1946 CE
The Nuremberg Trials deliver landmark verdicts against top Nazi leaders, establishing precedents in international law; the Nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll begins as the United States detonates atomic bombs in the Pacific, ushering in the nuclear age; the Greek Civil War erupts, one of the first proxy conflicts of the Cold War; the First Indochina War begins as the Viet Minh fight French colonial rule in Vietnam; the launch of the ENIAC computer marks a milestone in modern computing; the King David Hotel bombing by Irgun targets British headquarters in Jerusalem, escalating tensions in Mandatory Palestine; the Iran crisis of 1946 tests Western resolve as Soviet troops delay withdrawal from northern Iran; Direct Action Day sparks deadly communal riots in Calcutta, intensifying tensions ahead of Partition; and the release of It's a Wonderful Life which becomes an enduring film classic.
In the 1940s, the 20th century.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- January 7 – The Allies of World War II recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into four occupation zones.source
- January 11 – Enver Hoxha declares the People's Republic of Albania, with himself as prime minister. He will remain effectively as a dictator of the country until his death in 1985.source
- January 11 - The People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed at noon (1100 GMT), with Communist leader Enver Hoxha as the nation's Prime Minister. Two months later, a new constitution proclaimed Hoxha's Albanian Workers Party to be the sole force, and Marxism–Leninism as the ideology, of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania.Albaniasource
- January 16 – Charles de Gaulle resigns as head of the French provisional government.source
- January 22 – Iran crisis of 1946: Qazi Muhammad declares the independent people's Republic of Mahabad, at the Chahar Cheragh Square in the Kurdish city of Mahabad. He is the new president; Haji Baba Sheikh is the prime minister.source
- January 22 – The report of High Commissioner Paul McNutt to President Harry Truman, which lumps the candidates into 'loyalists' and 'enemy collaborators,' created resentment among congressional leaders.Philippinessource
- January 31 – The last session of the Permanent Court of International Justice occurs.source
- January 31 – Yugoslavia's new constitution, modeled on the Soviet Union, establishes 6 constituent republics (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia).source
- February 1 – The Kingdom of Hungary becomes a republic, heavily influenced by the Soviet Union.source
- March 6 – First Indochina War: Ho Chi Minh signs an agreement with France, which recognizes Vietnam as an autonomous state in the Indochinese Federation and the French Union.source
- March 22 - The United Kingdom grants Transjordan, as it is then known, its independence; 3 years later the country changes its name to Jordan.Jordansource
- April 1 – The Malayan Union is formed on dissolution of the British Military Administration and Singapore becomes a Crown colony.source
- 1 April – The Malayan Union was established, combining the Straits Settlements (except Singapore), Federated Malay States and Unfederated Malay States into a single entity, and replaced British Military Administration (BMA).Malayasource
- 1 May - Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council was established.Taiwansource
- May 9 – King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy abdicates, and is succeeded by his son Umberto II.source
- June 1 – D'Argenlieu, French High Commissioner for Indo-China, recognizes an autonomous "Republic of Cochin-China" in violation of the March 6 Ho–Sainteny agreement, opening the way for conflict between the Viet Minh and France.source
- June 2 – 1946 Italian institutional referendum: Italians vote to turn Italy from a monarchy into a republic. In the simultaneous 1946 Italian general election, the first since the end of World War II and also the first in which women are allowed to vote, the Christian Democracy party, led by Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi, wins most seats in the Constituent Assembly of Italy and forms a coalition government. Christian Democracy leads the Italian government continuously until 1981.source
- June 13 – Umberto II of Italy leaves the country and goes into exile in Portugal; Alcide De Gasperi becomes head of state.source
- June 17 – Formal ratification of the Treaty of London grants independence to the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan.source
- July 4 – After more than 48 years of American dominance, the Philippines attains full independence as the 3rd Republic; Manuel A. Roxas is 5th President of the Philippines. It marks the end of nearly 400 years of colonial era when the Viceroyalty of New Spain took control since April 27, 1565.source
