WWII Audio: 1938-December 6, 1941
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Austrian Crisis: News Report: Capitulation of Austria to Germany
March 11, 1938
1:51
Austrian Crisis: World Reaction to the Anshluss
March 13, 1938
3:28
Munich Crisis: Day 1 Coverage on American Radio by H.V. Kaltenborn
September 12, 1938
1:29
Munich Crisis: Day 12: On The Brink of War
September 23, 1938
2:29
Munich Crisis: Day 15: Hitler on Going to War Over The Sudentenland (from Berlin)
September 26, 1938
3:03
Munich Crisis: Day 16: American Radio Report: Fred Bates From London: Hitler's Demands
September 27, 1938
3:45
Munich Crisis: Day 16: Chamberlain's Reaction to Hitler's Demands
September 27, 1938
:50
Munich Crisis: Day 18: Max Jordan Reports on The Meeting of "The Big Four"
September 29, 1938
1:05
Speech: Franklin D. Roosevelt State Of The Union Address
January 4, 1939
14:45
English Gas Mask Drill Instructions
March 8, 1939
:20
Harold Ickes Introduces Singer Marion Anderson on Steps of The Lincoln Memorial
April 9, 1939
5:15
Franklin D. Roosevelt Opens The 1939 World's Fair
April 30, 1939
:36
News Bulletin: Germany and Russia Sign Non-Agression Pact
August 23, 1939
:16
News: H.V. Kaltenborn Reports on Hitler's Demands Of Poland
August 27, 1939
3:57
News: England's Reply to Hitler's Demands with CBS's Murrow, Shirer, and Davis
August 28, 1939
2:24
News: London Schoolchildren Will Be Evacuated
August 30, 1939
1:46
News: Hitler Addresses The Reichstag To Explain War On Poland (Live Speech, 0520 Eastern Time)
September 1, 1939
1:45
News: Speech by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain Announcing War On Germany
September 3, 1939
4:18
News: CBS News on Britain's Declaration of War on Germany, first Air Raid Sirens
September 3, 1939
2:24
Speech: Franklin D. Roosevelt Fireside Chat on The War In Europe
September 3, 1939
12:22
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News
September 18, 1939
1:26
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News
October 4, 1939
4:38
News: German troops are on the French border; American Ambassador to Japan Joseph Grew chastises the Japanese armed forces for their conduct in China.
October 14, 1939
12:14
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Roosevelt urges American weapons manufacturers to not sell to nations that bombard civilians.
December 2, 1939
:13
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Hitler told his people that 1940 will be the most decisive year in German history.
December 30, 1939
2:39
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: President Welles has sent Sumner Welles to Europe on a mission to meet with the leaders of the great power; There is strong sentiment against imposing economic sanctions on Japan.
February 11, 1940
1:25
Berlin: Broadcast by Propagandist "Lord Haw-Haw" (William Joyce)
February 27, 1940
:54
News: German Troops Invade Denmark and Norway
April 9, 1940
:26
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: The war in Norway; First civilian casualties in England; Italy claims to have no intention of entering the war at this time
May 1, 1940
1:06
News: CBS: Murrow: Debate in the House of Commons on Prime Minister's future
May 8, 1940
1:10
Speech: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain Resigns
May 10, 1940
:46
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: The first day of the German Blitzkreig against the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg); Winston Churchill has become the new Prime Minister
May 10, 1940
4:20
News: On The Spot Report of British Troops Moving Into Belgium
May 13, 1940
1:05
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Germans say their advances are ahead of schedule in some areas; Winston Churchill made his first speech in Parliament; Roosevelt asks for more money for American defense
May 13, 1940
4:51
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Hitler has defeated the Netherlands; There is a growing realization that America is not properly prepared to defend this hemisphere
May 15, 1940
3:34
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Rumors of German plots to blow up American ships
May 29, 1940
:40
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: The Battle of Flanders still goes on; Dunkirk is still held by British
May 30, 1940
2:30
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: The evacuation of Dunkirk continues; FDR asked for an additional $1.3 billion for defense, may call up National Guard and reserves
May 31, 1940
2:35
News: CBS: Edward R. Murrow on The Dunkirk Evacuation
June 1, 1940
3:10
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Germans occupied Dunkirk this morning
June 4, 1940
1:43
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: German peace terms were handed to French officials in Compiègne today
June 21, 1940
2:18
News: CBS: William Shirer on The French Surrender: France formally surrenders to Germany. The signing ceremony is held in the Forest de Compiègne, in the same rail car in which Germany had surrendered to France in 1918
June 21, 1940
2:33
News: CBS: Worst Raids Yet On Britain: Japanese army leaders have presented to the cabinet a formal statement disagreeing with Japan's new foreign policy; German police authorities in Amsterdam have ordered all Jews there to register within a few days
July 3, 1940
1:11
News: CBS: French Parliament To Dissolve: French Parliament will dissovle and France will become a totalitarian state; No indication of when invasion of England will begin; Japan will demand an apology for arrest of Japanese by Marines
July 9, 1940
3:32
News: CBS: Axis Agreement With Russia: The Battle of Britain has begun [photos]
July 11, 1940
2:02
New: On The Spot Report of German Divebomber Attack On British Shipping
July 14, 1940
1:24
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: We will know FDR's intentions toward a third term within a few hours; The Japanese formed a new ministry under Prince Fumumaro Konoye on totalitarian lines
July 16, 1940
2:05
News: CBS: FDR Accepted Nomination For 3rd Term: More English casualties from German bombing raids; Japan demanding reparations for assault on two citizens; Balkan Jews may not become Christians
July 19, 1940
4:52
News: CBS: Britain Begins Total Blockade: More on British dispute with Japan and Destroyers for Bases deal; Japanese seem to be getting tougher
July 31, 1940
4:20
News: CBS: Germans Drop Propaganda Leaflets: Japan growing more and more bold; No one believes Japan's policies will lead to war with America
August 2, 1940
2:24
News: CBS: British Expect German Invasion: Krakow Jews ordered to leave; tensions with Japan; American Draft Bill considered; Destoyers for Bases Deal
August 6, 1940
14:50
News: CBS: Lesueur Reports From Air Raid Shelter: Attacks intended to have psychological effect on Londoners; US Marines took control of some parts of Shanghai; Japan makes demands to U.S. [Battle of Britian Photos]
August 16, 1940
5:52
News: CBS: From Germany, On Effectiveness of Bombing: Conscription bill; Hitler's timetable discussed, may threaten US by next April; some congressmen worried that US defense readiness pace is inadequate; mothers demonstrating against draft bill
August 24, 1940
4:22
News: CBS: Special Report: London After Dark: Edward R. Murrow reports from Trafalgar Square as air raid sirens wail [Battle of Britian Photos]
August 24, 1940
3:50
News: CBS: Heaviest Bombing Of England Yet: Air raid in London lasted six hours; Londoners in theaters entertained themselves with song and dance [Battle of Britian Photos]
August 27, 1940
4:20
News: CBS: Balkan Crisis Looms: More reports on The Battle of Britain
August 28, 1940
3:16
News: CBS: Heavy Bombing Of London And Berlin: London had a seven hour air raid last night; More people are sleeping through the raids; First shelter baby born in London [Battle of Britian Photos]
August 29, 1940
3:32
News: CBS: Heavy Damage From Night Raids Over England: German citizens who don't observe blackout conditions have their electricity cut off for eight days; Germany must become self-sufficient in labor, not rely on non-Germanic peoples
September 2, 1940
2:43
News: CBS: Continued Unrest In The Balkans: German air raids on Britain continue, but curiosity has replaced fear
September 3, 1940
3:19
News: CBS: Air Attacks Hit London: Discussion of US-British Destroyers For Bases Deal; German talk of "purification" of conquered regions; Japanese will begin occupation of French Indochina next Friday, will eventually threaten Philippines
September 4, 1940
3:58
