August 10, 1942 – NBC News Of The World and News Of The World, Night Edition – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
August 10, 1942 – A momentous day, one that began on the 7th but not released until the 10th, and even then it was buried a few stories back. U.S. forces had staged what would be the first offensive action against the Japanese by landing on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. On 7 August 1942, Allied forces, predominantly United States Marines, landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands, with the objective of using Guadalcanal and Tulagi as bases in supporting a campaign to eventually capture or neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. The Japanese defenders, who had occupied those islands since May 1942, were outnumbered and overwhelmed by the Allies, who captured Tulagi and Florida, as well as the airfield – later named Henderson Field – that was under construction on Guadalcanal.
There was other news for this day – Anti-British riots had broken out in India mostly centered in Bombay. The Latest reports indicated that at least 15 were reported dead and over 60 were wounded as the result of Gandhi’s call for Civil Unrest throughout India. The riots were in reaction to British presence and continued colonial rule and much of the unrest was attributed, not only to Gandhi’s call to action but also Japanese pressure aimed at getting India to back Japan’s desire to add India to the Axis fold.
And the air war over the Middle East was continuing with considerable success. British bombers were raiding Benghazi while British and American bombers were taking out German supply ports and attacking convoys heading to El Alamein. The feeling in London was this aspect of the war; the reliance on airborne activity, was considered a much more important tool than was previously thought. And that the RAF was taking much of the pressure off infantry to accomplish the same things, only in considerably less time and with less cost in lives.
But the big news was still Guadalcanal.
A lot more news from these two broadcasts and reports from NBC on August 10, 1942.
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