January 24, 1942 – America At War – Week 7 – NBC Red Network – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
January 24, 1942 – America at seven weeks into the war. A roundup of reports from various parts of the globe on the progress (or lack of) of the war on all fronts.
Beginning with the climate in America and the overwhelming turnout of young men enlisting in the services – reports on the retooling of industry and that the last civilian automobile was slated to roll off the assembly line in February. And after that auto plants would close and retool for much needed production of tanks, planes and guns. Concern from Congress over how the transition was going to affect the labor market and if those laid-off Auto workers would make it to the transition, which was projected to take some 6 months before War production would be in full swing. Plans were made to supplement unemployment, keeping the workers more or less in place until they could go back to work.
From the Pacific came word that Australia was concerned this sweeping push by Japanese forces would mean an eventual invasion of that country and was making desperate pleas to London for assistance. Declaring this front was no side-show, Australia was appealing to Britain (and the U.S.) to send equipment and troops to stave off what could be inevitable.
From London came word that the public was growing impatient; that Britain was not mounting any major offensives anywhere. Pointing to the situation in North Africa that Britain was sitting on its hands and there needed to be a dramatic shakeup in Churchill’s cabinet to address the war. Approval of Churchill was still high, but those in charge of operations in the Far East and Europe were coming under harsh criticism and pressure was mounting daily for changes.
And that’s only a small portion of the roundtable wrapup of the War as it stood for this seventh week (of U.S. involvement) as seen by reporters for This Week Of War presented by the Red Network of NBC.
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