RADIO AND WORLD WAR II
IN THE WINTER OF 1945 – Part 1

Originally broadcast on WDCB
Saturday, January 15, 2005

* FIRESIDE CHAT (1-6-45) President Roosevelt reports to the nation on the State of the Union message he sent to Congress earlier this day. He talks about the authoriza­tion of the mobilization for war-related work of over four million men classified as unfit to serve in the military and for the “drafting” of registered nurses into the armed forces. This is FDR’s last Fireside Chat. ALL NETWORKS. (26 min)

* WORLD NEWS TODAY (1-7-45) Douglas Edwards and reports from correspondents worldwide, including Charles Colingwood and Richard C. Hottelet. “The American First Army has gained three miles on the northern flank of the Belgium Bulge and has cut one of two main roads supplying the Germans on that front. To the south, the enemy is increasing pressure on the American Seventh Army. A large force of Allied bombers, based in Brit­ain, attacked the German communications today. In the Pacific, the Japanese say Allied warships are shelling the coast of Luzon.” Admiral Radios, CBS. (25 min)

* LUX RADIO THEATRE (1-15-45) “The Mas­ter Race” starring George Colouris, Nancy Gates, Stanley Ridges, Helen Beverly and Paul Guilfoyle, all in their original 1944 screen roles. The Germans are losing the war and a Nazi colonel goes incognito into a Belgian village to scheme to keep Hitler’s Master Race alive. Cecil B. DeMille hosts. Lux Soap, CBS. (25 min & 17 min & 18 min)

* EDDIE CANTOR SHOW (1-24-45) In a pro­gram dedicated to Uncle Sam and his War Bond Campaign, Eddie talks about FDR’s inaugura­tion ceremonies, offers his version of an Axis broadcast and worries about his wife Ida, who wants a divorce. Harry Von Zell, Bert Gor­don. Bristol Myers relinquishes commercials for war bond messages. NBC. (29 min)

*CAVALCADE OF AMERICA (2-5-45) “The Road to Berlin” starring Bing Crosby, recount­ing his eight-week tour of England and France to entertain U. S. soldiers, playing to audiences ranging from 400 to 15,000 three times a day. DuPont, NBC. (29 min).