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The 1940s: 1940–1949
1940–1949 · worldwide, all places
Moving through time
Germany conquered Poland in 1939 and France in 1940, then invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, the year Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The war ended with Germany's surrender in May 1945 and atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, and the Holocaust's full scale emerged from the liberated camps.
Pearl Harbor in 1941 and Hiroshima in 1945 bracket the war's American memory. Casablanca plays its romance in December 1941 Morocco, and Downfall confines itself to Hitler's Berlin bunker in April 1945. Open the 1940s on the StoryTerra map and explore its stories by place.
9 famous stories set in the 1940s
Live snapshot of the top 9 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-05). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 1,151 books, 1,297 movies, 5 TV shows and 29 games set in the 1940s (1940–1949).
It's a Wonderful Life
A holiday favourite for generations... George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest…
Pan's Labyrinth
Living with her tyrannical stepfather in a new home with her pregnant mother 10-year-old Ofelia feels alone until she explores a decaying labyrinth guarded by a mysterious faun who claims to know her destiny. If she…
Casablanca
In Casablanca Morocco in December 1941 a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover with unforeseen complications.
The Great Dictator
Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.
The Others
Grace is a religious woman who lives in an old house kept dark because her two children Anne and Nicholas have a rare sensitivity to light. When the family begins to suspect the house is haunted Grace fights to protect…
Sunset Boulevard
A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
'Toon star Roger is worried that his wife Jessica is playing pattycake with someone else so the studio hires detective Eddie Valiant to snoop on her. But the stakes are quickly raised when Marvin Acme is found dead and…
Double Indemnity
A rich woman and a calculating insurance agent plot to kill her unsuspecting husband after he signs a double indemnity policy. Against a backdrop of distinctly Californian settings the partners in crime plan the perfect…
Downfall
In April of 1945 Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Russian Army closing in from the east and the Allied Expeditionary Force attacking from the west. In Berlin capital of the Third Reich Adolf Hitler…
The 9 stories above are just a sample of the 2,482 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1940–1949 catalogue, use the button above — or browse the whole 20th century. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
Relevant picks from this decade
Nazi Berlin: 1933–1945 — The capital during Hitler's rise and WWII — a setting of dark historical dramas, resistance tales, and the regime's collapse. The button below opens… Explore Nazi Berlin: 1933–1945
Golden Age Hollywood: 1930–1959 — The roaring studios era where cinema legends rose — glamour mixed with scandal, and film noir stories shaped the city's mythos. The button below… Explore Golden Age Hollywood: 1930–1959
Post-War Japan: 1945–1960 — The rapid reconstruction and modernization after WWII — depicted in films and stories about resilience and change across the entire country, from… Explore Post-War Japan: 1945–1960
Soviet Moscow: 1922–1991 — Discover Moscow under Soviet rule, where political tension mixed with cultural resilience — films and books depicting espionage, revolution, and… Explore Soviet Moscow: 1922–1991
Cold War Berlin: 1945–1989 — A city divided by ideology — Berlin during the Cold War was a hotspot of espionage, culture, and tension, inspiring numerous novels and films. The… Explore Cold War Berlin: 1945–1989
Buenos Aires Through the Ages: 1700–1950 — From colonial beginnings and independence to Belle Époque grandeur, the birth of tango, and the city's role as Argentina's vibrant cultural heart —… Explore Buenos Aires Through the Ages: 1700–1950
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1930s · 20th century · Time hub · All places · 1950s