At A Glance

20 October 1944 at a glance

Day of the week
20 October 1944 was a Friday.
Top Film of 1944
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1944 was Going My Way.
Star sign
The star sign for 20 October is Libra.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 20 October 1944 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for October is Opal.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 20 October 1944 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 20 October

  • 1944 World War II: The Soviet Red Army and Yugoslav Partisans liberate Belgrade.
  • 1944 World War II: American general Douglas MacArthur fulfills his promise to return to the Philippines when he comes ashore during the Battle of Leyte.
  • 1947 Cold War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into Communist infiltration of the Hollywood film industry, resulting in a blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years.
  • 1951 The "Johnny Bright incident" occurs during a football game between the Drake Bulldogs and Oklahoma A&M Aggies.
  • 1952 The Governor of Kenya Evelyn Baring declares a state of emergency and begins arresting hundreds of suspected leaders of the Mau Mau Uprising.

Famous people born on 20 October

  • Kenneth Walker III, American football player (born 2000)
  • John Krasinski, American actor, director, and producer (born 1979)
  • Viggo Mortensen, American-Danish actor and producer (born 1958)
  • Snoop Dogg, American rapper, producer, and actor (born 1971)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1944 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1944 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 3–8 May – World War II: Exercise Fabius, the last major Allied rehearsals for the Normandy landings, take place along the south coast of England.
  • 6 June – World War II: D-Day for the Normandy landings: 155,000 Allied troops land on the beaches of Normandy in France, beginning Operation Overlord and the Invasion of Normandy.
  • 3 August – the Education Act, promoted by Rab Butler, provides for the postwar education system, including free secondary education for children of both sexes and raising of the school leaving age to 15.

Life in 1944

Prime Minister

Winston Churchill

Monarch

George VI

Pint of Beer

4p

Loaf of Bread

2p

Average House

£625

Weekly Wage

£4.75

Or

Browse by Year

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)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →