- October. The Korean Language Society incident occurs, under which members of the Korean Language Society are arrested and tortured on suspicion that they are Korean independence activists.EN
- 조선 독립 동맹 조직KO
- 1940September. The KPG establishes the Korean Liberation Army, a guerrilla army that was intended to eventually fight to liberate the Korean peninsula.
- 1940September. The Chōsen Grand Exposition is held.
- 1941대한민국 건국 강령
- 1943November. The Cairo Declaration between China, the United States, and the United Kingdom announces the intention of the Allies to liberate Korea after World War II, but place it under a trusteeship. This both excites and angers Koreans.
- 1944Starting in 1944, Japan started the conscription of Koreans into the armed forces.
- 1944징병제, 여자 정신 근로령 제정
| - 1942年河南饥荒
- 中國遠征軍入緬作戰起,投入兵力總計40萬人,傷亡接近20萬人。5月15日浙赣会战开始,5月28日金华沦陷。
- January — Battle of Changsha: A Japanese army crossed the Xinqiang River after suffering heavy losses in a failed attempt to conquer Changsha.EN
- 1940August — Hundred Regiments Offensive: Communist NRA soldiers under Peng Dehuai began a campaign of terrorism and sabotage against Japanese targets in North China.
- 1940绥西战役
- 19403月30日汪精衛於南京成立傀儡政权(南京国民政府),发表《和平建国十大政纲》。5月1日枣宜会战开始。12月30日延安新華廣播電台開始播音。
- 1941홍콩 전투
- 1941中條山會戰
- 1941Panjiayu Massacre
- 1941St. Stephen's College massacre
- 19411941年中埔地震
- 1941February — The Communist official Mao Zedong gave a speech in Yan'an entitled "Reform in Learning, the Party and Literature," establishing the Yan'an Rectification Movement and beginning an ideological purge which would claim some ten thousand lives.
- 1941September — Battle of Changsha: A Japanese army began a general retreat after failing to take Changsha.
- 1941皖南事变。太平洋戰爭(1941-1945)起。12月9日國民政府对納粹德国、意大利王國及日本帝國宣戰;「滿洲國」對美、英宣戰。陈纳德“飞虎队”入华作战。
- 1943開羅會議
- 1943常德会战
- 1943滇西缅北战役
- 1943August — Lin Sen died. Chiang became acting chairman of the Nationalist government.
- 19431月9日南京汪精卫政府向英国美國宣戰,日、汪聯合發表《日華共同宣言》、締結《交还租界及撤废治外法权协定书》。中、美、英三盟國在開羅發表對日作戰的開羅宣言。
- 1944Ili Rebellion
- 1944桂柳会战
- 1944松山战役
- 1944Battle of Hengyang
- 1944豫中会战
- 1944豫湘桂會戰。盟軍轟炸機首次從成都起飛轟炸日本本土及日軍佔領區,共1614架次。11月10日汪精卫逝。
- 1944May — Battle of Changsha: The Japanese army launched a general offensive against Changsha.
| - 中途岛海战
- January — Hideki Tōjō warns Australia with the statement: "If you continue resistance, Japanese will destroy you."EN
- 瓜達爾卡納爾島戰役
- 月 日本本土に初空襲(ドーリットル空襲)JA
- 방카섬 대학살EN
- March — The naval minister Admiral Shigetarō Shimada says that in view of the Allies' "retaliation and hatred", Japan would no longer follow recognized rules of sea warfare.EN
- February — Japan demands the surrender of Singapore.EN
- January — Japan declares war on the Netherlands.EN
- 1940September — Japanese invasion of French Indochina begins.
- 1940샤코탄반도 해역 지진
- 1940Chōsen Grand Exposition
- 1940竹枪事件
- 1940May to 18 June — Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang begins.
- 1940March to 3 April — Battle of Wuyuan begins.
- 1941蘇日中立條約
- 1941to 25 December — Battle of Hong Kong begins in China.
- 1941December — The Empire of Japan attacks the naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Japan declares war on the United States, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, marking the start of the Pacific War theatre of World War II.
- 1941April — Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact is signed.
- 1941to 10 December — First Battle of Guam begins.
- 1943月 同盟国イタリアが連合国に降伏。
- 1943大東亞會議
- 1943January to 4 February — Battle of Wau begins in the eastern parts of New Guinea.
- 19431943年鸟取地震
- 1943橫濱事件
- 1943January to 8 February — Operation Ke, a Japanese naval operation which was intended as the reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor and disruption of repair and salvage operations, takes place following the surprise attack at two years ago.
- 1944菲律賓海海戰
- 1944昭和東南海地震
- 1944to 20 October — Formosa Air Battle begins.
- 1944to 16 June — Bombing of Yawata begins in Kyoto Prefecture.
- 1944July to 10 August — Second Battle of Guam begins.
- 1944June to 9 July — Battle of Saipan begins in the Mariana Islands.
- 1944to 31 December — Battle of Pearl Ridge begins.
| - Sugar and gasoline are rationedEN
- U.S.-controlled Commonwealth of the Philippines conquered by Japanese forcesEN
- 洛杉矶之战
- Cocoanut Grove fire kills 492 people, leads to vast reforms in fire codes and safety standardsEN
- 荷蘭港戰役
- Japanese American internment, German American Internment, and Italian American Internment begin, per executive order by President Roosevelt; the order also authorizes the seizure of their property.EN
- 1945 – Automobile production in the United States for private consumers halted.EN
- Casablanca releasedEN
- Revenue Act of 1942EN
- 1940Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and Woody Woodpecker make their cartoon debuts
- 1940Oldsmobile becomes the first car maker to offer a fully automatic transmission
- 1940Color television is demonstrated by the Columbia Broadcasting System
- 1940U.S. presidential election, 1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt is reelected president to a record third term, Henry A. Wallace is elected vice president
- 1940New Hampshire earthquakes
- 1940El Centro earthquake
- 1940Alien Registration (Smith) Act
- 1940Billboard magazine publishes its first music popularity chart, the predecessor to today's Hot 100
- 1940Selective Service Act, establishing the first peacetime draft in U.S. history
- 1941珍珠港事件
- 1941威克島戰役
- 1941괌 전투 (1941년)
- 1941June 22, 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Nazi Germany begins war against the Soviet Union
- 1941Regular commercial television broadcasting begins; CBS and NBC television networks launched.
- 1941January 20, 1941 – President Roosevelt begins third term; Wallace becomes the 33rd vice president
- 1943德黑兰会议
- 1943西西里島戰役
- 1943卡薩布蘭卡會議
- 1943Detroit, Michigan race riots
- 1943阿圖島戰役
- 1943Oklahoma! the first musical written by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II opens on Broadway
- 1943Battle of the Pips
- 1943Cairo Conference
- 1944June 6, 1944 – D-Day. Operation Overlord begins.
- 1944卡西諾山戰役
- 1944貝里琉戰役
- 1944敦巴顿橡树园会议
- 1944塞班島戰役
- 1944괌 전투 (1944년)
- 1944天寧島戰役
- 1944雷伊泰島戰役
- 1944Battle of Eniwetok
- 1944G.I. Bill
- 1944포트 시카고 참사
- 1944U.S. presidential election, 1944: Franklin D. Roosevelt reelection for a fourth term, becomes the only U.S. president elected four times. Harry S. Truman is elected vice president
- 1944Cornwall–Massena earthquake
- 1944Japanese air attacks on the Mariana Islands
- 1944January 20, 1945 – President Roosevelt begins fourth term; Truman becomes the 34th vice president
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