This Is War!

TO ORDER ANY OF THESE RECORDS,
SEND CASH, CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO:


George Gimarc
4006 Gulfview, Rowlett, Texas 75088.

CDs are $10 each // Postage is $1.50 within the U.S.

Some years ago while in Seattle, I bought a big stack of home recording acetates, It seemed that someone local was an avid follower of current events and would hook up their new phonograph-radio-recorder and catch snatches of the daily newscasts when it seemed important.

The majority of the discs were 2 minutes (6.5-inch discs) but there were a few that were 8-inch (4 minute) and 10-inch (5 minutes) Most were Motorola - a fine brand that held up exceedingly well over 55+ years, and there were also some Philco, Recordio RCA's and others. All were well cared and played amazingly well.

I transferred the discs to digital, cleaned up the clicks and pops, and reassembled them in chronological order. Though only about half were dated, events were sometimes so unique that a date for most could be found. There's a mixture of Presidential speeches, Walter Winchell's staccato reports, bulletins, BBC and Short Wave radio broadcasts and local newscasts. Nearly all this audio starts in midstream and stops when the disc ran out. I can guarantee that you've probably never heard 95% of this material. It's a fascinating look at the real war, not just the way it was in the newsreels you hear over and over, but the day-to-day reports that kept America informed. Each CD is a little over 70 minutes long (except for the U.S.S. Missouri CD) and are made one at a time. There are eight volumes covering the war. Just let me know in your email which you want and you'll get that volume(s). All are $10 each. Sound quality on tracks varies, but is generally very, very good.



1938 - 1941
THE GATHERING STORM


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Mar. 11, 1938 Hitler to enter Austria (E. Murrow) :30
  2. Mar. 12, 1938 German radio: Hitler enters Austria :33
  3. Sep. 1, 1939 BBC: Invasion of Poland :30
  4. Sep. 3, 1939 BBC / UK at war with Germany (Chamberlain) :45
  5. May 10, 1940 F D R speech review 1:57
  6. May 20, 1940 Berlin....come in / Weygand now Allied commander 3:02
  7. May 21, 1940 Short wave news report 4:14
  8. Jun. 17, 1940 BBC: The fall of France (Churchill) 1:23
  9. July 14, 1940 Churchill - France 7:56
  10. July 7, 1940 War news from Japan 4:29
  11. July 8, 1940 The Battle of Britian 4:25
  12. Sep. 15, 1940 BBC: midnight news :37
  13. Oct. 29, 1940 First name drawn in draft 4:31
  14. May 10, 1941 Rudolph Hess defects to Scotland 1:56
  15. May 27, 1941 F. D. R. State of Unlimited National Emergency 37:58


THE EVE OF WAR


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



TRACK LISTING:

  1. June 22, 1941 Hitler proclams war on Russia 2:38
  2. June 22, 1941 Germany marches on Russia 1:57
  3. July 31, 1941 BBC : the Victory sign 1:08
  4. July 4, 1941 F.D.R. - Fourth of July message 7:48
  5. Sep. 1, 1941 F.D.R. - Labor Day address 8:27
  6. Sep. 11, 1941 F.D.R. - Attack on The Greer 28:13
  7. Sep. 7, 1941 BBC news report :24
  8. Sept. 7, 1941 News predictions for 1941 2:26
  9. Oct 17, 1941 Destroyer Kearney attacked near Iceland 2:05


PEARL HARBOR UNDER ATTACK
The first three days of war


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



TRACK LISTING:

  1. December 7, 1941
  2. The first bulletin :23
  3. Walter Winchell news 1:14
  4. ....attacked half hour ago :24
  5. Air attack on bases in Manilla too :19
  6. Second attack underway near Honolulu 2:01
  7. Stimpson orders army into uniform :17
  8. Manila under attack right now! :46
  9. News of London reaction 3:09
  10. Eleanor Roosevelt 1:18
  11. 7:30 evening news 3:04
  12. evening news 3:26
  13. the blackout of West Coast 3:51
  14. KIRO (Seattle) sign off 1:24

