January 30
January 30
Gandhi assassinated
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, is assassinated in New Delhi by a Hindu extremist. Born the son of an Indian official in…
A Year In History: 1948
This Year in History:
1948
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
February 21
February 21
NASCAR founded
On February 21, 1948, the National Association for Stock Car Racing—or NASCAR, as it will come to be widely known—is officially incorporated. NASCAR racing will go on to become one…
February 25
February 25
Communists take power in Czechoslovakia
Under pressure from the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, President Edvard Benes allows a communist‑dominated government to be organized. Although the Soviet Union did not physically intervene (as it would in 1968),…
March 10
March 10
Czech diplomat Jan Masaryk dies under strange circumstances
The communist‑controlled government of Czechoslovakia reports that Foreign Minister Jan Masaryk has died by suicide. The story of the noncommunist Masaryk’s death was greeted with skepticism in the West. Masaryk…
March 30
March 30
Henry Wallace criticizes Truman’s Cold War policies
Henry Wallace, former vice president and Progressive Party presidential candidate, lashes out at the Cold War policies of President Harry S. Truman. Wallace and his supporters were among the few…
April 3
April 3
“The Louisiana Hayride” radio program premieres on KWKH‑AM Shreveport
Even the most ardent non‑fans of country music can probably name the weekly live show and radio program that is regarded as country music’s biggest stage: the Grand Ole Opry,…
April 3
April 3
President Harry Truman signs Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signs the Economic Assistance Act, which authorized the creation of a program that would help the nations of Europe recover and rebuild…
April 30
April 30
Original Land Rover debuts at auto show
The Land Rover, a British‑made all‑terrain vehicle that will earn a reputation for its use in exotic locales, debuts at an auto show in Amsterdam on April 30, 1948. The…
May 3
May 3
U.S. Supreme Court decides Paramount antitrust case
On May 3, 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court issues a decision in U.S. v. Paramount Pictures, et al., the government’s long‑running antitrust lawsuit against Paramount Pictures and seven other major…
May 4
May 4
Norman Mailer’s first novel, “The Naked and the Dead,” is published
Twenty‑five‑year‑old Norman Mailer’s first novel, The Naked and the Dead, is published on May 4, 1948. The book is critically acclaimed and widely considered one of the best novels to…
May 14
May 14
A three‑year‑old’s brutal murder begins an unusual investigation
Three‑year‑old June Devaney, recovering from pneumonia at Queen’s Park Hospital in Blackburn, England, is kidnapped from her bed. Nurses discovered her missing at 1:20 a.m. the next day, and police…
May 14
May 14
State of Israel proclaimed
On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben‑Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. Ben‑Gurion became Israel’s first premier.…
June 8
June 8
First Porsche completed
On June 8, 1948, a hand‑built aluminum prototype labeled “No. 1″ becomes the first vehicle to bear the name of one of the world’s leading luxury car manufacturers: Porsche. The…
June 24
June 24
Soviets blockade West Berlin
One of the most dramatic standoffs in the history of the Cold War begins as the Soviet Union blocks all road and rail traffic to and from West Berlin. The…
June 26
June 26
U.S. begins Berlin Airlift
On June 26, 1948, U.S. and British pilots begin delivering food and supplies by airplane to Berlin after the city is isolated by a Soviet Union blockade. When World War…
June 26
June 26
Berlin Airlift begins
In response to the Soviet blockade of land routes into West Berlin, the United States begins a massive airlift of food, water, and medicine to the citizens of the besieged…
July 20
July 20
President Truman issues peacetime draft
President Harry S. Truman institutes a military draft with a proclamation calling for nearly 10 million men to register for military service within the next two months. Truman’s action came…
July 26
July 26
President Truman ends discrimination in the military
President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981—ending discrimination in the military—on July 26, 1948. Truman’s order ended a long‑standing practice of segregating Black soldiers and relegating them to more menial…
August 3
August 3
Chambers accuses Hiss of being a communist spy
In hearings before the House Un‑American Activities Committee (HUAC), Whittaker Chambers accuses former State Department official Alger Hiss of being a communist and a spy for the Soviet Union. The…
August 6
August 6
Vicki Draves and Sammy Lee become the first Asian Americans to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S.
On August 6, 1948, American diver Vicki Draves wins gold at the London Olympics. Two days later, her good friend and fellow diver Sammy Lee takes gold as well, making…
