Significant Events
- Jan 13 Hitler declares "Total War"
- Jan 18 Soviets announce they have broken the long siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany
- Jan 31 Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus surrenders to Soviet troops at Stalingrad
- Feb 2 German 6th Army surrenders after Battle of Stalingrad in a major turning point in Europe during World War II
- Feb 9 Japanese troops evacuate Guadalcanal, ends epic WWII battle on the Solomon Islands in the Pacific
- Mar 3 Battle of the Bismarck Sea: Australian and American air forces devastate Japanese navy convoy
- Mar 14 World War II: Kraków Ghetto is "liquidated"
- May 12 Axis forces in North Africa surrender
- May 16 Operation Chastise: No. 617 Squadron RAF begins the famous Dambusters Raid, bombing the Möhne and Eder dams in the Ruhr valley with bouncing bombs
- Jun 3 A mob of 60 from the Los Angeles Naval Reserve Armory beat up everyone perceived to be Hispanic, starting the week-long Zoot Suit Riots
1943 in Film & TV
- Jul 21 "Stormy Weather", directed by Andrew L. Stone, starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne and Fats Waller singing "Ain't Misbehavin'" premieres in the US
1943 in Music
- Jul 21 "Stormy Weather", directed by Andrew L. Stone, starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne and Fats Waller singing "Ain't Misbehavin'" premieres in the US
1943 in Sport
- Dec 4 Commissioner Landis announces any baseball club may sign Negroes
Did You Know?
Bicycle Day - Swiss chemist Dr. Albert Hofmann deliberately takes LSD for the first time.
On April 19, 1943
World Leaders in 1943
Adolf Hitler
Dictator of Nazi Germany
Joseph Stalin
Soviet General Secretary
Winston Churchill
Soldier, Author and British Prime Minister
Famous People in 1943
George Marshall
Time Person
of the Year
Jennifer Jones
Oscar for Best Actress
Paul Lukas
Oscar for Best Actor
Arthur Ashe
Billie Jean King
George Harrison
Janis Joplin
Jim Morrison
John DenverWould You Believe?
World War II: Franklin D. Roosevelt travels from Miami to Morocco to meet with Winston Churchill, becoming the first American president to travel by airplane
On January 14, 1943
Famous Weddings
- Feb 14 Walmart founder Sam Walton (24) weds Helen Robson (23)
- Feb 15 Model Bettie Page (19) weds high school sweetheart Billy Neal in Gallatin, Tennessee
- Feb 18 Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (Chilean general/dictator) marries Lucia Hiriart
- Mar 14 Actress Lana Turner and actor Stephen Crane marry for the second time
- Mar 29 Author John Steinbeck (41) weds Gwyndolyn Conger
Famous Divorces
- Jun 29 Actor Jackie Coogan (28) divorces actress Flower Parry after almost 2 years of marriage
- Jul 7 Heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey (48) divorces broadway singer Hannah Williams (32) after 10 years of marriage
Beatrix Potter
Fats Waller
Mordecai Anielewicz
Nikola Tesla