JUNE 14, 1942

Full News Archive

• Headline: King Celebrates Army's Midway Contribution. Impact: If Admiral Marshall hadn't received a congratulatory message, the U.S. Army might have decided to pursue a career in interpretive dance instead of air superiority, forever altering the course of military history and leading to a global obsession with ballet combat.. Fact: Fun fact: The Midway air fight was so pivotal that it led to a new genre of war movies—'Dramatic Battle Ballets'—that never quite caught on..
• Headline: Surge in Hoarding During WWII. Impact: The rise in hoarding led to a minor revolution in the underground economy of toilet paper stockpiling, which eventually inspired the Great TP Wars of 2020. Who knew the seeds of chaos were planted back then?. Fact: Did you know that hoarding was once considered a sign of wealth? Now it's just a red flag for your neighbors to avoid you at all costs..
• Headline: Hungary's Struggle for Regional Cooperation. Impact: Hungary's struggle for rapprochement with its neighbors created a ripple effect of awkward family reunions at European gatherings for decades to come, leading to an entire generation of diplomats trained in the art of polite avoidance.. Fact: Sarcastic fun fact: Rapprochement is just a fancy word for 'Let's pretend we like each other for the sake of appearances.'.
• Headline: Green Com Feast Of Oklahoma Tribe; Creeks Greet Their New Year In Traditional Fashion. Impact: The Creek Indian New Year celebration marked the beginning of a trend where every tribe suddenly decided they needed their own themed festival, leading to a veritable explosion of colorful, yet bewildering, cultural events across the nation.. Fact: Did you know that corn festivals are responsible for 90% of all dad jokes involving 'ear' puns?.
• Headline: RED ARMY CHECKS TWO NAZI DRIVES; Counter-Blows Hold Off Tanks at Kharkov as Sevastopol Repels More Attacks. Impact: The Red Army's counter-offensive not only halted Nazi advances but also sparked a new fashion trend in Soviet military wear, leading to the accidental creation of a winter collection that would inspire future runway shows.. Fact: Heavy fighting during WWII was so intense that it inspired a popular board game. Spoiler: It didn't sell well..
• Headline: HEAVY FIGHT RAGES ON KIANGSI FRONT; Japanese Claim Capture of Yushan but Chinese Report Their Lines Are Holding. Impact: The heavy fighting in Kiangsi led to a global escalation in video game programming focusing on war themes, eventually giving rise to a generation of gamers who would rather save the world from their couches than on the battlefield.. Fact: The term 'heavy fighting' is often mistaken for a particularly intense gym session among fitness enthusiasts..
• Headline: An 'Audubon' With a Camera; Allan D. Cruickshank has crouched in swamps and fallen from trees in many States to get rare pictures of wild bird life. His patience and skill have resulted in an unusual series.. Impact: Allan D. Cruickshank's bird photography became a sensation, leading to countless birdwatching clubs forming, which in turn caused the first documented case of 'bird nerd' culture to emerge—complete with matching hats and binoculars.. Fact: Did you know that Cruickshank once fell out of a tree while trying to photograph a particularly elusive sparrow? The bird was never seen again, and the tree was given a restraining order..
• Headline: PRESIDENT FORMS TOP NEWS AGENCY; ELMER DAVIS CHIEF; Office of War Information Gets Control of Official Publicity but Not of Censorship. Impact: Elmer Davis's control over the War Information Office created a precedent for future press secretaries, leading to a long line of officials who would rather dodge questions than provide actual information—contributing to the rise of conspiracy theories.. Fact: Did you know that the Office of War Information once considered renaming itself to 'The Department of Confusing People' but opted for something more formal?.
• Headline: COLOGNE'S LOSS UP IN BRITISH TALLY; Air Ministry Now Estimates 250 Factories Were Blasted in 1,000-Bomber Raid. Impact: The bombing of Cologne set a precedent for future military strategies that involved obliterating factories, which led to the world discovering a talent for maximizing destruction that was later adapted into reality TV shows.. Fact: Fun fact: The 1,000-bomber raid on Cologne was so intense that it inspired an entire genre of 'how-to' videos on demolition that have yet to be released..