Soviet forces capture Warsaw during World War II on January 17, 1945, following their Vistula-Oder Offensive, entering a ruined city after the failed Warsaw Uprising of 1944 took place while the Soviets had paused, allowing Germans to crush the Polish Home Army. The Soviets' entry solidified their control over Poland, paving the way for a pro-Soviet government .
Browse Historical Events by Month:
What Happened in January?
Tragic deaths, ravaged cities, and great acts of heroism. Discover what happened this month in history and the defining moments that shaped the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
The Soviet troops liberate the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, Poland on January 27, 1945. The advancing Soviet forces discovered about 7,000 prisoners, most of whom were ill and dying, who had been left behind by the Nazi SS.
The German MV Wilhelm Gustloff military transport ship is sunk by the Soviet submarine S-13 in the Baltic Sea on January 30, 1945, while on a mission to evacuate civilians and military personnel from East Prussia and other German occupied areas as the Red army advanced, It was estimated that between 6,000-9,000 people died, making it the largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history. More
-PD-R.jpg?auto=format,compress&fit=clip&max-w=1600)
Emperor Hirohito of Japan announces he is not a living god on January 1, 1946, during a radio broadcast on January 1, 1946 in the "Declaration of Humanity" (Ningensengen)
The United Nations convenes for its First Session of the General Assembly in London, England on January 10. 1946 at the Methodist Central Hall. Delegates representing 51 nations attended the session, wherein the scope and purpose of the United Nations was defined. More
Canada's Citizenship Act comes into effect on January 1, 1947. The Act allowed Canadians to acquire separate Canadian citizenship from British nationality, a major step in defining Canada's national identity.
This law defined Canadian citizenship by birth (in Canada or to Canadian parents) and naturalization, while also introducing gender equality by ending automatic loss of citizenship for women marrying foreigners.
Burma (Myanmar) formally achieves independence from Britain after the negotiations between Burmese leader Aung San and British Prime Minister Clement Attlee were completed.
Mahatma Gandhi, is assassinated on January 30, 1948 at age 78, following a prayer vigil in New Delhi.in the compound of The Birla House (now Gandhi Smriti).
His killer was Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a Hindu nationalist fanatic and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu paramilitary organization, who believed Gandhi had been too conciliatory to the Indian subcontinent's large Muslim minority.
The security firm Brinks, in Boston, Massachusetts, is surprised by five heavily disguised men as they were closing for the day on January 17, 1950. The men quickly bound the employees and within minutes, they’d stolen more than $1.2 million in cash and another $1.5 million in checks and other securities, making it the largest robbery in the U.S. at the time. More
Alger Hiss, a former State Department official, is convicted of perjury for lying about being a Soviet spy on January 21, 1950. The case remains one of the most significant legal battles of the early Cold War era It went on to serve as a catalyst for the rise of McCarthyism and the political career of Richard Nixon.
India declares itself a Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state with the adoption of the Constitution. Although India had become a free nation on August 15, 1947 (independence day), it officially became a republic on 26 January 1950, (Republic Day) when the Constitution was adopted. Republic Day and Independence Day are national holidays.
U.S. President Harry Truman publicly announces on January 31, 1950, his decision to continue and intensify research and production of thermonuclear weapons.(Hydrogen Bomb).
The weapon, theorized at that time to be hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during World War II. Five months earlier, the Soviet Union successfully detonated an atomic bomb. Then, several weeks after that, British and U.S. intelligence came to the staggering conclusion that German-born Klaus Fuchs, a top-ranking scientist in the U.S. nuclear program, was a spy for the Soviet Union. More
The United Nations headquarters officially opens in New York City. More
The Nevada Test Site (NTS), 65 miles north of Las Vegas, detonates the first of several nuclear bombs, Shot Able, a 1-kiloton bomb, on January 27, 1951. Between 1951 and 1992, the U.S. government conducted a total of 928 nuclear tests here. Out of these tests 100 were atmospheric, and 828 were underground. More
President Harry S. Truman announced in his last State of the Union message to Congress that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb. More
Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated as the 34th President of the United States on January 20, 1953 marking the start of his two terms, with Richard Nixon as Vice President.
The Hudson Motor Car Company merges with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, forming American Motors Corporation (AMC).
Marian Anderson, made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York Cityas Ulrica in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. She was the first African American to perform with the company.
The USSR ends its state of war with Germany.
The Republic of India's first election commences, making Jawaharlal Nehru the country's first Prime Minister.