What happened in 1948 proved to be a landmark year of transformation. Amidst a rapidly changing global landscape, the United Kingdom launched one of its most important social reforms—the creation of the NHS. Worldwide, tensions between East and West intensified as the Cold War deepened. New technologies, fresh cultural movements, and unforgettable sporting moments marked this year as one of both challenge and progress. The post-war world was now fully in motion.
World Events
- Jan 30 – Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated in India by a Hindu extremist.
- Feb 23–25 – Communists seize power in Czechoslovakia.
- Apr 3 – U.S. President Harry Truman signs the Marshall Plan, sending $5 billion in aid to 16 European countries.
- Apr 7 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is established by the United Nations.
- Apr 16 – The Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) forms in Paris.
- May 14 – The state of Israel is declared; Britain withdraws from Palestine. The Arab-Israeli War begins.
- May 26 – South Africa elects a nationalist government under D.F. Malan, introducing apartheid policies.
- Jun 21 – Lord Mountbatten resigns as Governor General of India.
- Jun 26 – The Berlin Airlift begins as the U.S. and UK fly supplies into Soviet-blockaded West Berlin.
- Oct 21 – The United Nations rejects a Soviet proposal to destroy atomic weapons.
- Nov 15 – William Lyon Mackenzie King retires after 22 years as Canada’s Prime Minister.
- The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is officially established.
- The Treaty of Brussels is signed, promoting Western European cooperation.
- Tensions rise between India and Pakistan over Hyderabad.
- Global concern increases over rising cases of polio (infantile paralysis).
What happened in 1948 in the United Kingdom
- The National Health Service Act paves the way for the launch of the NHS.
- UK railways are nationalised and merged into British Railways.
- The SS Empire Windrush arrives at Tilbury from Jamaica, often seen as the symbolic start of post-war immigration to Britain.
HMT Empire Windrush
- Rationing continues, but reconstruction gains pace.
What happened in 1948 in the United States
- President Truman wins a surprise re-election victory over Thomas E. Dewey.
- The Marshall Plan begins, sending billions in aid to rebuild Europe.
- The first Polaroid instant camera goes on sale at Boston’s Jordan Marsh department store.
- American culture spreads globally through film, music, and innovation.
Popular culture in 1948: Fashion, Film, TV and Music
- The first Polaroid camera becomes available to consumers.
- The board game Scrabble is introduced commercially by James Brunot.
- The vinyl long-playing record (LP) is launched in the U.S., playing at 33 rpm.
- The musical South Pacific opens on Broadway.
- Alfred Kinsey publishes Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, challenging social taboos and sparking controversy.
Film and Television – What people were watching in 1948
Notable Films Released:
- The Red Shoes
- Hamlet
- Easter Parade
- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
- Johnny Belinda
- Key Largo
- Oliver Twist
- The Snake Pit
- Fort Apache
- Scott of the Antarctic
- The Fallen Idol
- Letter from an Unknown Woman
- It Always Rains on Sunday
- The Winslow Boy
Television Highlights:
- The London Olympics are televised.
- The Boat Race, BBC Cricket, Muffin the Mule, Kaleidoscope, and Television Newsreel feature prominently.
Music – What people listened to in 1948
Popular Songs and Artists:
- “Nature Boy” – Nat King Cole
- “Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)” – Peggy Lee
- “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover” – Art Mooney
- “Buttons and Bows” – Dinah Shore
- “It’s Magic” – Doris Day
- “Woody Wood-Pecker” – Kay Kyser
- “You Call Everybody Darlin’” – Al Trace
- “Twelfth Street Rag” – Pee Wee Hunt
- “A Tree in the Meadow” – Margaret Whiting / Dorothy Squires
- “On a Slow Boat to China” – Benny Goodman
- “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” – Spike Jones
- “If You Ever Fall in Love Again” – Anne Shelton
- “The William Tell Overture” – Spike Jones
Sports
- Summer Olympics (Games of the XIV Olympiad) are held in London—the first since 1936.
- Winter Olympics take place in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
- Wimbledon Champions:
- Men’s Singles: Bob Falkenburg (USA)
- Women’s Singles: Louise Brough (USA)
- NASCAR holds its first race for modified stock cars at Daytona Beach.
What happened in 1948 in the motoring world
- Porsche is founded in Germany.
- Holden, Australia’s first car brand, begins production.
- Post-war car manufacturing increases to meet growing demand.
New Car Models Introduced:
- Aston Martin 2-Litre Sports
- Austin A70 Hampshire
- Bristol 401 & 402
- Citroën 2CV
- Jaguar Mark V
- Jaguar XK120
- Lagonda 2.6-Litre
- Land Rover Series I
- Morris Minor MM
- Morris Oxford MO
- Morris Six MS
- Porsche 356
- Riley RMC
- Rover P3
- Singer SM1500
- Sunbeam-Talbot 80 and 90
- Vauxhall Velox LIP
- Vauxhall Wyvern LIX
- Wolseley 4/50 and 6/80
Inventions and Breakthroughs in 1948
- Polaroid Instant Camera – Goes on sale in Boston, providing near-instant photography.
- Scrabble – James Brunot begins production of the board game, based on Alfred Butts’ earlier idea.
- Vinyl LP Record (33 rpm) – Introduced in the U.S., revolutionising music consumption.
Looking Back
Nations moved from recovery into innovation. The NHS was born, Israel became a nation, and the Olympic flame burned once more in London. Technology, culture, and global politics surged forward—even as Cold War divisions grew deeper.
Whatever your memory, this year brought us the NHS in the UK and another spark of normality with the return of the Olympics.
→ Feel free to share your memories or thoughts in the comments below!