    December 8, 1941

  15. F.D.R. address to Congress (complete) 8:34
  16. commentary & voting (a) 3:44
  17. commentary & voting (b) 8:08
  18. Winston Churchill 5:40
  19. Winston Churchill 2:02
  20. N.Y. Mayor LaGuardia (air raid preparation) 1:41

    December 9, 1941

  21. F.D.R. Fireside Chat 7:55


1941 - 1942
the war goes badly


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



TRACK LISTING:

  1. Dec. 11, 1941 U.S. at war with Germany 1:24
  2. Dec. 11, 41 The Repulse & Prince Of Wales sunk 4:00
  3. Dec. 26, 41 Churchill - America joins the war 7:46
  4. Jan. 4, 42 World Today news - Corregidor, Manila 7:55
  5. Jan. 5, 42 Walter Winchell / RAF over Naples 3:30
  6. Jan. 6 42 F.D.R. State of Union 'Hit him again..." 4:28
  7. Jan. 19, 42 Test blackout of Dallas - Ft. Worth 3:08
  8. Jan. 25, 42 Roberts report on Pearl Harbor 2:10
  9. Feb. 1, 1943 Edward Murrow - the world today 9:25
  10. Feb. 11, 1943 Singapore under attack 2:11
  11. Feb. 15, 1943 Singapore surrenders 2:14
  12. Feb. 23, 1942 F.D.R. ....get out your maps.... 28:19
  13. Mar. 1942 The Pacific War 1:56


1942 - 1943
Africa & Italy


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



TRACK LISTING:

  1. April 9, 1942 Harry W. Flannery news analysis 9:07
  2. Apr. 13, 1942 Attack in Bataan 2:13
  3. Apr. 18, 1942 Doolittle raid on Tokyo 2:17
  4. May 22, 1942 F.D.R. ... four freedoms of humanity.. 7:56
  5. June 1942 Attacks at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians 2:10
  6. June 12, 1942 battle of Attu 1:54
  7. July 1942 Sinatra- 'Coming In On A Wing & Prayer" 3:05
  8. Sept. 27, 1942 Russian advances 4:03
  9. Nov. 1, 1942 Eric Sevareid news: ships sunk or damaged 3:43
  10. Nov. 4, 1942 BBC: Axis forces in Africa are in retreat 1:10
  11. Nov 8, 1942 Advances in Africa (Operation Torch) 2:12
  12. Jan. 19, 1943 Russian front news 1:13
  13. Jan. 28, 1943 Africa- bombers named in report 2:19
  14. Jan. 31, 1943 F.D.R. returns after Casablanca conference :46
  15. Feb. 18, 1943 Battle in Tunisia with Rommel 2:08
  16. Feb. 1943 rift between Turkey and Axis powers 2:13
  17. April 13, 1943 Africa / Australia 2:11
  18. May 1943 ? Ed Murrow in a bomber :30
  19. June 1943 Walter Winchell 2:02
  20. July 1943 Italian rumors & news 2:04
  21. July 1943 U.S. troops land in Italy 2:16
  22. July 1943 more Italian invasion news 2:08
  23. July 16, 1943 News of the World- Allies in Sicily 3:49
  24. 1943 ? Ed Murrow : The bomber story 4:12
  25. Sept. 3, 1943 Italy surrender 1:59
  26. Oct. 13, 1943 BBC report: Italy declares war on Germany :20
  27. Dec. 17, 1943 Roosevelt in Tehran 1:09
  28. Dec. 17, 1943 battle report from South Pacific :57
  29. bonus track


1944 - 1945
D-Day Invasion / On to Berlin


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



TRACK LISTING:

