1940s

The 1940s was a decade defined by global conflict, dramatic social change, and the seeds of modernity. The first half was dominated by World War II, which shaped politics, technology, and daily life across the globe. The post-war years saw the emergence of new superpowers, the beginning of the Cold War, and a wave of decolonisation.

Politics & War

World War II (1939–1945) was the central event, with Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, the United States, and Japan as major players. The Holocaust, atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the eventual Allied victory were defining moments.
The United Nations was founded in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation.
The Cold War began as tensions rose between the Western bloc and the Soviet Union.
Decolonisation accelerated: India, Pakistan, Israel, Indonesia, and others gained independence, often through conflict.
The Bretton Woods system established new global economic rules and institutions (IMF, World Bank).

Society & Culture

Population: The world population grew from about 2.25 to 2.5 billion.
Women’s roles: With men at war, women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers, especially in factories and offices. After the war, many were pressured to return to domestic roles, but the seeds of later feminist movements were sown.
Civil rights: The integration of baseball (Jackie Robinson, 1947) and the service of Black soldiers in WWII set the stage for the postwar civil rights movement.
Baby Boom: The late 1940s saw the start of a population surge in many Western countries.

Science & Technology

Computers: The Colossus and ENIAC computers were built for codebreaking and calculations.
Nuclear power: The Manhattan Project led to atomic weapons and the dawn of the nuclear age.
Other inventions: The transistor (1947), microwave oven, Velcro, Tupperware, and the Jeep.
Aviation: Jet engines and breaking the sound barrier (1947) revolutionised flight.

Fashion

Wartime austerity: Rationing led to utilitarian, practical clothing. Women’s suits with straight skirts, squared shoulders, and minimal embellishment were common.
Postwar glamour: After 1945, fashion became more feminine and luxurious again, with fuller skirts and softer lines (see 1945–1960 in fashion).
Influence: 1940s fashion continues to inspire retro and vintage aesthetics, especially in high-waisted and tailored looks. See white_gaze.md for discussion of beauty standards.

Music

Swing and Big Band: Dominated the early 1940s, with stars like Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.
Crooners: Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra became icons.
Jazz: Bebop emerged (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk), shifting jazz from dance music to a more complex art form. See 1940s in jazz.
Country & Western: Honky tonk and cowboy songs gained popularity.
International: Edith Piaf (France), Vera Lynn (UK), and the rise of Mandarin pop in China.

Film & Literature

Film noir: Dark, stylish crime dramas like "The Maltese Falcon" and "Double Indemnity".
Hollywood classics: "Casablanca", "It’s a Wonderful Life", "Citizen Kane".
European cinema: Italian neorealism ("Bicycle Thieves"), French and British postwar films.
Literature: "The Diary of Anne Frank", "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (Orwell), "The Second Sex" (de Beauvoir), "The Stranger" (Camus).

Sexuality & Erotic Culture

Wartime Intimacy: With men deployed overseas, women experienced unprecedented sexual autonomy—brief, intense affairs with soldiers on leave, "goodbye sex" charged with mortality awareness. USO dances and military bases became sites of accelerated courtship, where rationed time compressed emotional and physical connections.
Pin-Up Culture: Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth's famous poses—arching backs, coy glances, form-fitting costumes—became erotic talismans for soldiers. These images circulated in barracks and homes, representing both comfort and unattainable glamour, while normalizing visual female sexuality in mainstream culture.
Victory Rolls & Red Lips: Wartime makeup and hairstyles carried erotic charge—victory rolls suggesting playful submission, red lipstick promising passionate kisses. Beauty became an act of resistance and seduction, with cosmetics rationed but essential for maintaining feminine allure.
Postwar Baby Boom: The 1946-1949 population surge reflected pent-up erotic energy released after years of separation. Suburban homes became private erotic sanctuaries, with marriage manuals and advice columns discussing sexual satisfaction openly for the first time.
Film Noir Seduction: Dark, atmospheric films featured femme fatales in clinging dresses, smoky voices, and moral ambiguity. Characters like those played by Barbara Stanwyck embodied dangerous sexuality—manipulative yet magnetic, challenging postwar domestic ideals.
Swing Revival: Despite wartime restrictions, dance halls maintained erotic energy through jitterbug and swing, bodies moving in synchronized passion. The physical contact of dancing provided emotional and sensual release during uncertain times.
Queer Subcultures: Urban centers maintained discreet spaces for same-sex encounters, with coded language and subtle signals allowing connections amidst pervasive homophobia. The war's gender role disruptions created opportunities for exploring fluid identities.
Contraceptive Access: Postwar, birth control became more widely available, enabling planned pregnancies and pleasure-focused sexuality. This laid groundwork for the sexual revolution, as women gained more control over their reproductive and erotic lives.
Contextualise: The war and its aftermath shaped every aspect of life—let this inform your characters’ attitudes, trauma, and aspirations.
Fashion details: Use rationing, utility clothing, and postwar glamour to set the scene. Example: “She tugged at the straight skirt of her suit, the fabric rough and practical, a far cry from the silks she’d once worn.”
Music & mood: Let swing, jazz, or crooners set the emotional tone. Example: “The radio crooned Bing Crosby as she danced alone in the kitchen, the world outside still uncertain.”
Women’s agency: Explore the tension between newfound independence and societal pressure to return to traditional roles.
Common pitfalls: Avoid anachronisms (e.g., post-1950s slang or technology). Don’t romanticise the war—show both hardship and resilience.