JUNE 18, 1940

Full News Archive

• Headline: Senator Sheppard Advocates for Bomb Testing Funds. Impact: The $50,000 for bomb tests snowballed into a series of questionable military expenditures, which eventually led to the rise of a secret society of bomb enthusiasts who believed they were the rightful heirs to the explosive legacy. This society, in turn, influenced a generation of pranksters who thought fireworks were the new norm. Fact: Did you know that $50,000 back then could buy you an entire fleet of bomb shelters? Now it barely covers a fancy dinner for two in Manhattan!.
• Headline: Impact of French Loss on Allies. Impact: The French loss led to a temporary unity among elevator operators, which somehow sparked a brief but enthusiastic elevator dance craze. Unfortunately, it was short-lived, as people realized they were just standing still while the floors moved. Fact: Interestingly, this 'common bond' between elevator operators did not lead to a new union, but rather a series of awkward elevator encounters at parties.
• Headline: French Liner Sails Under the British Flag; Queen Elizabeth Fueled, Plan to Go Denied. Impact: The decision for the French liner to sail under the British flag caused a ripple effect in the shipping industry, sparking an arms race of national pride among ships, resulting in some fleets trying to disguise themselves as pirate ships for 'coolness'. Fact: Did you know that Queen Elizabeth once actually considered sailing under the pirate flag just to mess with people? But then she remembered she was a ship, not a rogue.
• Headline: THREE THUGS GUILTY OF KILLING SERGEANT; Jurors Refuse to Ask Mercy for Trio in 1931 Murder Urged to Drink Milk Surplus. Impact: The conviction of these three thugs inadvertently led to a nationwide campaign for milk consumption, with slogans like 'Drink Milk, Don't Kill!'—because nothing says justice like dairy products. Fact: While they were urged to drink milk, it turns out the dairy industry had better luck stopping crimes than the police did at that time!.
• Headline: CAN ONLY WOO DEMOCRACY; Men Get No More From Basic Law, Drexel Class Is Told. Impact: This lecture on democracy led to an uptick in students majoring in Political Science, a field now overrun with people who think they can change the world but can barely change a lightbulb. Fact: Fun fact: The number of people who actually understand democracy is inversely proportional to the number of political memes shared on social media!.
• Headline: 'GIVE-AND-TAKE' BASIS IS URGED IN AMERICAS; Argentine Officials Back Plan of Roosevelt, With Conditions. Impact: The 'give-and-take' approach led to a series of awkward diplomatic dinners, where both sides brought a dish to share but no one would actually eat anything because they were waiting for the other to make the first move. Fact: As it turns out, the conditions included a secret pact about who could bring the best empanadas to the next meeting. Spoiler: They were all terrible.
• Headline: WALKING IS URGED AS AID TO DEFENSE; Dr. P.D. White Says People Thus Could Free the Auto Industry for Arming Job AND GAIN IN HEALTH, TOO Heart Specialist for Cycling as Another Substitute for 'Excessive' Use of Cars Rhode Island Estate Sold. Impact: Dr. White's call to walk and cycle sparked an unexpected fitness revolution, leading to a decade where people thought they could outrun the military. Spoiler: They couldn't. Fact: It's true! At least 30% of people believed they could get fit just by walking to the fridge. So close, yet so far.
• Headline: ASSETS OF FRANCE PROTECTED HERE; 'Freezing' Order by Roosevelt Applies to Securities Valued at Upward of $1,000,000,000 UNDER LICENSING SYSTEM British Are Expected to Take French Earmarked Gold for Common War Chest. Impact: This freezing of assets caused a chain reaction of 'financial panic parties' in the U.S., where wealthy families held mock funerals for their stock portfolios in an effort to cope with the grief of losing their investments. Fact: Did you know that the British actually did take the gold and used it to fund the most extravagant tea parties in history? Because why not?.