What happened on Wednesday May 15, 1940?

Here's what happened on May 15, 1940:

• France Admits Defeat to Britain French Premier Paul Reynaud telephoned British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the morning, delivering the devastating news: "We have been defeated; we have lost the battle", signaling the imminent fall of France during World War II.
• Netherlands Surrenders to Nazi Germany At approximately 11:30 hours in Rijsoord, a suburb of Rotterdam, General Henri Winkelman, Commander in Chief of Netherlands land and sea forces, signed the formal capitulation of the Netherlands' armed forces to Germany, marking a critical moment in the early stages of World War II.
• Battle of Sedan Ends in German Victory The Battle of Sedan concluded with a decisive German victory. The Wehrmacht captured all bridges across the Meuse River, enabling an unimpeded advance toward the English Channel and significantly accelerating the German invasion of France.
• First McDonald's Restaurant Opens Richard and Maurice McDonald inaugurated the first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the world's largest and most recognizable fast-food chains.
• First Successful Helicopter Flight in US The Vought-Sikorsky US-300 completed the first successful helicopter flight in the United States, a pivotal moment in aviation technology and aerospace innovation.
• Nylon Stockings Debut in United States Nylon stockings were introduced to the American market for the first time, marking a significant moment in fashion and textile technology during the early 20th century.

Events in 1940

May 15, 1940: What were the magazines covers and newspapers that day?

Magazines from May. 15, 1940

Newspapers from May. 15, 1940

May 15, 1940 was a Wednesday and it was the 136th day of the year 1940 in the Gregorian calendar.

May 15, 1940 can also be written as 5/15/1940 in the US and as 15/5/1940 in UK and Europe.

May 15, 1940 in May 1940 calendar

Famous people born on May 15, 1940:

• Lainie Kazan

  Renowned American actress and singer known for her comedic roles in film and her successful musical career in nightclubs and Broadway.

• Roger Ailes

  Influential media executive who transformed Fox News into a powerful conservative media platform, later resigned amid sexual harassment...

• Ira Einhorn

  Controversial Philadelphia counterculture figure who became infamous for murdering his girlfriend and later being convicted of first-degree...

• Don Nelson

  Legendary NBA coach and executive who is considered one of the most innovative coaches in basketball history, known for his time with the...

• Mireille Darc

  Prominent French actress and model who was a major star in European cinema during the 1960s and 1970s, known for her roles in art house...

• Arturo Mari
• Álvaro Mejía
• Marcello Morandini
• Alvin Rabushka
• Claus Spahn
• Svetlana Svetličnaja
• Natalie Myburgh
• Esther Fischer-Homberger
• baronessa Meacher Molly Meacher
• Yoshimi Katayama
• Gianfranco Volpato

Famous people born in 1940

Famous people born on May 15th

Famous people died on May 15, 1940:

• Vincenzo Pasquali

Famous people who died in 1940

Famous people who died on May 15th

The Zodiac and Astrological sign for May 15th is Taurus.

Discover the zodiac sign and horoscope for any day in the past.

Taurus is the 2nd sign in the Western Zodiac. People born between April 20th and May 20th belong to the Taurus sign: discover Taurus personality and who should a Taurus marry.

Babies born in May are either Taurus or Gemini. People born before May 20th are Taurus, while people born from May 21st have the sign of Gemini.

Discover the personality of May born.

Unlock the Mysteries of May 15, 1940! Claim Your Free Numerology Report!

May 15, 1940: What is the Chinese Zodiac Sign for that day?

The Chinese Zodiac sign for May 15, 1940 is Dragon and the associated element is Metal.

Discover the Dragon personality and how the Metal Element might affect a person's traits and compatibility with other signs according to the Chinese zodiac.

Moon phase

The moon phase on May 15, 1940 was First Quarter.

The moon phase refers to the appearance of the Moon in the night sky on May 15, 1940 and is determined by the portion of the Moon's illuminated surface that is visible from Earth.

An observer located in New York City on May 15, 1940 at 10pm, would see the moon, being 65% full, rising at 01:28 pm and setting at 02:27 am.

The previous full moon was on Apr 22, 1940 while the next full moon would come on May 21, 1940.

Unveil Your Inner Self: Discover Your Moon Sign Now!

Explore Moon Phases in May 1940

Your place in the Universe on May 15, 1940

We are proud to bring you the most beautiful and accurate map of the stars on your day

Someone born on May 15, 1940 is:

84 years 11 months old,

or 1019 months and 29 days old,

or 4435 weeks

or 31045 days old,

Enjoy a trip down memory lane: discover what the world looked like when you turned 18 years old, 30 years old, 40 years old

Use our How old am I? Calculator to know the age of a person today or use the Age Calculator to determine the interval between two dates.

How many days until your next birthday if you were born on May 15, 1940?

There are 1 days until your next birthday, which will occur on Thursday May 15th 2025.

Try out our Countdown calculator to find out are many days are left until your special moments.

What generation do you belong to if you were born on May 15, 1940?

You belong to the Silent Generation if you were born on May 15, 1940.

Discover what generation people belong to with our generation calculator.