  1. March 1944 'How You Say It' 4:30
  2. June 6, 1944 D-Day Eisenhower 2:02
  3. June 6, 1944 BBC report from bomber 1:13
  4. June 6, 1944 D-Day news 2:10
  5. June 6, 1944 D-Day news 4:33
  6. June 6, 1944 F.D.R. on D-Day 6:24
  7. 1944 ? Ed Murrow parachute drop 1:12
  8. Oct. 22, 1944 F.D.R. 4:48
  9. Oct. 29, 1944 Philippines are free 4:31
  10. Dec. 21, 1944 German counterattack 4:44
  11. Jan. 1945 Allies on the way to Berlin 2:14
  12. Feb. 2, 1945 attacks on Berlin 4:02
  13. 1945 Duckworth Chant - the original unit 4:46
  14. Feb. 4, 1945 troops enter Manila 3:57
  15. Feb. 12 1945 Yalta conference is over 4:01
  16. Feb. 18, 1945 Belgian Congo broadcast 2:12
  17. March 3, 1945 Berlin Calling - POW messages home
  18. Quiz Time 'Quiz Time" kids make up show 2:37
  19. April 13, 1945 F.D.R. is dead 1:52
  20. April 25, 1945 United Nations convene 8:39


VE & VJ DAY
The war comes to an end


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



TRACK LISTING:

  1. Apr. 30, 1945 Lord Haw Haw's last broadcast 9:56
  2. May 3, 1945 BBC broadcast from his studio :56
  3. May 6, 1945 German surrender imminent :51
  4. May 6, 1945 news of surrender 2:23
  5. May 7, 1945 CBS news of surrender / AP only one in 1:08
  6. May 8, 1945 Ed Murrow in Piccadilly Circus, London 2:12
  7. May 8, 1945 V. E. day in Times Square, New York :46
  8. May 8, 1945 Pres. Truman & Winston Churchill 14:59
  9. May 8, 1945 British Field Marshal Montgomery
  10. May 8, 1945 Allied Generals messages
  11. June 20, 1945 ex-POW interview
  12. Aug. 6, 1945 BBC: Hiroshima bombed :24
  13. Aug. 14, 1945 news report on Surrender of Japan 8:26
  14. Aug. 14, 1945 Chicago gets VJ news 3:43
  15. Aug. 14, 1945 Japan has surrendered 4:27
  16. Aug. 14, 1945 V.J. day celebration in Times Square (N.B.C.) 2:17
  17. Aug. 14, 1945 V.J. day at Toby's house 3:27
  18. Aug. 14, 1945 commentary fragment :40
  19. Aug. 14, 1945 Frazier Auto Company to rebuild America 4:21
  20. Aug. 14, 1945 post-war housing developments :53
  21. Aug. 14, 1945 General Electric president 4:06
  22. Aug. 14, 1945 'Make Way For Tomorrow' 3:23


SURRENDER
The U.S.S. Missouri


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THIS HERE!



This is a remarkable recording 35 minutes in length, of the entire surrender ceremony held aboard the U.S.S. Missouri while it was parked in Tokyo Bay.

This begins with the network hooking up to it's RCA broadcast base aboard the warship. You'll hear all the introduction to the ceremonies as the Japanese delegation arrive onboard. General MacArthur makes some remarks bringing the session to order and the dignitaries all step up to the table as MacArthur calls their country.

All throughout, the radio commentators are describing the scene and dignitaries. After the signing, MacArthur makes some closing remarks and the network switches to Washington D.C. for a closing speech from President Truman.

Always wanting to have the last word, MacArthur speaks again from the Missouri after Truman. His remarks are cut short after about two minutes and the broadcast recording ends.

This was assembled from a set of a dozen discs, which recorded this event in three different U.S. cities, over three different stations. The quality is generally good, but does change as it goes from station to station to complete the recording. Remember, these were done on 3 and 4 minute records, so I had to find the overlapping bits to piece it all together. There are a very few minor gaps of no more than a few seconds.

This broadcast is prior to the days of satellite broadcasting. The original signal was sent to land from the ship via radio, then back through some way some 12,000 miles to the U.S. It's remarkable that you could hear anything. This sounds like a wartime short wave broadcast.

TOTAL TIME SURRENDER CD : 35 MINUTES


To the Reel George page



Copyright 1995 Reel George Productions, Inc.