January 6: A revised and streamlined revival of Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat opens on Broadway at the Ziegfeld Theatre.

January 7: The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with 1937 borders, and divide the country into four occupation zones.

January 10: The first meeting of the United Nations is held at Methodist Central Hall Westminster in London. - Project Diana bounces radar waves off the Moon, measuring the exact distance between the Earth and the Moon, and proving that communication is possible between Earth and outer space, effectively opening the space age.

January 11: Enver Hoxha declares the People's Republic of Albania, with himself as prime minister. - Porfirio Barba-Jacob's ashes go back to Colombia.

January 16: Charles de Gaulle resigns as a head of a French provisional government.

January 17: The United Nations Security Council holds its first session at Church House, Westminster in London. - Senator Dennis Chavez (D-NM) calls for a vote on an FEPC bill which calls for an end to discrimination in the workplace. A filibuster prevents it from passing.

January 19: The Bell XS-1 is test flown for the first time (unpowered), with Bell's chief test pilot Jack Woolams at the controls.

January 20: Charles de Gaulle resigns as president of France.

January 22: Iran: Qazi Muhammad declares the independent people's Republic of Mahabad at the Chuwarchira Square in the Kurdish city of Mahabad. He is the new president, Hadschi Baba Scheich is the prime minister.

January 25: The United Mine Workers rejoins the American Federation of Labor.

January 28: The Canadian schooner Bluenose founders on a Haitian reef.

January 29: The Central Intelligence Group is established (the CIA in 1947).

January 31: The last session of the Permanent Court of International Justice occurs. - Yugoslavia's new constitution, modeling the Soviet Union, establishes 6 constituent republics (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia). (source: Wikipedia)