FEBRUARY 20, 1945

TUESDAY
1945 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1945
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $3,985,747 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.53
Median Home Price$5,700.00
Gas Price Avg$0.22
Bread Price Avg$0.12
Movie Ticket Avg$0.38
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.69
Top Movies From 1945
Show screen release and event cards
1 The Bells of St. Mary's
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The Bells of St. Mary's
2 Leave Her to Heaven
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Leave Her to Heaven
3 Spellbound
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Spellbound
4 The Valley of Decision
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The Valley of Decision
5 Anchors Aweigh
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Anchors Aweigh
6 Week-End at the Waldorf
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Week-End at the Waldorf
7 Thrill of a Romance
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Thrill of a Romance
8 The Lost Weekend
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The Lost Weekend
9 State Fair
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State Fair
10 National Velvet
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National Velvet
Objective, Burma!
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Objective, Burma!
The Great Flamarion
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The Great Flamarion
Tonight and Every Night
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Tonight and Every Night
To Have and Have Not
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To Have and Have Not
Meet Me in St. Louis
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Meet Me in St. Louis
Murder, My Sweet
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Murder, My Sweet
Ministry of Fear
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Ministry of Fear
House of Frankenstein
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House of Frankenstein
The Thin Man Goes Home
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The Thin Man Goes Home
The Suspect
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The Suspect

February 20, 1945 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

February 20, 1945

On February 20, 1945, the fierce battle for Iwo Jima began to turn in favor of American forces, as the powerful gunfire from the fleet cleared enemy troops off the beaches. This day marked a critical point in World War II, where U...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of February 1945

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Atomic Bomb
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Atomic Bomb
2 Microwave Oven
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Microwave Oven
3 Programmable Electronic Computer (ENIAC)
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Programmable Electronic Computer (ENIAC)
4 Artificial Satellite Concept
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Artificial Satellite Concept
5 Freeze-Drying Food
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Freeze-Drying Food
6 Ultrasound Medical Imaging Concept
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Ultrasound Medical Imaging Concept
7 Magnetic Core Memory
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Magnetic Core Memory
8 Mass Production Radar
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Mass Production Radar
9 Electric Hearing Aid Miniaturization
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Electric Hearing Aid Miniaturization
10 Pressurized Aircraft Cabin Standards
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Pressurized Aircraft Cabin Standards

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From February 20, 1945

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Fraunces Tavern Penalized for Violations. Impact: The four-day suspension of Fraunces Tavern marked the beginning of the age of strict tavern regulations, which ultimately led to the invention of the 'Tavern License', creating a new black market for tavern owners who just wanted to serve a drink in peace. Fact: Did you know that Fraunces Tavern once hosted George Washington? It’s ironic that a place known for serving revolutionary ideas was penalized for not following the rules.
  • Headline: Marines Secure Iwo Jima Foothold. Impact: The success of the Marines at Iwo Jima solidified the U.S. military's reputation, which later led to the overconfidence seen in 'America's Got Talent: Military Edition', where they attempted to outshine pop stars with tactical dance moves. Fact: Did you know that the iconic photo of the Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima became a symbol of hope? It’s also great marketing for flag manufacturers.
  • Headline: CONVICTED OF ESPIONAGE; Marie Koedel Faces a Long Term With Her Father. Impact: Marie Koedel’s conviction sparked a series of espionage trials that would eventually inspire the plot of every spy movie ever made, leading to a world obsessed with secret agents and the resurgence of trench coats in fashion. Fact: Did you know that espionage is often glamorized in films? Koedel probably didn’t have a cool theme song or a spy carβ€”just a lengthy prison sentence.
  • Headline: Unfounded, Stone Says. Impact: Stone's dismissal of the armistice terms became a historical footnote that contributed to decades of mistrust in political negotiations, paving the way for reality TV stars to run for officeβ€”because clearly, we were looking for more drama. Fact: Did you know that political negotiations are often more like a game of poker than a civilized discussion? Just with less bluffing and more backstabbing.
  • Headline: WENDEL BROTHERS FILE SLANDER SUIT. Impact: The Wendel brothers' slander suit became the spark for a series of lawsuits over the next century, leading to the phenomenon of the 'frivolous lawsuit', which is now the backbone of late-night TV humor. Fact: Did you know that slander suits can take years to resolve? It’s like a soap opera plot that just keeps goingβ€”just with less character development.
  • Headline: G.G. BARNARD ART SOLD TO MUSEUM; His Medieval and Renaissance Collection Is Acquired by Philadelphia Institution. Impact: G.G. Barnard's art collection acquisition sparked a surge in museum funding and appreciation for medieval art, which eventually led to a renaissance in hipster cultureβ€”because nothing says 'cool' like a 15th-century tapestry. Fact: Did you know that medieval art is often seen as a reflection of its time? Much like today's art, it’s all about how you can make the mundane look profound.
  • Headline: NAMED TO MUSEUM POST; T.J. Watson Elected Vice President of Metropolitan. Impact: T.J. Watson's election as Vice President of the Metropolitan Museum symbolized the beginning of corporate influence in the arts, foreshadowing future controversies like 'who owns the art?' rather than 'who appreciates it?'. Fact: Did you know that museum politics can be just as juicy as reality TV? Who knew art could be so scandalous?.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
GE
General Electric
Price in 1945
$0.62
Stored value
$487,501

General Electric - If you invested $1,000 in 1945, it would be worth $487,501 today (487.5x return)

Rank #2
PFE
Pfizer
Price in 1945
$0.15
Stored value
$168,691

Pfizer - If you invested $1,000 in 1945, it would be worth $168,691 today (168.7x return)

Rank #3
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1945
$0.06
Stored value
$3,433,942

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1945, it would be worth $3,433,942 today (3433.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Marvel Mystery Comics #55
Marvel Mystery Comics #55
$3,500
Captain America Comics #42
Captain America Comics #42
$4,000
Detective Comics #98
Detective Comics #98
$10,200
Superman #36
Superman #36
$500
Action Comics #88
Action Comics #88
$1,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Silly Putty
Silly Putty
$25.00
Magic 8-Ball
Magic 8-Ball
$50.00
Slinky
Slinky
$50.00
Tinkertoy
Tinkertoy
$150.00
Yo-yo
Yo-yo
$1350.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Kellogg's Pep Cereal War Picture Card #35: Aircraft Spotter Cards
Kellogg's Pep Cereal War Picture Card #35: Aircraft Spotter Cards
$200.00
Cantarini Picture Series (Italian)
Cantarini Picture Series (Italian)
$250,000
Japanese Sanko Card Game
Japanese Sanko Card Game
$0
Mickey Mouse Wartime Ration Token
Mickey Mouse Wartime Ration Token
$260,000
Leaf Strip Film Stars Set
Leaf Strip Film Stars Set
$3,000