FDR First Inaugural Address1933Franklin Delano becomes president amidst the Great Depression on 4 March 1933. | First Fireside Chat1933The first of many Fireside Chat broadcasts by Franklin D Roosevelt during the Great Depression. It was broadcast on 12 March 1933. | Invasion of Austria1938This report details the German invasion of Austria in March 1938. | Chamberlain Returns From Munich1938A live BBC broadcast of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain upon his return from meeting with Adolf Hitler on 30 September 1938. |
FDR Opens the Fair1939Roosevelt at the opening of the New York World's Fair on 30 April 1939. | Hitler Invades Poland1939German leader Adolf Hitler announces the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. | Germany Invades Poland1939This BBC report details the German invasion of Poland the day before, 1 September 1939. | UK Declares War on Germany1939Prime Minister Winston Churchill announces the declaration of war with Germany after failed diplomatic negotiations. |
London Blitz1940A first hand report by famed journalist Edward R Murrow describing a live bombing raid during the Blitz. This is followed by an editorial report on the same subject. | Chamberlain Resignation1940Edward R Murrow announces the resignation of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and a profile of incoming PM Winston Churchill. on 10 May 1940. | French Surrender1940This broadcast announces and describes the surrender of France to Nazi Germany on 21 June 1940. | Germany Overruns the Low Countries1940HB Kaltenborn reports on the German invasion of the three neutral "low countries" on 10 May 1940 to enable an invasion of France. |
FDR Asks for Declaration of War1941A radio recording of Roosevelts speech to a joint session of Congress requesting a declaration of war against Japan on the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor and other Pacific islands. | Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor1941A series of radio broadcasts announcing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. | D Day Report 11944An early report detailing the events of the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944. | Hiroshima1945An early report announcing the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. The report includes remarks by President Harry S Truman. |
Hitler Is Dead1945An early MBS report on the death of Adolf Hitler on 30 April 1945. | Japanese Surrender1945This NBC broadcast by Richard Harkness on 16 August 1945 hints at the imminent surrender of Japan, although he appears to doubt whether capitulation is certain. | VE Day Special Broadcast1945A series of NBC reports covering the surrender of Germany on 8 April 1945. | Churchill and the Iron Curtain1946This address by Winston Churchill on 5 March 1946. Called "The Sinews of Peace" speech included the first use of the term Iron Curtain. |
MacArthur Farewell Speech1951General Douglas MacArthur addressed Congress on 19 April 1951 to announce his retirement from the Army. This speech featured the famous quote: "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." | Ike Accepts '56 Nomination1956President Dwight D Eisenhower's acceptance speech at the 1956 Republican National Convention. | Berlin Wall Rises1961A short radio news report broadcast on the day east and west Berlin were divided by the Wall. It would remain for 28 years. | End of the Cuban Missile Crisis1962NBC announces the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba on 28 October 1962. |