January 23, 1942

1942Laurie Mayne, Australian cricketer^[†]

Lawrence Charles Mayne is a former Australian cricketer who played in six Test matches between 1965 and 1970.

1942Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, Mongolian politician, 1st President of Mongolia (died 2025)^[†]

Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat was a Mongolian politician who served as the first president of Mongolia from 1990 to 1997. He was the first president to be elected by direct popular vote.

1942Herman Tjeenk Willink, Dutch judge and politician^[†]

Herman Diederik Tjeenk Willink is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and jurist. He was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 21 December 2012.

1942World War II: The Battle of Rabaul commences Japan's invasion of Australia's Territory of New Guinea.^[†]

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.