- July 16 – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within the Department of the Interior is formed by the merger of the Grazing Service and United States General Land Office.source
- 20 July – King Zahir Shah holds a speech at the opening of the sixth session of the National Council, discussing, among other things, Afghan foreign policy. While the section regarding the Soviet Union did not have anything objectionable to the Soviet ambassador, it was noted to be less cordial than the sections about Britain and America.Afghanistansource
- August 7 – The Soviet Union escalates the Turkish Straits crisis through a diplomatic demand to Turkey.source
- August 16 – The Kurdistan Democratic Party is founded in South Kurdistan.source
- 29 August – In a cabinet reshuffle, the independent Guillaume Konsbruck is replaced by the CSV's Lambert Schaus.Luxembourgsource
- September 2 – The Interim Government of India takes charge, with Jawaharlal Nehru as vice president, as part of the transition from the British Raj to full independence for India and Pakistan.source
- September 8 – Bulgaria is declared a People's Republic after a referendum; King Simeon II leaves.source
- 15 November - Linggadjati AgreementIndonesiasource
- November 19 – 1946 Romanian general election: The Romanian Communist Party wins 79.86% of the vote, through widespread intimidation tactics and electoral fraud.source
- December 1 – Miguel Alemán Valdés takes office as President of Mexico.source
- December 2 – The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling is signed in Washington, D.C., to "provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry" through establishment of the International Whaling Commission.source
- December 14 – The International Labour Organization becomes a specialized agency of the United Nations.source
- December 14 – Proposed United States purchase of Greenland from Denmark: An offer is made through diplomatic channels.source
- December 20 – Film It's a Wonderful Life is released in the United States; it becomes an enduring classic.source
Conflict & Security
- January 19 – Expulsion of Germans of Hungary begins from Wudersch.source
- January 19 – General Douglas MacArthur establishes the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Tokyo, to try Japanese war criminals.source
- February 15 – The Gouzenko Affair: Canada announces the discovery of a ring of Canadian communist spies based at the Soviet embassy in Ottawa, passing atomic bomb secrets to Russia.source
- March 5 – In a speech at Westminster College, in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill talks about the Iron Curtain.source
- April 1 – The Battle of Määritsa takes place between Estonian partisans and Soviet forces in southeastern Estonia.source
- 5 April – USS Missouri carried the remains of the Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Münir Ertegün, from New York to İstanbulTurkeysource
- April 14 – Sh'erit ha-Pletah members of Nakam, the "Jewish Avengers", use arsenic to poison bread baked for SS prisoners of war held at Stalag XIII-D by the Americans.source
- April 18 – The League of Nations, in its last meeting, transfers its mission to the United Nations and disbands itself.source
- April 18 – The inaugural session of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) takes place at The Hague.source
- Early April – 7 Tiger Moth aircraft arrive in Kabul, having flown from Peshawar after their purchase by the Afghan government. An eighth Moth, which had also been purchased, crash-lands shortly after takeoff and needs to be repaired before it can be delivered.Afghanistansource
- June 8 – In Indonesia, Sukarno incites his supporters to fight Dutch colonial occupation.source
- June 30 – The War Relocation Authority, which has administered the internment of Japanese Americans, is abolished.source
- June 30 – The dissolution of the mainly general headquarters and military camp base of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary located in Manila.Philippinessource
- July 4 – The Kielce Pogrom takes place in Poland.source
- 4 July – Kielce pogrom: A violent attack by Polish soldiers, police and civilians on the Jewish community in Kielce kills at least 42 people and injures over 40 others.Polandsource
- July 21 – An Irgun bomb explodes in Jerusalem, during secretive talks between Jews and Britain to consolidate the state of Israel.source
- July 22 – King David Hotel bombing: The Irgun bombs the King David Hotel (headquarters of the British civil and military administration) in Jerusalem, killing 90.source
- August 16 – Direct Action Day: Violence between Muslims and Hindus in Calcutta begins "The Week of the Long Knives", which leaves 3,000 dead.source
