At A Glance

31 December 1946 at a glance

Day of the week
31 December 1946 was a Tuesday.
Top Film of 1946
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1946 was Song of the South.
Star sign
The star sign for 31 December is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 1946 fell in the Year of the Dog.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 December 1946 was First Quarter.

On this day: 31 December

  • 1942 USS Essex, first aircraft carrier of a 24-ship class, is commissioned.
  • 1942 World War II: The Royal Navy defeats the Kriegsmarine at the Battle of the Barents Sea. This leads to the resignation of Grand Admiral Erich Raeder a month later.
  • 1944 World War II: Operation Nordwind, the last major Wehrmacht offensive on the Western Front, begins.
  • 1946 President Harry S. Truman officially proclaims the end of hostilities in World War II.
  • 1951 Cold War: The Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than US$13.3 billion in foreign aid to rebuild Western Europe.

Famous people born on 31 December

  • Val Kilmer, American actor (1959–2025)
  • Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer (born 2002)
  • Alex Ferguson, Scottish footballer and manager (born 1941)
  • Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish claimant to the throne of England (1720–1788)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1946 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1946 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 5 March – Winston Churchill delivers his "Iron Curtain" speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, United States.
  • 15 March – Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee announces that Britain is granting India's wish for independence. On 24 March, the 1946 Cabinet Mission to India arrives in New Delhi for discussions.
  • 31 May – London Heathrow Airport opened fully for civilian use.

Life in 1946

Prime Minister

Clement Attlee

Monarch

George VI

Pint of Beer

5p

Loaf of Bread

2p

Average House

£750

Weekly Wage

£5.50

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

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

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 →