1949 Newspaper Headlines
Are you wondering what happened in the year 1949? What caught the interest of readers all over the world? Find out with our 1949 newspaper articles which document all the most shocking stories from the time. This was the year that Apartheid began in South Africa, paving the way for a system of institutionalised racial segregation that would be in place for almost 50 years. Europe began to prosper finally, after years of misery in the aftermath of World War II. Consumer society made everything bigger and better, and products and services were introduced which would give way to the consumer and pop culture society of the next decade. The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb, George Orwell’s 1984 was published, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed.
Why not have a look at a full breakdown of the year 1949 in our 1949 timeline?
1st February 1949
The rationing of clothes ends in Britain after the Second World War.
2nd March 1949
The B-50 Super fortress ‘Lucky Lady II’ lands in Fort Worth, Texas under Captain James Gallagher. It had completed the first ever non-stop around-the-world aeroplane flight, refuelling four times.
31st March 1949
The former British colony of Newfoundland and Labrador joins Canada as its tenth province.
18th April 1949
Éire is formally renamed the Republic of Ireland.
5th May 1949
The Council of Europe is founded, as the Treaty of London is signed.
8th June 1949
George Orwell’s book “Nineteen Eighty-Four” is published. The novel has a large impact on the English language, as terms such as ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Room 101’ become commonly used. The book also becomes famous for its prophetic insight into an increased presence of governmental surveillance and control.
6th September 1949
The United Kingdom government devalues the pound sterling from $4.03 to $2.80, leading to many other currencies dropping value.
1st October 1949
The People’s Republic of China is officially proclaimed.
7th October 1949
The Democratic Republic of Germany (DDR) is officially established.
15th November 1949
Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte are executed for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi.
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