- August 18 – The Vergarola explosion of ordnance in Croatia kills 70.source
- September 10 – Operation Black Tulip, the expulsion of Germans from the Netherlands, begins in Amsterdam.source
- October 10 – The Noakhali riots in Bengal begin: several hundred Hindus are massacred by Muslims.source
- October 24–November 11 – 1946 Bihar riots: Hindu mobs target Muslim families in the Indian state of Bihar, resulting in anywhere between 2,000 and 30,000 deaths.source
- November 12 – A truce is declared between Indonesian nationalist troops and the Dutch army in Indonesia.source
- November 23 – Vietnamese riot in Haiphong and clash with French troops. In the Haiphong incident, the French cruiser Suffren opens fire, killing 6,000 Vietnamese.source
- December 12 – Iran crisis of 1946: Iranian troops recapture the Azerbaijan province.source
- December 15 – Iran crisis of 1946: Iranian troops recapture the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad.source
- December 19 – Viet Minh forces begin a war against French occupying forces in Vietnam, succeeding in 1954 with France's surrender at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.source
- December - End of Bersiap phase of the Indonesian National RevolutionIndonesiasource
- The Chinese Civil War intensifies between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party.source
- Military Administration - (until 30 March)Malayasource
- 1946 North Korean local electionsNorth Koreasource
- Homeless families from Derry begin to occupy the former United States Navy Springtown Camp.Northern Irelandsource
Exploration & Expansion
- January 28 – The Canadian schooner Bluenose founders on a Haitian reef.source
- 19 February – Tore Schei, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NorwayNorwaysource
- 24 March – 1946 Cabinet Mission to IndiaIndiasource
- April 28 – Kinderdorf Pestalozzi (Pestalozzi Children's Village) is established at Trogen, Switzerland to accommodate and educate orphans of World War II, according to Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi's principles.source
- 30 April – The Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry recommended the immediate admission of 100,000 Jewish refugees from Europe into Palestine. It also recommended that Palestine remain a mandated territory, that facilities be put in place to ensure Jewish migration and that the 1940 Land Act which banned Jews from purchasing land in 95% of Palestine be rescinded.Mandatory Palestinesource
- July 5 – The bikini is first modeled in Paris.source
- August 3 – A Canadian wheat agreement provided for British purchases of large amounts of Canadian wheat at prices considerably below the world market.Canadasource
- November 12 – In Chicago, a branch of the Exchange National Bank (later part of the Bank of America) opens the first 10 drive-up teller windows.source
- November 12 – In Chicago, a branch of the Exchange National Bank (later part of the LaSalle Bank) opens the first 10 drive-up teller windows.United Statessource
- Eva Perón tours Spain, Italy and France on behalf of Argentina, a circuit called the Rainbow Tour.source
- The women's movement in Afghanistan is resumed by the foundation of Women's Welfare Association, the first women's organisation in Afghanistan since the Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan.Afghanistansource
- British Adviser of Perak : Arthur Vincent Aston (from unknown date)Malayasource
- Naturalist Gavin Maxwell purchases the island of Soay, Skye, and attempts to start a commercial shark fishing enterprise there.Scotlandsource
Religion & Belief
- January 1: Emperor Shōwa renounces his divinity, known in Japanese as the Human DeclarationJapansource
- January 10 – The first meeting of the United Nations is held, at Methodist Central Hall Westminster in London.source
- January 17 – The United Nations Security Council holds its first session, at Church House, Westminster in London.source
- January – The founding of the kibbutz Ami'ad.Mandatory Palestinesource
- 18 February – The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Norman Gilroy, becomes Cardinal Gilroy, the first Australian born member of the College of CardinalsAustraliasource
- 22 April – Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej attends a meeting of Jewish organizations, calling for the creation of a Jewish Democratic Committee within the Romanian Communist Party.Romaniasource
- September 19 – The idea of the Council of Europe is introduced in a speech by Winston Churchill at the University of Zurich.source
- December 10 – John Peters Humphrey, main author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, becomes Director of the United Nations Division of Human Rights.source
- 14 December – All-Malaya Council of Joint Action (AMCJA) was founded (dissolved in 1948).Malayasource
