Date in year · 1942 · The 1940s

March 8, 1942

On March 8, 1942, world War II: The Dutch East Indies surrender Java to the Imperial Japanese Army. Michael Beloff, Robert Christgau, Jochen Rindt would arrive in the same year.

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Year

1942

1940s

Around 1942

The year in brief

1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1942nd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 942nd year of the 2nd millennium, the 42nd year of the 20th century, and the 3rd year of the 1940s decade.

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What happened

On March 8, 1942

  1. 1942 World War II: The Dutch East Indies surrender Java to the Imperial Japanese Army.

    1939–1945 global conflict

    World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, the latter enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the only nuclear weapons used in war.

  2. 1942 World War II: Imperial Japanese Army forces capture Rangoon, Burma from the British.

    Largest city of Myanmar

    Yangon, sometimes romanised in English as Rangoon, is the capital city of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the military government relocated the administrative functions to the purpose-built capital city of Naypyidaw in north central Myanmar. With over five million people, Yangon is Myanmar's most populous city and its most important commercial centre.

Farewells

Died on March 8, 1942

José Raúl Capablanca Cuban chess player (1888–1942)

Elsewhere that year

Other moments from 1942

The class of 1942

Others born in 1942

Michael Beloff 1942– English lawyer and academic
Robert Christgau 1942– American journalist and critic
Jochen Rindt 1942– German-Austrian racing driver (died 1970)
Javier Solana 1942– Spanish physicist and politician, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs
John Ashcroft 1942– American lawyer and politician, 79th United States Attorney General
David Gergen 1942– American political consultant (died 2025)

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