– Alka-Seltzer News Of The World – NBC Red Network – January 3, 1942 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
January 3, 1942 – News from Manila this day, and it was grim. The city had fallen and Japanese troops quickly took control. And as much as the media was soft-peddling the defeat, it was sobering news to everyone, including the Allies who were concerned this was a sign of things to come. Despite that, the news emphasized that this did not mean the American of Filipino armies had been beaten, that it was more or less expected that Manila would fall and that there was still Luzon and surrounding areas still in Allied control. In trying to put a spin on the news, some remarked that Manila wasn’t important anyway and that it didn’t mean the whole of the Philippines had fallen. . .yet.
But news for this day shifted to North Africa where remaining pockets of Axis resistance were being cleaned up by British forces with 5,000 German and Italian troops killed or taken prisoner and over 1,000 allied prisoners were released. News from London was primarily about the loss of Manila but also late word that 26 nations signed a pact with Washington, agreeing to fight the Axis forces to the death and not sign a separate peace. A special later edition was published and the headlines touted “We’re All In”. Provisions of the agreement weren’t available at press time, but it was enough of a morale boost, that and victories in North Africa to put a positive spin on an otherwise ominous day. London emphasized that the loss of Manila did not diminish their determination to hang on to Singapore, insisting it would be held.
And that’s what went on, this February 3, 1942 as reported by Alka-Seltzer’s News Of The World from the NBC Red Network.
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