- Institute of Theology of Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church was established.Estoniasource
- Auckland Trotting Cup – Loyal NurseNew Zealandsource
- Establishment of G.C. AlcobaçaPortugalsource
Economy & Finance
- January 21 – The Loyalist wing of the Nacionalista Party holds its convention at the Ciro Club, Santa Mesa, Manila, and nominates Sergio Osmeña for president and Eulogio Rodriguez for vice president.Philippinessource
- "Every effort is being made to reduce prices and to secure a wider and cheaper distribution of the main commodities, particularly of cotton piece-goods, petrol and kerosene oil. These two factors, high prices and shortages of commodoities, more than anything else, are responsible for the internal discontent which makes such a dangerous accompaniment to tribal trouble, and it is to be hoped that the Government of India will respond as generously as possible to Afghan appeals for more liberal export quotas of such things as piece-goods and petrol."Afghanistansource
- May 7 – Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded, with about 20 employees.source
- 11 May – United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) was founded at Istana Besar, Johor Bahru, Johor. Dato Onn Jaafar became the first president.Malayasource
- 14 May – Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois is founded.Luxembourgsource
- 5 July - Establishment of the Bank Negara IndonesiaIndonesiasource
- August 1 – The Scandinavian Airlines System is founded as a consortium of the flag carriers of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.source
- September 7 – First devaluation in Turkey: the lira loses 40% of its value.source
- September 24 – Cathay Pacific Airways is founded in Hong Kong, by American Roy Farrell and Australian Sydney de Kantzow.source
- 6 October – The founding of the kibbutz Gal On.Mandatory Palestinesource
- November 27 – Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appeals to the United States and the Soviet Union to end nuclear testing and start nuclear disarmament, stating that such an action would "save humanity from the ultimate disaster."source
- December 15 — the Iran crisis of 1946 ends with the Dissolution of the Azerbaijan People's Government and the Republic of Mahabad following the withdraw of the last remaining Soviet troops from Iran.Soviet Unionsource
- In August, 90% of the country's major industrial facilities were nationalized.North Koreasource
Technology & Infrastructure
- January 19 – The Bell XS-1 is test flown for the first time (unpowered), with Bell's chief test pilot Jack Woolams at the controls.source
- February 14 – ENIAC (for "Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer"), an early general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania; it weighs 60,000 pounds (over 27 tons), and occupies a big room.source
- March 8 – The Bell 47 becomes the first helicopter certified for civilian use in the United Statessource
- 1 April – Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) was established.Malayasource
- 17 April – Luxembourg signs a convention with France and Belgium to place the Luxembourg railway network in the hands of the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois, in which France and Belgium each take a 24.5% stake.Luxembourgsource
- 1 May – The establishment of Taiwan Power Company in Taiwan.Chinasource
- 1 June – Transvaal: Ogies to Vandyksdrif, 21 mi 30 ch.South Africasource
- June 3 – Interpol is re-founded; the telegraphic address "Interpol" is adopted.source
- 16 June – Night of the Bridges: Ten Palmach members blow up bridges across Palestine which link Palestine to the neighboring countries Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, and Egypt, in order to immobilize its transportation.Mandatory Palestinesource
- June 25 – The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) (World Bank) begins operations.source
- July 25 – In the last mass lynching in the United States, a mob of white men shoot and kill two African-American couples, near Moore's Ford Bridge in Georgia.source
- A pilot of a Romeo aircraft swerves during formation take off, leading the aircraft to turn over on its back and catching fire. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft had to be written off due to damage.Afghanistansource
- September 1 – 1946 Turin Grand Prix, the first official Formula One Grand Prix, is held in Italy.source
- October 14 – The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is founded.source
- October 16 – The United Nations' first meeting in Long Island is held.source
- 1 December – Nutts Corner opens as Northern Ireland's principal civil airport, replacing Belfast Harbour.Northern Irelandsource
- December 25 – The first artificial, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction in Europe is initiated, within the Soviet (Russian) nuclear reactor F-1.source
