Radio Tokyo – news in English – March 26, 1942 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
March 26, 1942 – With reports of Japanese troops setting up shop in Rangoon, ceremonies in Nanking, the full occupation of Malaya and Java and the continued Japanese successes throughout Asia, you could get the impression it was only a matter of time before Japan would win the war, at least in the Far east, and that the allies were dwindling down to a shell of their former selves. The big fear, according to Tokyo, was the impending invasion of New Zealand and Australia and the conquest would be complete.
This was radio from the “other side”, with news of a looming revolt in India, despite reports of granting independence from Britain once the war was over – the revolt was on the part of the Muslim population and, again, it was only a matter of time before India would embrace Japan as liberators, as Radio Tokyo was portraying all the military incursions through Southeast Asia. A meeting of the India Independence Movement was slated to take place in Tokyo on March 28th.
The ceremonies in Nanking were to mark the second anniversary of their “liberation” from colonial powers, and six days of celebration were said to be going on all week. Meanwhile, fighting was continuing in Burma.
And it was reported that out of fear of sabotage and armed resurrections the U.S. was actively engaging in the forced evacuation of all Japanese nationals from the west coast of the United States and relocating them to areas closer inland near the base of the Rocky Mountains.
That’s just a sample of what Radio Tokyo was beaming to English speaking listeners throughout the world via Shortwave. The comparison between American Network news as well as BBC and CBC Canada broadcasts was stark in its difference and for good reason; it was a war of words and ideals and not just the movement of troops and ships. These broadcasts weren’t generally available unless you had the necessary equipment to receive them and they have gone pretty much unnoticed as artifacts of World War 2 until recently.
Sadly, this broadcast isn’t complete, but there’s enough to get an idea what everyone else was listening to at the time.