News: CBS: Japanese treat Secretary of State Hull's blunt warning with silence
September 6, 1940
:27
News: CBS: Relative Quiet In Air War: The U.S. draft bill may come to a vote
September 7, 1940
3:24
News: CBS: New London Raids Not As Bad As Saturday's: Bombs fell on London for almost ten hours [Battle of Britian Photos]
September 9, 1940
4:08
News: CBS: Italy Threatens Suez Canal: More on The Battle of Britain; There have been incidents of people being trapped in rubble for days before being rescued [Battle of Britian Photos]
September 14, 1940
2:48
News: CBS: London Hit: Four or five alarms today after ten hours of raids last night; Tour of the streets reveals much damage everywhere; Schools are rapidly emptying of children [Battle of Britian Photos]
September 18, 1940
4:35
News: CBS: Air Raids On London: More attacks on London using high explosive bombs; Description of how hard it is to tell what type of bomb has hit and how far away; Detailed description of bomb damage on one particular street [Battle of Britian Photos]
September 19, 1940
3:40
News: CBS: RAF Repulses German Raids: More on last night's attack; detailed description of putting out an incindiary bomb and picking it up afterward; German crewman bailed out and was captured; time bombs continue to go off in the mornings [Battle of Britian Photos]
September 20, 1940
2:45
News: CBS: Largest Attacks On Berlin Of The War: Economic boycott of Japan was considered in U.S. House committee. News of Japan's intentions are not good. Question of whether an embargo of oil would push Japan into Dutch East Indies is now moot. They're going to march in there anyway.
September 24, 1940
2:00
News: CBS: Japan Takes Anti-American Attitude: Japanese Press is taking a bold attitude toward the US following their alliance with Germany and Italy
September 28, 1940
1:00
News: CBS: Edward R. Murrow Late Night Broadcast from London
c. late September, 1940
1:00
Speech: Franklin D. Roosevelt Campaign Address, Philadelphia
October 23, 1940
11:21
News: Election Night Interviews: Kansas City
November 5, 1940
2:40
News: Fulton Lewis: The Election Is Over At Last: Election wasn't quite a landslide. The electoral vote was, but Willkie did get 20 million votes, more than any Republican candidate in history
November 6, 1940
2:15
Speech: Franklin D. Roosevelt State Of The Union Address (The Four Freedoms Speech)
January 6, 1941
8:31
Speech: Franklin D. Roosevelt, 3rd Inaugural Address
January 20, 1941
15:06
Speech: Colonel Hanford MacNider Speaks Out Against Lend-Lease
February
4:16
Speech: Senator Burton K. Wheeler from Montana Against Lend-Lease
February
3:19
Speech: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill Says, "Give Us The Tools"
February 9, 1941
1:33
News: CBS: Elmer Davis And The News: Japanese ambassador arrives tonight in Washington; FDR says that if there is a war with Japan, it will not affect deliveries to Britain, but does not think there is danger of such a war
February 11, 1941
:49
Speech: The Sinking of the German Battleship Bismarck
May 27, 1941
:43
News: Mutual: John B. Hughes: Germany's Invasion of Russia
June 22, 1941
2:05
News: Mutual: John B. Hughes: Ominous Prediction About Japan
July 14, 1941
:38
Speech: Wendell Willkie On American Isolationism
July 23, 1941
3:38
News: NBC: A Collision With Japan Is Inevitable
October 14, 1941
1:03
News: CBS: The World Today: Special envoy from Japan is coming to Washington; Japan's threats usually don't amount to much; arrival of Kurusu is of vital importance; speculation as to what his arrival means.
November 5, 1941
2:39
America's Town Meeting Of The Air: A question is asked about American Racism at home toward blacks
November 13, 1941
2:19
News: CBS: The World Today: President conferenced with Hull and Japanese special envoy Kurusu; Japanese want to send an additional 50,000 troops to Indo-China; Japanese Hawk in Tokyo wants all of Japan on a war footing
November 17, 1941
1:52
Speech: Address By Senator Tom Conally, D-Texas: Connally reminds the Japanese that we have a mighty navy in the Pacific
December 5, 1941
2:02
News: CBS: The World Today: Crisis in US-Japan Relations: Secretary Hull awaits Japanese response to commuication. Attention focuses on Japanese troop movements in Indo-China
December 6, 1941
:49
December 7-8, 1941