Starting in the early morning hours, news reports came filtering in via shortwave of “something going on at the Danish and Norwegian borders”. At first they were rumors. Unsubstantiated reports. Government spokesmen for the invaded countries awaken from their sleep by anxious reporters, being told office hours wouldn’t be open until 10 o’clock that morning. Even Radio Berlin, careful not to make any claims, eluded to some activity taking place in that region.
But as the hours passed, and the eyewitness accounts came filtering in, did the news finally emerge that yes, Norway and Denmark were now in the midst of a Blitzkrieg, that new word making the rounds at European Press offices, and the German Army was marching to Oslo and Copenhagen.
France and Britain scrambled to offer aid and conflicting reports were the order of the day.
There was other news that day, but it seemed to be overshadowed by the events going on in Europe. Commentators groped to analyze the quickly moving events, but one thing was clear – the War in Europe has just ratcheted up a few notches in the space of a few hours.
And that’s what went on this April 9th in 1940 as reported by the Blue Network of NBC Radio, Radio Berlin, the BBC and anyone else the frantic broadcast news rooms could dial in. News as it was breaking.
April 9, 1940 – Not A Good Day To Be Norway Or Denmark
News for April 9, 1940
News for this day in April, 1940 was wall-to-wall bulletins regarding the German invasion of Norway and Denmark.
Starting in the early morning hours, news reports came filtering in via shortwave of “something going on at the Danish and Norwegian borders”. At first they were rumors. Unsubstantiated reports. Government spokesmen for the invaded countries awaken from their sleep by anxious reporters, being told office hours wouldn’t be open until 10 o’clock that morning. Even Radio Berlin, careful not to make any claims, eluded to some activity taking place in that region.
But as the hours passed, and the eyewitness accounts came filtering in, did the news finally emerge that yes, Norway and Denmark were now in the midst of a Blitzkrieg, that new word making the rounds at European Press offices, and the German Army was marching to Oslo and Copenhagen.
France and Britain scrambled to offer aid and conflicting reports were the order of the day.
There was other news that day, but it seemed to be overshadowed by the events going on in Europe. Commentators groped to analyze the quickly moving events, but one thing was clear – the War in Europe has just ratcheted up a few notches in the space of a few hours.
And that’s what went on this April 9th in 1940 as reported by the Blue Network of NBC Radio, Radio Berlin, the BBC and anyone else the frantic broadcast news rooms could dial in. News as it was breaking.
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