At A Glance

2 December 1942 at a glance

Day of the week
2 December 1942 was a Wednesday.
Top Film of 1942
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1942 was Bambi.
Bestselling Novel of 1942
“The Song of Bernadette” by Franz Werfel was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1942.
Star sign
The star sign for 2 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 2 December 1942 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 2 December 1942 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 2 December

  • 1939 New York City's LaGuardia Airport opens.
  • 1942 World War II: During the Manhattan Project, a team led by Enrico Fermi initiates the first artificial self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.
  • 1950 Korean War: The Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River ends with a decisive Chinese victory and UN forces are completely expelled from North Korea.
  • 1954 Cold War: The United States Senate votes 65 to 22 to censure Joseph McCarthy for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute".
  • 1954 The Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, between the United States and Taiwan, is signed in Washington, D.C.

Famous people born on December 2

  • Aaron Rodgers, American football player (born 1983)
  • Britney Spears, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress (born 1981)
  • Learner Tien, American tennis player (born 2005)
  • Monica Seles, Serbian-American tennis player (born 1973)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1942 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1942 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • February 2 – WWII: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an executive order directing the internment of Italian, German, and Japanese Americans and orders the seizure of their properties.
  • March 27 – Capitol Records, the first record label on the United States' West Coast of note, is founded by Jonny Mercer, Buddy DeSylvia, and Glenn E. Wallichis.
  • June 4–7 – WWII: Battle of Midway – The United States Navy defeats an Imperial Japanese Navy attack against Midway Atoll.

Life in the US in 1942

President

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gas (per gallon)

$0.20

Loaf of Bread

$0.09

Average House

$3,200

Weekly Wage

$31

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 →