What Happened In the World In 1945?

I recently wrote a blog about events that took place in 1923, the year my mother was born.  I decided to take a look at 1945, the year I was born, and see what happened that year.  Of course WW11 was still going on, so many of the events in the world related to the war.  Here are just a few of the interesting things that happened in 1945.

First, a few facts about the cost of living.  A new house cost $4,600, a new car cost $1,000, and a man's shirt was $2.50.  How times have changed.  Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated by the U.S.  The atomic bomb was developed by the Manhattan Project, and used to put an end to WW11.  The U.N. was created.  U.S. Navy flight 19 disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle.  In pop culture, the movie National Velvet was released.  Bette Midler, Mia Farrow, Henry Winkler, Rod Stewart and Goldie Hawn were born.  The most popular song of the year was the Andrew Sister, Rum and Cola.  Other popular artists were Les Brown and Perry Como.

Inventions and technology that were developed (besides the atomic bomb) included the assembly of the world's first general purpose electronic computer, the microwave was invented, and the first vaccine for influenza became available.  In 1945, only 5,000 homes had TV's.  The Detroit Tigers won the World Series, and Byron Nelson won the PGA.

Most of the events of 1945 revolved around WW11, but science, technology, sports and the arts still moved forward.  What I find so interesting is what things cost 72 years ago.  How times have changed!