communist Catholics
On July 13, 1949, the Vatican releases its “Decree Against Communism” to the public. The Cold War‑era edict, issued by Pope Pius XII on July 1, excommunicates all communist Catholics.…
July 27
July 27
First commercial jet makes test flight
On July 27, 1949, the world’s first jet‑propelled airliner, the British De Havilland Comet, makes its maiden test‑flight in England. The jet engine would ultimately revolutionize the airline industry, shrinking…
August 3
August 3
NBA is born
On August 3, 1949, after a damaging three‑year battle to win both players and fans, the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA) and National Basketball League (NBL) merge to form…
August 29
August 29
Soviets explode atomic bomb
At a remote test site at Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan, the USSR successfully detonates its first atomic bomb, code name “First Lightning.” In order to measure the effects of the blast,…
