. . . or click on the link here for Audio Player – Radio Moscow News and Commentary – April 21, 1947 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection
As the Post-War world slowly drifted into the Cold War World, the propaganda machines from the East and West were gearing up and going into overtime. We had Voice Of America and Russia had Radio Moscow. Every day, news broadcasts, commentaries and “feel-good” depictions of life in each others countries provided the bulk of listening to the average Shortwave radio to anyone tuning in around the world.
As time went on, and the rhetoric heated up, jamming of signals would take place; blocking out the daily broadcasts, or just obscuring those bits which were deemed too inflammatory.
But in 1947 it was all just getting started. Reconstruction was busily taking place throughout the war-ravaged areas of the earth. But even in 1947 there were signs and there was tension. Negotiations were taking place as to what to do about Germany – there was talk of reunification, but Russia would have none of it. There were uprisings and struggles for independence throughout the Middle East and Africa, and the Pacific islands – and the popularity contest was underway. The Soviets portrayed the West as Imperialists, opportunists and war-mongers. The U.S. portrayed the Soviets as godless, treacherous and land-grabbing.
And each night, injected into the otherwise innocuous newscasts, came some dig at the opposite side – some finger pointing and accusation.
On this newscast, via Radio Moscow on April 21st 1947, news began with reports on the Foreign Ministers Conference being held earlier that day in London. The subject was War reparations and the Austrian Treaty draft, as well as articles on War criminals and the evacuation of German nationals from Austria and on the withdrawal of Allied troops from Austria. Further Foreign Minister discussions on the Balkans and Yugoslavia and the question of independence.
Other news had to do with the daily goings-on in Russia and surrounding republics.
The newscast continues with reading highlights from the latest issue of Pravda and an article regarding American policy towards China during its civil war and critical of U.S. support of the regime of Chiang Kai-Shek.
And then the commentaries – A commentary over the Voice of America brought criticism from the Soviet press in an article titled “A False Voice”, where the Soviet writer chastises the U.S. towards its anti-Soviet policies while counter-criticizing the U.S. for its policy of racism, corruption and hypocrisy and trying to promote a Third World War. The counter-criticsm was based on an article written and syndicated in several U.S. publications called “An Open Letter To A Russian Journalist” by David Lawrence and also broadcast by the Voice of America.
Just a typical day in the world of Cold War Radio – as presented by Radio Moscow on April 21, 1947.
