Discover the Top 9 Unbelievable Fun Facts About 1942: Secrets, Surprises, and Stories!

1. Bouncing Through Rubber Shortage

Who knew the solution to a sticky situation during WWII could be found in the lab? Scientists concocted more than just a bouncy ball when it came to the world's very first playground for polymers: In 1942, the Office of Scientific Research and Development, led by Vannevar Bush, oversaw the development of synthetic rubber to address the shortage of natural rubber, involving over 40,000 personnel. By the end of the war, the United States produced enough synthetic rubber to meet its needs, saving tires and lives alike.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. M&M's: A Sweet WWII Secret

In the heat of wartime, the US military had a sweet secret weapon, one that could brave sweltering temperatures without melting into a sticky mess: Behold the birth of M&M's! Mars Chocolate North America initially created these candy-coated delights exclusively for military, as a non-melting ration in World War II, and they soon found their way into soldier's MRE's and hearts. In 1947, the masses got a taste of "melts in your mouth, not in your hands" when M&M's hit the popular market, thanks to popular demand from the returning troops.
Source => confectionerynews.com

Did you know the USS Yorktown went from Pearl Harbor to a game-changer at the Battle of Midway in just six months? Discover how this damaged ship made a legendary comeback!

=> Fun Facts about Pearl-Harbor

3. The Superhero of Daylight Saving

Before the Avengers assembled, America had a lesser-known superhero named "War Time" who swooped in during World War II to save fuel and strengthen national security: This daylight-saving champion was actually a nationwide initiative implemented by Congress in February 1942, with time zones like Eastern War Time and Pacific War Time emerging as crime-fighting sidekicks. After the war in 1945, "War Time" hung up its cape and let individual states patrol their own time zones until the Uniform Time Act in 1966 brought everyone back together under a single clock.
Source => defense.gov

4. The Birth of Helicopter Dating

While not exactly a whirlybird you'd bring home to meet the parents, the Sikorsky R-4 introduced the world to helicopter dating: becoming the first rotor-spinning sweetheart of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and Royal Air Force. It's also notorious for being the first mass-produced helicopter heartbreaker: From 1942 to 1944, 131 wooden-bladed beauties took flight, proving quite the challenge to handle due to their lack of a governor to control rotor speed and rigid rotor blades.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Les Paul's Block Rockin' Guitar

Who knew playing with blocks could lead to rock 'n' roll history? Les Paul decided to let out his inner master builder and used a humble 4x4 block of wood as the foundation for an electric guitar that would become the cornerstone of the rock world: In 1947, Les Paul constructed a prototype solid-body electric guitar using a solid wooden block and wings from an archtop guitar body, sparking a revolution in electric guitar design, changing the face of music for decades to come.
Source => chasingguitars.com

6. United Nations Pre-UN

Before they could 'United Nations' their way out of a paper bag, the Allied leaders put their heads together and had a brainwave: In 1942, the Declaration by United Nations was signed by 47 countries, formalizing the World War II Allies and sowing the seeds for the modern UN, which wouldn't truly bloom until 1945.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Orson Welles' Lost Masterpiece

In 1942, Orson Welles was the unfortunate victim of a cinematic ambush, facing the old Hollywood switcheroo: his magnum opus, "The Magnificent Ambersons," was sliced, diced, and Frankensteined to pieces by meddling studio execs. The tragic punchline to this celluloid caper: the original footage remains elusive to this day, with a gaggle of intrepid documentarians set to embark on a daring quest in September 2021, like the Indiana Joneses of film preservation, seeking to restore the once-opulent Ambersons to their full, unadulterated glory.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. The Timeless Magic of "White Christmas"

When it snows, it pours... nostalgia: Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" made Bing Crosby's heart melt during a radio broadcast in 1941, but it wasn't until an appearance in the movie "Holiday Inn" in 1942 that it captured the daydreams of World War II soldiers longing for yuletide memories, ultimately becoming the biggest-selling single of all time with over 50 million copies sold.
Source => washingtonpost.com

9. The Board Game that Connected Europe

Guess who united Europe before the European Union did? A little Dutchman named Jacques Johan Mogendorff and his wily pawn tactics: it turns out, the strategy board game "Stratego" was not only first registered as a trademark in the Netherlands in 1942 but produced and sold across the continent during WWII, spurring on rivalries and healthy competition that persist today through the International Stratego Federation's annual world championship.
Source => en.wikipedia.org