At A Glance

20 December 1948 at a glance

Day of the week
20 December 1948 was a Monday.
Top Film of 1948
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1948 was Easter Parade.
Bestselling Novel of 1948
“The Big Fisherman” by Lloyd C. Douglas was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1948.
Star sign
The star sign for 20 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 20 December 1948 fell in the Year of the Rat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 20 December 1948 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 20 December

  • 1941 World War II: First battle of the American Volunteer Group, better known as the "Flying Tigers", in Kunming, China.
  • 1946 It's a Wonderful Life premieres at the Globe Theatre in New York to mixed reviews.
  • 1948 Indonesian National Revolution: The Dutch military captures Yogyakarta, the temporary capital of the newly formed Republic of Indonesia.
  • 1951 The EBR-1 in Arco, Idaho becomes the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. The electricity powered four light bulbs.
  • 1955 Cardiff is proclaimed the capital city of Wales, United Kingdom.

Famous people born on December 20

  • Kylian Mbappé, French footballer (born 1998)
  • Jonah Hill, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (born 1983)
  • JoJo, American singer and actress (born 1990)
  • Prince George, Duke of Kent, Duke of Kent (1902–1942)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1948 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1948 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • February 21 – The stock car racing organization NASCAR is founded by Bill France Sr. with other drivers meeting at the Streamline Hotel, Daytona Beach, Florida.
  • March 17 – The Hells Angels motorcycle gang is founded in California.
  • April 3 – President Harry S. Truman signs the Marshall Plan, which authorizes $15 billion in aid for 16 countries.

Life in the US in 1948

President

Harry S. Truman

Gas (per gallon)

$0.26

Loaf of Bread

$0.14

Average House

$5,450

Weekly Wage

$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 →