D-Day 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt and the New Media of Radio
D-Day 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt and the New Media of Radio
Posting in observance of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the storming of the beaches at Normandy, June 6, 1944.
A frequent educational focus addresses New Media and its uses in the classroom.
On June 6, 1944, the New Media of that time was radio. Radio connected Americans to news of World War II. Radio was a common media used by the 32nd U.S. President Roosevelt. President Roosevelt’s talks and radio addresses were known as “Fireside Chats.” The Fireside Chat series of evening radio addresses were given by Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1944. His final Fireside Chat occurred on June 11, 1944 just a few days after the D-Day battle.
In a radio broadcast, President Roosevelt used his time on radio to pray. He read a National Prayer to 100 million Americans on the evening of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
See also the print resource posted on the History.com website: https://www.history.com/speeches/franklin-d-roosevelt-delivers-d-day-prayer
Questions for this optional classroom discussion…
- Why was the radio such an effective communication tool in the 1930s and 1940s? What would be a comparable method of communication today?
- How do you think FDR’s radio presence affected the public’s perception of U.S. entry into World War II?
- Why do you think it would have been reassuring to hear a president’s words of prayer over the radio?
- Can you imagine this kind of address happening today? Please Explain.
Thank you for considering the bravery, and sacrifice of the heroes on D-Day and the way that the New Media of that period helped Americans to feel reassured and hopeful.
References
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Presidential Library and Museum (2009). Fireside Chats Of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Marist College http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/firesi90.html
History.com (2024). Franklin D. Roosevelt Delivers D-Day Prayer.
https://www.history.com/speeches/franklin-d-roosevelt-delivers-d-day-prayer
The National World War 2 Museum (2024, June 6). Franklin D. Roosevelt’s D-Day Prayer, June 6, 1944. [VideoFile.] YouTube. https://youtu.be/_dl6Gpa6QYM?feature=shared
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