Henkels & McCoy Timeline: 1939

1939

The 1939 World's Fair prepares to open in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Henkels & McCoy won the contract and planted hundreds of trees at the fair site during the
previous year.
Photos: Henkels & McCoy trucks prepare to leave for New York City, laden with plantings;
Cover of a World's Fair souvenir booklet.

January 4 Barcelona falls to Spanish Nationalists, followed by Catelonia in February and by Madrid and Valenica in March. The Spanish Civil War ends with the Fascists triumphant. Hundreds of thousands of refugees flee to France, North Africa, and Mexico. January 12 In a speech, FDR asks for $525 million more for defense, especially for additional airplanes.
March 15 Germany invades Czechoslovakia. Hitler arrives in Prague and completes the occupation of the German-speaking regions of Bohemia and Moravia. March 23 Hitler occupies Memelland (NE Prussia ceded to Lithuania) and demands the return of Danzig, (now Gdansk, Poland). March 31 Chamberlain makes an official pledge of British defense of Poland, marking the end of appeasement. April 8 Italy invades and occupies Albania, driving King Zog into exile in Greece.	As Nazis march into ancient capitals, residents are forced to salute the new regime.
April 30 Worlds Fair opens. See above. July 4 Lou Gehrig bids farewell to fans at Yankee Stadium. September 1 Germany invades Poland. Britain and France declare war on Germany two days later. The Second World War begins in Europe. September 14 The VS-300 becomes the first practical helicopter. Inventor Igor Sikorsky pilots the vehicle and maintains a height of three feet for about 10 seconds. November 30 Soviet Union invades Finland. Also in 1939: Gone With the Wind premieres. The film is an unprecedented 231 minutes in length. First NFL Pro Bowl football game. First televised NFL game: Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, from Ebbets Field; broadcast to 1,000 New York City television receivers. History makes no note of any first half-time show on this date. Green Bay Packers trounce the Giants 27-0 for the NFL championship.

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