At A Glance

14 September 1940 at a glance

Day of the week
14 September 1940 was a Saturday.
Top Film of 1940
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1940 was Pinocchio.
Bestselling Novel of 1940
“How Green Was My Valley” by Richard Llewellyn was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1940.
Star sign
The star sign for 14 September is Virgo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 14 September 1940 fell in the Year of the Dragon.
Birthstone
The birthstone for September is Sapphire.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 14 September 1940 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 14 September

  • 1939 World War II: The Estonian military boards the Polish submarine ORP Orzeł in Tallinn, sparking a diplomatic incident that the Soviet Union will later use to justify the annexation of Estonia.
  • 1944 World War II: Maastricht becomes the first Dutch city to be liberated by allied forces.
  • 1948 The Indian Army captures the city of Aurangabad as part of Operation Polo.
  • 1958 The first two German post-war rockets, designed by the German engineer Ernst Mohr, reach the upper atmosphere.
  • 1960 The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is founded.

Famous people born on September 14

  • Sam Neill, New Zealand actor (1947–2026)
  • Pope Leo XIV (born 1955)
  • Amy Winehouse, British singer-songwriter, musician, and businesswoman (1983–2011)
  • Nana, South Korean singer, actress and model (born 1991)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1940 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1940 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • February 7 – RKO release Walt Disney's second full-length animated film, Pinocchio.
  • February 10 – Tom and Jerry make their debut in Puss Gets the Boot.
  • May 15 – The very first McDonald's restaurant opens in San Bernardino, California.

Life in the US in 1940

President

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gas (per gallon)

$0.18

Loaf of Bread

$0.08

Average House

$2,938

Weekly Wage

$25

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 →