America at War
Patriotic Radio Broadcasts from World War II
20 Old-Time Radio Broadcasts
From Radio Spirits, (2001)
ISBN: 1-57019-471-8
20 audio cassettes - 20 hours of play time
Genre: General Fiction, History
Reviewed by Rochelle Caviness - December 13, 2001
Ever since the horrific events of September 11th, there has been a surge of patriotic fervor, not seen in America since the dark days of World War II. Radio Spirits' new collection, America At War, will give you a chance to listen to some of the most patriotic radio broadcasts to have aired on American radio during World War II.
This collection contains twenty hours of audio, and includes both fictional radio dramas as well as historic radio broadcasts. These historic broadcasts included both significant speeches and actual newscasts. The historical material contained in this collection are copies of the original programs. Here you will find President Franklin D. Roosevelt's dramatic Day of Infamy Speech given to Congress on December 9, 1941, in response to the surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor. Also included are other momentous broadcasts such as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's Blood, Tears Speech. This was the first speech that Churchill gave after becoming Prime Minister, and it was given in the House of Commons on May 13, 1940. In it he states that "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat," hence the name of the speech. Also included in this collection is General Douglas MacArthur's speech given on the occasion of the Japanese Surrender, as well as excerpts from various news broadcasts illustrating the reactions in New York and Los Angeles to V-E day on May 8, 1945. V-E day was the day that the Allies declared victory in Europe. This collection also included Bob Trout's momentous announcement that World War II was over.
Besides these remarkable speeches, this collection also includes a wealth of original dramas, comedies and variety shows all with a patriot theme. The shows are drawn from such prestigious shows as The Gulf Screen guild, The Cavalcade of American, The Lux Radio Theatre, Fibber McGee and Molly, Columbia Presents, and Command Performance, to name just a few. And the titles of the shows included in this marvelous collection will further serve to illustrate the patriotic theme that prevails throughout, a sampling of which includes: An American is Born, The Navy Comes Through, So Proudly We Hail, Salute to the Marines, The NBC War Bond Parade, and First Week at War. These shows star such notables as Orson Wells, Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Raymond Massey, Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Bette Davis, Jimmy Durante, Red Skelton, Frank Sinatra, Claudette Colbert, Edward G. Robinson, Jimmy Stewart, George Raft, Rita Hayworth, Lucille Ball as well as hundreds of other Hollywood stars.
This collection comes in a sturdy collector's case, and Radio Spirits is donating $1 from each sale of the America At War collection, to the American Red Cross Liberty Fund. Educational, entertaining, and uplifting - America At War has something for everyone!
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Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission, by Hampton Sides. Ghost Soldiers chronicles the daring rescue, from behind enemy lines, of 513 survivors of the Bataan Death March. (Large Print)
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