Approximately 110,000 Japanese-Americans are placed in internment camps. The Japanese occupy Bataan, forcing the Bataan Death March of American and Philippine prisoners. After four days of savage fighting near Midway Island, the United States forces a badly beaten Japanese navy to withdraw. U.S. Marines brave Japanese snipers and bombing attacks on Guadalcanal. Allied forces land in North Africa.
Atomic fission succeeds.
The first civilian use of penicillin takes place at Doctors Hospital. Casablanca is showing in theaters. Popular songs include Mairzy Doats and Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' . Zoot suits and jitterbugging are popular. An epidemic of infantile paralysis kills almost 1,200 and cripples thousands more.