Among all those "born again" Christian fundies, the general concensus is that the End Time Generation commenced in 1948.
Here is their reasoning espoused by two of their prophetic writers, Norman Robertson and Hal Lindsey.
Christ gave his great "last days" discourse in Matthew 24, stating that "this generation would by no means pass away" before all was fullfilled.
Matthew 24v 32,33 states:
..."Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration of this point. Just as soon as you see its young branches grow tender and it puts forth leaves , you know that summer is near.Likewise when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. truly I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away"... etc.
The fundies link the generations commencing, to the 'sign' of the figtree.
What is the 'Figtree'?
Heres what Hal Lindsey says in his book; "The Late Great Planet Earth"
(1971) page 43...
...."The most important sign in Matthew has to be the restoration of the Jews to the land in the rebirth of Israel. Even the figure of speech 'figtree'has been a historic symbol of national Israel.When the Jewish people...became a nation again on 14 May, 1948 the fig tree put forth its first leaves".
And the "generation" of the endtimes commenced!
Regarding the length of a 'generation' Hal says on p43:
..."truly I say to you this generation will not pass away...What generation?...the generation that would see the signs, chief among them the rebirth of Israel".
Hal then says:
..."A generation in the Bible is something like 40 years"...
He is refering to the 40 years it took for the generation to expire in the Wilderness.
notice Hal says "SOMETHING like 40 years" A hint for you of things to come.
Youve got to admit, the return of Israel to the land in 1948, was a more significant "sign" than World War 1.