Text 36998, 95 rader
Skriven 2006-08-20 06:50:00 av LEE LOFASO (1:123/140)
Ärende: VJ Day
==============
This message was from JOE NICHOLSON to BOB BREED,
originally in conference MEMORIES
and was forwarded to you by LEE LOFASO.
                    -------------------------
 -=> Quoting Bob Breed to Jim White <=-

 BB> So you probably have no idea what today's date means to us older
 BB> dudes?  (8/15/45)


 http://www.otr.com/vj.html

"Radio Days - VJ Day"   Victory in Japan Day

VJ Day Announcements and Celebrations

On August 6th, 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb over the city of
Hiroshima. This would be the first of only two times the bomb was ever used
against another country. Earlier, the Truman administration found that the
Japanese were not accepting of the Potsdam Declaration which demanded an
unconditional surrender by Japan. The Japanese had asked Russia to act as
intermediary for them at the Potsdam Conference. However, unbeknownst to the
Japanese, the Soviet Union was about to enter the war against them.

Consequently, Stalin did not convey all of the questions and concerns the
Japanese had. One major question was the preservation of their Emperor as head
if they surrendered. But this was never made clear to Churchill and Truman and
the harsh statement coming from the conference is what resulted. Because Japan
was not forthcoming, Truman decided to drop the bomb (Japan was unaware of this
power).

When the Japanese were still debating what to do, the United States, hearing
nothing from Japan, dropped a second atom bomb on August 9th over the city of
Nagasaki. Still the world heard nothing, though the Japanese began talks
directly with the United States. After suffering so serious a blow, the public
could not understand why the Japanese did not immediately surrender.
Apparently,

there was much consternation among Japanese leaders as to what to do. Some
wanted immediate surrender, others wanted to continue fighting, still others
feared for their Emperor. Finally, realizing they had no other choice but to
hope for the best, the Japanese accepted the terms of Potsdam.
Initially, a report on a signing of surrender was released by the United Press
International prematurely. Word was apparently in, but it was not yet indicated
as official. The clip here is the announcement, and then the rescinding of the
announcement.

The sound montage included here begins with an interruption of a big band
remote

- Cab Calloway and his Orchestra appearing at the New Zanzibar in New York
City.

It is approximately 1:50 in the morning of August 14th, Eastern War Time. The
previous day had brought a lot of false VJ Day reports prompted partly by the
hesitation of the Japanese. The Mutual Network which was carrying the band
remote interrupts with news wire reports that the Japanese had accepted the
unconditional surrender. But nothing official is yet forthcoming. This report
gives a nice historical view of just how tentative the radio news services
relied on the wire services. You can even hear a man in the background getting
increasingly excited as more information is forthcoming. But because it was so
tentative, there is some dead air as the network struggles with incoming
information, finally returning to the big band remote.

From this point the montage moves to approximately 9:30 a.m. EWT in Chicago via
the NBC news affiliate with reporter Don Eldridge reporting live from Chicago's
loop. We can hear the moving traffic as reporter Eldridge tells of the current
calm after some early morning activity. But he also describes the early
gathering of some citizens and the news of surrender is being anticipated.
As NBC begins to move to live reports around the country, the montage switches
to early evening via CBS as the news services along with the world awaits
official word of acceptance from the Allied leaders. The CBS reporter like the
earlier Mutual reporter is tentative, not sure whether to return to regular
broadcast, or to hang on. An announcement is imminent. Suddenly, we are switch
to Robert Trout in London for the announcement has arrived. The ebullition in
the newsroom gives us a picture of how much the world waited for the
announcement. Immediately the report is cut in by the local stations, in this
case WKRC in Cincinnati, to bring a local picture to start of celebrations.
Reporter Tom McCarthy of WKRC, Cincinnati, in a commentary reminiscent of
Gabriel Heatter, provides eloquent words reflecting what the world felt. We
hear

the start of the celebrations that took place in virtually every city in the
United States as well as many world capitals. The montage focuses on
Cincinnati.

Finally, we switch to another eloquent announcer, NBC's Ben Grauer, as he
reports from Times Square inside a remote vehicle. He is right in the thick of
it and radio is there to catch it all.

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