1945

World Events

• May 7: Germany surrenders to the Allies.
• August 6: Hiroshima, Japan is destroyed by the first atomic bomb used in a war.
• August 9: Nagasaki, Japan is destroyed by "Fat Man", the second and last atomic bomb used in a war.
• August 14: Japan surrenders
• Smokey Bear points his finger at us for the first time and says, "Only you can prevent forest fires." Apparently nobody takes offense. By 1964, the U.S. Forest Service's furry firefighter gets so much fan mail, he's assigned his own ZIP code.

San Diego History

• San Diego voters approve 2 million dollar bond issue to begin development of Mission Bay.

Arts

• American designers embrace the atom and atomic energy to reflect the nation's strength. Find out more about the influence of atomic design.
• It's a Wonderful Life, with Jimmy Stewart premieres.
• Swing music is transformed into the improvisational bebop sound. Charlie "Bird" Parker, the American jazz saxophonist, is one of the leaders of the new sound.

• Art and Architecture magazine enlists eight architects, including Richard Neutra and Eero Saarinen, to create houses that would demonstrate modern alternatives to tract housing. The "Case Study House Program" included the Santa Monica home of Charles and Ray Eames. Find out about the creative process of Charles and Ray Eames when their grandson, Eames Demetrios, speaks at the Museum's Meet the Masters lecture series on November 12, 2002.

American Life

• "Fine Art for 39 cents," the title of a House Beautiful story boasts, unveiling a cultural icon—Tupperware.
• Ebony magazine appears on magazine racks.
• The microwave oven is patented.