- Christmas: First edition of Auto motor und sport appears.Germanysource
- The Casio company is founded by engineer Tadao Kashio in Japan.source
Science & Discovery
- January 10 – Project Diana bounces radar waves off the Moon, measuring the exact distance between the Earth and the Moon, and proves that communication is possible between Earth and outer space, effectively opening the Space Age.source
- 15 April – Tsvi Misinai, Israeli computer scientist and researcherMandatory Palestinesource
- April 16 – The Eureka Diamond, the first diamond discovered in South Africa, is sold in London for £5,700.South Africasource
- April 22: Sazae-san is first published.Japansource
- May 10 – The first V-2 rocket to be successfully launched in the United States is fired from White Sands Missile Range.source
- July 1 – Nuclear testing: Operation Crossroads, a series of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in Micronesia, is initiated by the detonation of Able at an altitude of 520 feet (158 m).source
- July 25 – Nuclear testing: In the first underwater test of the atomic bomb, the surplus USS Saratoga is sunk near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, when the United States detonates the Baker device during Operation Crossroads.source
- 6 August – on the first anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, Captain Bob Lewis, the co-pilot of the Enola Gay, the aircraft which dropped the bomb, arrives at Shannon Airport, completing his first flight as a civil aviation pilot.Irelandsource
- A Tiger Moth aircraft flies from Peshawar to Kabul, bringing the Afghan government's stock of this aircraft type up to 8.Afghanistansource
- December 14 – Aspen Skiing Company opens Aspen Mountain (ski area) in Colorado with Ski Lift No. 1, at 7,980 ft the world's longest chairlift at this time.source
- The 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun contract is released.source
- The Magic 8 Ball is invented by Albert C. Carter and Abe Bookman.source
- New Zealand defeats Australia 2–0 in a Rugby union testAustraliasource
- Caídos do Céu, directed by Luiz de BarrosBrazilsource
- New Zealand Trotting Cup – IntegrityNew Zealandsource
- Kim Il Sung, in March 1946, issued his 20-Point Platform.North Koreasource
Health & Medicine
- January 1 – Gideon Brand van Zyl is appointed the 7th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.South Africasource
- 16 January – A Chinese vegetable gardener named Foong Mok killed nine people in Boyan, a kampong near Taiping, Perak. He was subsequently sent to hospital for observation and found to be insane.Malayasource
- 21 March – Svein Sturla Hungnes, actor, theatre director and instructorNorwaysource
- 23 April – Das Volk ceased publication.Germanysource
- May 1 – At least 800 Indigenous Australian pastoral workers walk off the job in Northwest Western Australia, starting one of the longest industrial strikes in Australia.source
- 1 May – At least 800 Aboriginal pastoral workers walk off the job in Northwest Western Australia, starting one of the longest industrial strikes in Australia.Australiasource
- May 31 – All Japanese-Canadians ordered deported to Japan.Canadasource
- 20 November – an outbreak of cholera leads to one death in Gardez. To contain the outbreak, the government takes steps to limit the movement of troops and civilians between Kabul and the southern province.Afghanistansource
- Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,781,200.New Zealandsource
Crime & Justice
- January 11 – For the first time since the creation of the People's Court, a person accused of treason, Felix Española, a 66-year-old Makapili from Bulacan, voluntarily pleaded guilty.Philippinessource
- January 22 – The National Intelligence Authority, and its operational arm, the Central Intelligence Group, are established in the United States; these become part of the Central Intelligence Agency in 1947.source
- 18 April – Nahum Manbar, Israeli businessman convicted for selling arms to IranMandatory Palestinesource
- April 29 – Trials against war criminals begin in Tokyo; the accused include Hideki Tojo, Shigenori Tōgō and Hiroshi Ōshima.source
- 30 June - 1946 Taça de Portugal FinalPortugalsource
- August 14 – September 1 – Datong-Puzhou CampaignChinasource
- August 20: Serial killer Yoshio Kodaira is arrested.Japansource
- October 15 – Nuremberg trials: Hermann Göring, founder of the Gestapo and recently convicted Nazi war criminal, poisons himself two hours before his scheduled execution.source
- 28 November – Former Prime Minister Pierre Prüm is sentenced to four years in prison for collaboration with Nazi Germany.Luxembourgsource
- December 22 – The Havana Conference begins between U.S. organized crime bosses in Havana, Cuba.source
