Broadcasting the "Infamy" speech.

[Shangas]

Hi folks, me again.

I have a question about FDR's famous "Infamy Speech" ("December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy" etc etc).

My question is...was this speech broadcast just in the USA? Or would international audiences have been able to tune into it around the world?

 

[LizzieMaine]

There were many American shortwave stations that would have relayed the stateside broadcasts -- NBC had WRCA and WNBI in New York, as well as the General Electric stations WGEA and WGEO in Schenectady, while CBS had its own shortwave outlet, WCBO in New York. In addition, WLWO in Cincinnati and WRUL in Boston would have picked up a feed as well.

 

[AntonAAK]

Infamy, INFAMY! They've all got it in for me.






Sorry, wrong speech...

 

[Edward]

Ha! before I even opened the thread, I thought you might have posted a reference to that!

 

[AntonAAK]

You know you would have if I hadn't got there first...

 

[LandGirl1980]

infamy, infamy! They've all got it in for me.






Sorry, wrong speech...

haaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

 

[Aristaeus]

Great speech.[video=youtube;o460uEJmLG8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o460uEJmLG8[/video]

 

[Treetopflyer]

Great speech. Too bad that the WWII memorial in D.C. left out the "so help us God" part.

 

[Edward]

You know you would have if I hadn't got there first...

But of course!

 

[Shangas]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

As some of you might already know, I'm writing a story about WWII for a history assignment. My question regarding the speech was because I wanted to know if my characters (a family living in London) would have heard the speech on the radio, on the day it was broadcast (or at least, a recording of the speech on the same day, or day after).

 

[W4ASZ]

I say Yes

I'd write it this way :

They would have been listening for WCBX ,New York, on the 19 meter shortwave band and would have heard FDR live from their home in London. Your fictional family had a good shortwave broadcast receiver because Uncle Bob, a ham radio operator, had given them one in early 1939. (Or they were using Uncle Bob's ham receiver, a National HRO which he bought on one of his trips to the States. Uncle Bob was very busy doing Bletchley Park type stuff at the time of the FDR address.) :eeek:

 

[Shangas]

Hahahaha!! Bletchley Park! Oh please...

Any other ideas, folks? Thanks for the help so far.