World War II On the Radio

1. World War II On the Radio By: Leanna Chojnacki

2. Research Question Did radio broadcasts boost war morale?

3. Findings

5. Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) • Created on May 26, 1942 under the War Department • First radio station was in Delta Jct, Alaska and was called the KODK or Ft. Greely • Utilized BBC facilities while in London • July 4, 1943-Corporal Syl Binkin • Sports and News • Channels available to British civilians • Mobile stations developed by BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation • Music, news, front line activities

7. Command Performance (1942-1949) • Produced by AFRS • Allowed for troops to mail in requests for performers on the show • Example: • Ann Miller tap-dancing wearing Army boots • Performers on show • Fred Allen, Jack Benny, Judy Garland, Bob Hope, Ginger Rogers, Frank Sinatra, and The Andrew Sisters • CBS created Request Performance (1945-1946)

9. Mail Call (1942-1949) • Created by the AFRS and first aired on August 11, 1942 • Mail Call was a system in which soldier’s would receive their mail when their names were called • Meant to be written as a love letter from the celebrities • Included music, comedy and sketches

10. GI Journal (1943-1946) • Created by the AFRS and located in Hollywood • July 4, 1943 aired in Europe after D-Day • Ran by the soldiers themselves • Included comedies and orchestras (Army Air Force Training Command Orchestra) • Pin-up comedy talent • Lucille Ball, Linda Darnell, Roy Rogers, Fibber McGee and Molly, Ginger Rogers, etc.

12. The Jubilee Program (1942-1953) • Radio for black soldiers that furthered segregation amongst the soldiers and suffered from the lowest of morale • 30 minute long shows directed by Black soldiers • Performers: • Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Nat King Cole, etc. • Included jazz of the highest quality • Hosted by Dooley Wilson (Casablanca) then Ernie Whitman • Introduced jazz to other countries

14. Everything for the Boys (1944-1945) • Sponsored by the Electric Autolite Company • Directed by Ronald Colman and Arch Oboler • Aired in both the U.S. and to the soldiers overseas • Used to connect families to their loved ones • 30 minute shows that also included comedy, artists, and published announcements from newspapers

15. Music America Loves Best • Initially produced by NBC to play classical and popular music then utilized by AFRS • Played musical genres from operas and other classical music • Created in the 1940s by AFRS • Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington had been on the show as band leaders

16. Connections to Class • Roles of Women in the War • Westbrook, “‘I Want a Girl, Just Like the Girl That Married Harry James’ : American Women and the Problem of Political Obligation in World war II” • Roles of African American Men in the War • Cayton, “Fighting for White Folks?” • Ottley, “A White Folks’ War?” • Redding, “A Negro Looks at this War”

17. Conclusions • Boosted the morale of the white male soldier • Exclusively attempted to boost the morale of the black male soldier • Like other propaganda methods, the radio perpetuated similar stereotypes through celebrities on the radio • Radio shows entertained all sorts of soldiers while abroad

18. Questions?