360What happened in 1940?
2 moments from 1940 on 360n60, each told in 60 words or fewer.
- On this day · 13 May 1940
Churchill offers 'blood, toil, tears and sweat'
On 13 May 1940, three days after becoming British Prime Minister in the Second World War, Winston Churchill told Parliament: 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.' It was the first of several famous wartime speeches that rallied the British people.
- On this day · 15 May 1940
Nylon stockings go on sale across the United States
On 15 May 1940, nylon stockings went on sale in shops across the United States, and about four million pairs were sold within days. Nylon, invented at DuPont by Wallace Carothers's team, was the first fully synthetic fibre. It is now used in clothing, ropes and countless products.