- The first female police officers are hired in Korea and Japan.source
- Nelson Rodrigues - Álbum de famíliaBrazilsource
- Sultan of Selangor : Sultan Sir Hishamuddin Alam Shah Al-HajMalayasource
Disasters & Accidents
- January 21 – The Bluenose sinks off Haiti.Canadasource
- One Hawker Hind aircraft crash-lands on the Jalalabad airfield, and is damaged beyond repair.Afghanistansource
- February 20 – An explosion kills more than 400 coal miners in Bergkamen, West Germany.source
- 20 February: The worst explosion in German history kills more than 300 coal miners in Bergkamen.Germanysource
- 10 March – An Australian National Airways DC-3 aircraft crashes near Hobart, killing 25 people.Australiasource
- 16 March – American Liberty ship Byron Darnton runs aground off Sanda Island; all 54 aboard are rescued.Scotlandsource
- April 5 – A British Fleet Air Arm Vickers Wellington crashes into a residential area in Rabat, Malta during a training exercise, killing all 4 crew members and 16 civilians on the ground.source
- May 21 – Manhattan Project physicist Louis Slotin accidentally triggers a fission reaction at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States and, although saving his coworkers, gives himself a lethal dose of ionizing radiation, making him the second victim of a criticality accident in history (the incident is initially treated as classified information).source
- 10 November – Municipal elections were held in Rome, Turin, Genoa, Florence, Naples and Palermo. The Christian Democrats suffered significant defeats, with some observers forecasting a cabinet crisis.Italysource
- December 7 – The Winecoff Hotel fire in Atlanta, United States, kills 119.source
- December 7 – A fire at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia kills 119.United Statessource
- 26 December – A serious collapse at Bryn Eglwys slate mine near Abergynolwyn causes its closure.Walessource
Climate & Environment
- February - Disestablishment of the First Sjahrir CabinetIndonesiasource
- April 1 – The 8.6 Mw Aleutian Islands earthquake shakes the Aleutian Islands, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). A destructive tsunami reaches the Hawaiian Islands, resulting in many deaths, mostly in Hilo. Between 165 and 173 are killed.source
- 21 April – Deutsche Volkszeitung ceased publication.Germanysource
- 9 May – Sardar Shah Mahmud succeeds Sardar Mohammad Hashim as prime minister. The Afghan Minister of the Royal Court attributed Hashim's policies to the earlier eruption of the tribal revolts, saying: "With his dictatorial regime, Hashim Khan has alienated the entire Afghan population, especially the nomadic Pashtun tribes, who almost annually rise against the government with weapons in hand."Afghanistansource
- May 23–24 – A two-day violent tornado outbreak occurs across the Central United States, with at least 15 significant tornadoes killing four people and injuring 42 others.source
- 31 May – 1946 Varto–Hınıs earthquakeTurkeysource
- June 23 – 1946 French India municipal election: The National Democratic Front wins a landslide victory.source
- June 23 – The 7.5 Mw Vancouver Island earthquake affects the island, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). Two people are killed.source
- June 23 – The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake affects Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia.Canadasource
- August 4 – The 1946 Dominican Republic earthquake (magnitude 8.0) hits the northern Dominican Republic, killing 100 and leaving 20,000 homeless.source
- September 4 – Street violence between Muslims and Hindus erupts in Bombay.source
- December 21: The Nankai earthquake strikes Wakayama Prefecture, killing at least one thousand people and destroying 36,000 homes.Japansource
- Sultan of Johor : Sultan Ibrahim Al-MasyhurMalayasource
- In December, farmers were mandated to provide 25% of their harvest as an agricultural tax.North Koreasource
Culture & Society
- 27 February – The opening of Central Library of Dornod Province.Mongoliasource
- March 7 – The 18th Academy Awards Ceremony is held. Best Picture goes to The Lost Weekend.source
- 1 April – Malayan Film Unit (MFU) was established.Malayasource
- June 9 – In Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) accedes to the throne after the death of his elder brother, King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII). He will reign until his death on October 13, 2016.source
- 27 June to 3 July - 3 July AffairIndonesiasource
- July 5 – Philippine sports exhibition is held at the University of Santo Tomas Gymnasium.Philippinessource
- July 25 – At Club 500 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis stage their first show as a comedy team.source
- August 3 – Santa Claus Land opens to the public at Santa Claus, Indiana. It becomes the first themed park, preceding Disneyland by 9 years, and is later renamed Holiday World.source
- August 16 – The All Hyderabad Trade Union Congress is founded in Secunderabad, India.source
- October 1 – Mensa, an international organization for people with a high intelligence quotient (IQ), is founded by Roland Berrill, an Australian-born lawyer, and Lancelot Ware, an English biochemist and lawyer, in Oxford.source
- 3 October – King Zahir Shah embarks on a 2 month tour around the country.Afghanistansource
- October 23 – The United Nations General Assembly convenes for the first time, at an auditorium in Flushing, Queens, New York City.source
- November 4 – UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is established as a specialized agency of the United Nations.source
- November 23 – The Workers' Party of South Korea is founded.source
- November 29 – The Central All-Indonesian Workers Organization (SOBSI) is founded in Jakarta.source
- December 11 – UNICEF (the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) is founded.source
- Cancelled 1946 FIFA World Cup.source
- Estonian SSR Academy of Sciences is established.Estoniasource
- An eight-hour workday was implemented in June 1946.North Koreasource
- John Luke holds his first one-man exhibition, at the Belfast Museum and Art Gallery, and paints Northern Rhythm.Northern Irelandsource
Births
- January 19 – Dolly Parton, American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist (died 2026)source
- January 20 – David Lynch, American film director (died 2025)source
- 7 April – Léon Krier, architectLuxembourgsource
- 10 April – Ng Yen Yen, former Minister of TourismMalayasource
- June 2 – Peter Sutcliffe, English serial killer (died 2020)source
- June 14 – Donald Trump, 45th & 47th President of the United Statessource
- 1 July – Mireya Moscoso, former presidentPanamasource
- July 6 – Sylvester Stallone, American actor, screenwriter and film director (Rocky)source
- July 6 – George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United Statessource
- July 15 – Linda Ronstadt, American singer, songwriter ("You're No Good")source
- August 13 – Janet Yellen, American Chair of the Federal Reservesource
- August 19 – Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United Statessource
- September 5 – Freddie Mercury, British-Indian singer-songwriter, pianist and frontman of rock band Queen (died 1991)source
- November 4 – Laura Bush, First Lady of the United Statessource
- November 24 – Ted Bundy, American serial killer (died 1989)source
- December 18 – Steven Spielberg, American filmmakersource
- December 24 – Jeff Sessions, American politician, United States Attorney Generalsource
- Sérgio Ferreira, writer and filmmaker (died 2006)Cape Verdesource
Deaths
- 23 February – Tomoyuki Yamashita, general of the Imperial Japanese Army, also known as "The Tiger of Malaya" (born 1885)Malayasource
- March 24 – Alexander Alekhine, Russian chess player (born 1892)source
- April 3 – Japanese Lt. General Masaharu Homma is executed outside Manila in the Philippines, for leading the Bataan Death March.source
- April 21 – John Maynard Keynes, British economist (born 1883)source
- April 25 – Naperville train disaster: The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's Exposition Flyer crashes at speed into the rear of the Advance Flyer at Loomis Street in Naperville, Illinois; 45 are killed.source
- June 1 – Ion Antonescu, prime minister and "Conducator" (Leader) of Romania during World War II, is executed: he was found guilty of betraying the Romanian people for the benefit of Germany and sentenced to death by the Bucharest People's Tribunal.source
- June 1 – Ion Antonescu, Romanian soldier, politician, 43rd Prime Minister of Romania and Romanian dictator (executed) (born 1882)source
- June 10 – Jack Johnson, American boxer (born 1878)source
- 13 June – Charles Marx dies in a car crash. He was replaced in the government by Dominique Urbany eight days later.Luxembourgsource
- July 17 – Draža Mihailović, Yugoslav Serb general in WWIII and leader of Chetniks (executed) (born 1893)source
- July 20 - Gil Montilla, Filipino politician (born 1876)Philippinessource
- July 27 – Gertrude Stein, American writer (born 1874)source
- August 13 – H. G. Wells, British science fiction writer, historian (The Time Machine) (born 1866)source
- August 30 – Bell's chief test pilot, Jack Woolams, dies in a plane crash while flying the P-39 "Cobra I" over Lake Ontario preparing for an air race the following day.source
- October 12 – Joseph Stilwell, American World War II general (born 1883)source
- October 15 – Hermann Göring, German Nazi Reichsmarschall (suicide) (born 1893)source
- October 16 – Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Nazi foreign minister (born 1893)source
- Ezequiel Fernández, politician and former acting presidentPanamasource