NBC – Alex Drier’s Weekly News Analysis – March 24, 1945 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
As reports filled the airwaves and people sat glued to their radios this March 24th in 1945, a wave of breathless optimism spread that maybe the war, at least in Europe, would be over sooner rather than later.
Reports that 3 allied armies, composing some 1 million troops stormed across the Rhine in several places fueled that optimism. One crossing was at the Ruhr valley with combined airborne landings and ground forces, the other was near the Germany city of Mainz with Patton’s 3rd Army heading to Frankfurt. German defenses disintegrated as the allied armies raced east. If all went according to plan, the Allies would be some 100 miles away from Berlin before too long. Coupled with the Red Army advance Westward, it was anticipated a meet-up between the two Allied forces would bring a quick termination to the war in Europe, which many considered to be in a matter of days.
Events were still moving fast, and were unfolding even as this newscast was on the air.
Aside from the news coming from Europe, very little else was being reported. As of this day March 23rd, the Allied were occupying some 12,000 square miles of German territory. Reaching Berlin was only a matter of time.
No doubt, if you were around on this day, you’d be listening to very little else.
And that’s what happened on this particular March 23rd in 1945, as presented by Alex Drier’s Weekly News Analysis.
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