1948 | Middle East
| State of Israel formed |
1941 | North America - USA
 Unidentified photographer / artist, 1941, 7 December, USS Shaw (DD-373) exploding during the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor, National Archives and Records Administration, LL/6598 | Pearl Harbor |
1943 | Europe - Poland
| Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto |
1944 | Europe - France
 Robert Capa, 1944, 6 June, D-Day, Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944, Gelatin silver print, Peter Fetterman Gallery, LL/441 | Allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day) |
1945 | Global
| The United Nations Charter is ratified. |
1945 | Asia - Japan
 New York Times Staff Photographer, 1945, Gen. McArthur Signing the Surrender Document on Board the USS Missouri, Tokyo, Gelatin silver print, Fahey / Klein Gallery, LL/4881 | General McArthur accepted the surrender of the Empire of Japan on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. |
1946 | Europe - Greece
| Greek Civil War |
1947 | Asia - India / Pakistan
| India gains its independence from Britain and Pakistan is created. The ethnic and religious divisions within the new countries result in mass migrations and terrible bloodshed. |
1948 | North America - USA
| The Marshall Plan is passed by the U.S. Congress to rebuild a war devastated Europe. |
1949 | Asia - China
| Communist People's Republic established (China) |
1950 | Asia - Korea
| Korean War |
1951 | North America - USA
| The nuclear spies Julius (1918-1953) and Ethel (1915-1953) Rosenberg are executed. |
1953 | North America - Cuba
| The Cuban Revolution |
1954 | Asia - French Indochina
| French forces are defeated at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and this marks the end of French Indochina |
1956 | Middle East
| The Suez Crisis |