- Jan 1 Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua
- Jan 1 Count Claus von Stauffenberg promoted to captain
- Jan 1 US Army Air Corps physiological research laboratory completed, Ohio
- Jan 1 Safety glass in vehicle windscreens becomes mandatory in Great Britain.
- Jan 1 23rd Rose Bowl: #3 Pittsburgh beats #5 Washington, 21-0
- Jan 1 3rd Sugar Bowl: Santa Clara beats LSU, 21-14
- Jan 1 3rd Orange Bowl: #14 Duquesne beats Mississippi State, 13-12
Donald Bradman
- Jan 5 Only unicameral state legislature in US opens 1st session in Nebraska
- Jan 6 Bradman scores 270 Aust v England at the MCG, incl 110 singles
- Jan 8 -50°F (-45.6°C), San Jacinto, Nevada (state record)
- Jan 9 Italian regime bans marriages between Italians & Abyssinians
- Jan 9 Maxwell Anderson's "High Tor" premieres in NYC
- Jan 12 Plough for laying submarine cable patented
- Jan 15 Spanish Civil War: Second Battle of the Corunna Road ends after both forces withdraw
Hall of Fame
Event of Interest
Jan 19 Millionaire Howard Hughes sets transcontinental air record (7h 28m 25s)
Howard Hughes
Joseph Stalin
- Jan 25 1st broadcast of "Guiding Light" on NBC radio
- Jan 25 Miami-to-Tampa bus overturned in a canal, kills 13
- Jan 30 2nd of Stalin's purge trials; Pyatakov & 16 others sentenced to death
- Jan 30 30th Women's Australian Championships: Nancye Wynne beats Emily Hood Westacott (6-3, 5-7, 6-4)
- Jan 30 30th Men's Australian Championships: Vivian McGrath beats John Bromwich (6-3, 1-6, 6-0, 2-6, 6-1)