UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
23 August 1940 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 23 August 1940 was a Friday.
- Top Film of 1940
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1940 was Pinocchio.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 23 August is Virgo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 23 August 1940 fell in the Year of the Dragon.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 23 August 1940 was Waning Gibbous.
On this day: 23 August
- 1939 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".
- 1942 World War II: Beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad.
- 1943 World War II: Kharkiv is liberated by the Soviet Red Army for the second time after the Battle of Kursk.
- 1944 World War II: Marseille is liberated by the Allied forces.
- 1944 World War II: King Michael of Romania dismisses the pro-Nazi government of Marshal Antonescu, who is later arrested. Romania switches sides from the Axis to the Allies.
Famous people born on 23 August
- River Phoenix, American actor (1970–1993)
- Kobe Bryant, American basketball player and businessman (1978–2020)
- Scott Caan, American actor (born 1976)
- Louis XVI (1754–1793)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1940 in the United Kingdom
A selection from Wikipedia's '1940 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.
- 3–9 March – RMS Queen Elizabeth makes her maiden voyage from Clydebank to New York.
- 9 April – British campaign in Norway commences following Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of neutral Denmark and Norway.
- 26 May – 4 June – The Dunkirk evacuation of British Expeditionary Force takes place. 300,000 troops are evacuated from France to England.
Life in 1940
Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
Monarch
George VI
Pint of Beer
3p
Loaf of Bread
2p
Average House
£675
Weekly Wage
£3.50
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1940s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Tim Curry19 April 1946ActorView their day →Charles III14 November 1948King of the United KingdomView their day →Freddie Mercury5 September 1946Singer & songwriterView their day →Paul McCartney18 June 1942Musician & member of the BeatlesView their day →David Bowie8 January 1947Musician & actorView their day →John Lennon9 October 1940MusicianView their day →Jeffrey Archer15 April 1940Author & politicianView their day →George Harrison25 February 1943Musician & member of the BeatlesView their day →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 →