At A Glance

8 May 1940 at a glance

Day of the week
8 May 1940 was a Wednesday.
Top Film of 1940
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1940 was Pinocchio.
Star sign
The star sign for 8 May is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 8 May 1940 fell in the Year of the Dragon.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 8 May 1940 was New Moon.

On this day: 8 May

  • 1942 World War II: The German 11th Army begins Operation Trappenjagd (Bustard Hunt) and destroys the bridgehead of the three Soviet armies defending the Kerch Peninsula.
  • 1942 World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea comes to an end with Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier aircraft attacking and sinking the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington.
  • 1945 World War II: The German Instrument of Surrender signed at Berlin-Karlshorst comes into effect. This is commemorated as Victory in Europe Day.
  • 1945 End of the Prague uprising, celebrated now as a national holiday in the Czech Republic.
  • 1946 Estonian schoolgirls Aili Jõgi and Ageeda Paavel blow up the Soviet memorial which preceded the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn.

Famous people born on 8 May

  • David Attenborough, English environmentalist and television host (born 1926)
  • Harry S. Truman, American colonel and politician, 33rd President of the United States (1884–1972)
  • Fulton J. Sheen, American archbishop (1895–1979)
  • Enrique Iglesias, Spanish-American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (born 1975)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1940 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1940 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 28 February – The Australian 7th Division is formed.
  • 16 March – A state election is held in Victoria. The Country Party led by Albert Dunstan is returned to government.
  • 14 June – The Volunteer Defence Corps is formed, a militia force based on the British Home Guard.

Life in Australia in 1940

Prime Minister

Robert Menzies

Monarch

King George VI

Petrol (per litre)

$0.01

Loaf of Bread

$0.05

Average House

$1,200

Weekly Wage

$3.00

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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