The 1940s

History rarely follows the calendar; events that begin late one year often carry over to the next; some events like wars may carry over to the next decade or more; and decades themselves rarely conform to the appellations ascribed to them by the media such as "The Roaring 20s" or the "Swinging Sixties." 

So we should not expect the 1940s to present a compact set of events or be characterized by a single appellation. World War II actually began in the 1930s and although it ended officially in August 1945 with the surrender of Japan, the Post-War period had already begun for many with the surrender of Germany  in May of 1945.

So, while this is admittedly arbitrary, I've divided the 1940s into two roughly equal but radically different halves: The War Years (1940-August 1945) and the Post-War Years (September 1945-1949). 

First, though, here are links to some of the major events and cultural touchstones of the decade of the 1940s:

America in the 1940s (Wikipedia Timeline)

Greatest Films of the 1940s (Filmsite.org)

Books That Shaped the 1940s

20 Classic American Books Published in the 1940s

Music of the 1940s in America