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Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles and the occasional radio broadcast delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Also visit our general discussion thread.

Find the following description of today’s broadcast here.

“8/26/45: The Allied fleet is expected to sail into Tokyo Bay within a few hours. It has been a week since Japanese representatives arrived in Manila [on August 19th] to arrange details of the capitulation. CBS Manila: occupation troops have not yet entered Japan. [The first American units � Army Air Force technicians -- arrived on August 28th.] The British will occupy Hong Kong. American aircraft are now flying over Japan, locating POW camps. Washington: Senate committees are meeting to discuss who will oversee the future research and development of atomic energy. (It is currently under the control of the military.) Some feel that atomic secrets should turned over to the U.N. Via SW from Chungking, China: details of the Soviet-China accord are given. SW from London: the abrupt ending of Lend-Lease means that the U.S. will probably have to pay for the passages of U.S. troops that are shipped home on British ships. SW from Paris: General deGaulle is in Washington, visiting President Truman. For U.S. troops in Europe who are impatiently waiting to get home, receiving mail is more important than ever. PSA asking for part-time farm workers to help harvest the 1945 crop. (No experience is necessary.) “

To listen to the broadcast click on the link below.

CBS World News Today, August 26, 1945

1) Admiral Spruance said we wouldn't put military bases on the China coast or on Formosa (Taiwan). Stupid; we could have at least saved the southern half of China.

2) Surprised that the announcer off of Sagami Bay knew how to pronounce Yokosuka ("yo-KOH-ska"); practically no American who has been stationed there ever pronounces it correctly.

3) Notice that it's the commies in the government who want to give atomic power to the whole world, which of course means the communist world. It was true that the communist world would have the bomb in a few years as some predicted, but it was because of the spies in our government.

4) The Sino-Soviet agreement was silly. The Soviets essentially stole the railways and anything else they could get their hands on, and handed everything they could to Mao and not Chiang. Why Chiang thought he could make a deal with Stalin, having seen how he handled every other deal he had made, I cannot understand.

5) And that refrigerator with the Sterilamp? cf. here