Historic Voices: Global History and Culture

In this podcast episode, we feature the inaugural speech by President Kennedy in 1961. As I record this podcast episode, President Obama has just given his last speech as president in Chicago where he reminded the audience that was where his public service began. In a week, President-Elect Trump will give his first speech as the next U.S. President. It seemed appropriate to go back to one of the most remembered speeches by a new president. There was much more to President Kennedy's speech than the often-quoted "Ask not what the country can do for you but what you can do for your country." He reminded the listeners that even though they were living in the high point of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, there were alternatives to war and opportunities to bring prosperity to all the earth's people.

Greetings everyone. I am David Arendale, the host for Historic Voices: Global History and Culture. As we prepare to enter 2017 on this New Year's Eve, I thought it best to share a quick update report on the podcast and request feedback from you to help shape future episodes. An important part of independent podcasts like this one is developing a relationship between the podcast host and the listeners.

You have several ways to provide your feedback. Choose one you like.

• Send an email to me at [email protected] Include an audio clip if you like. Just let me know if I have permission to share it on the show.
• Write a comment on the blog posting for this episode. Click on the tiny number in the upper right-hand corner of this blog posting.
• Complete an anonymous online survey at the website, http://programsurvey.info

As we prepare to enter 2017 on this New Year's Eve, I thought it best to share a quick update report on the podcast and request feedback from you to help shape future episodes. An important part of independent podcasts like this one is developing a relationship between the podcast host and the listeners.

You have several ways to provide your feedback. Choose one you like.

• Send an email to me at [email protected] Include an audio clip if you like. Just let me know if I have permission to share it on the show.
• Write a comment on the blog posting for this episode. Click on the tiny number in the upper right-hand corner of the blog posting for this episode.
• Complete an anonymous online survey at the website, http://programsurvey.info As I said, it is anonymous and an easy way to provide your thoughts.

Thanks for listening to the Historic Voices podcast. I hope you share your thoughts about our podcast show. Best wishes to you for a happy and prosperous New Year.

This is a transcript of a short radio speech by Sir Winston Churchill on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1941. The dramatic timing of the speech was that it was aired live just two weeks after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Perhaps words from Sir Winston Churchill can help us understand how we can pause to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrate with the children even as mayhem is occurring around the world.

In this podcast episode, we feature a rebroadcast of a radio speech by Sir Winston Churchill on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1941. The dramatic timing of the speech was that it was aired live just two weeks after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

As I record this podcast episode a few days before Christmas Eve, I am mindful of the recent terrorist attacks using cars, minivans, and trucks against civilians around the world. A few weeks ago, a terrorist college student drove a vehicle into a crowd of students at Ohio State University killing nearly ten. A few days ago, a terrorist stole a semi-trailer truck and drove into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing and injuring more than 50. A day or two later another terrorist drove a van filled with explosive gas bottles into an Australian Christmas lobby office. Four have just died when a minivan crashed into a farmer's market in Beijing. And who can forget the ongoing genocide at the hands of ISIL and others with the civilians in Syria. It can be difficult to think about Christmas with widespread death occurring around the world at the hands of terrorists who are often targeting Christians at this time of the year.

Perhaps words from Sir Winston Churchill can help us understand how we can pause to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ even as mayhem is occurring around the world.

Bob Hope: The USO's One-Man Morale Machine

By Ann Oldenburg. Ann Oldenburg is a Washington area-based freelance writer and former Washington Post and USA Today writer. This story appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of On Patrol, the magazine of the USO. Thursday, Feb 4, 2016

— Original version of the article can be found online at https://www.uso.org/stories/154-bob-hope-the-uso-s-one-man-morale-machine

He started his career in the 1920s as a vaudeville comedian, but was needed to bring laughter to a different kind of venue. Hope lightened the mood in deadly serious situations. And he thrived on the crowd's response. "They were just amazing audiences—with their courage and their love of laughter and humor," Linda said. "I think one can't be near that in large doses and not be touched. It was always something he felt compelled to do."

In this podcast episode, we feature a rebroadcast of a USO Show led by Bob Hope for our U.S. soldiers on station in West Berlin in December 1948. The dramatic timing of this event was that West Berlin was under siege by the East German and Russian troops. Food, medicine, and the basics for life were being stalled by the Soviet troops at the road crossing points into West Berlin. This Cold War event is better known as the "Berlin Airlift" that saved the lives of hundreds of thousands and was the first time the U.S., Great Britain, and France stood up to the first act of aggression by the Soviets against the NATO alliance of nations.

As I record this podcast episode a few days before Christmas Eve, I remember listening to the Bob Hope Christmas USO shows that he led to our troops in the most dangerous war zones around the world. I will feature other holiday shows in upcoming podcast episodes. You can view edited versions of these shows on video through YouTube and other online websites.

Attached is a document that lists the history podcasts that I subscribe through iTunes. With more than a quarter-million podcasts available through the iTunes podcast directory alone, it can be difficult to navigate the choices. The document provides a short description of each with a direct URL for their website as well as a direct link for subscribing through the iTunes Podcast directory. As a history teacher, I have found them enormously helpful for my own education. I have received permission from a few of them to replay selected episodes as assigned homework for my students. I use Nuance's DragonSpeck voice-to-text software to create transcripts for students who prefer or need the printed transcript rather than listening. Some students report they listen as they read the transcription. These history podcasts are part of the motivation and inspiration for this "Historic Voices" podcast.

The Nationa Constitution Center provides this copy of the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Amendments ratified by the states. The NCC is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization that was established in 1988 under the Constitution Heritage Act. The Center's mission is to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution, the Constitution's history, and its relevance to people's daily lives. Visit their website, http://www.constitutioncenter.org

In this podcast episode, we feature a rebroadcast of a radio show that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the original Bill of Rights approved by Congress and ratified by the states. The dramatic timing of the show was that it was aired live on December 15, 1941, just one week after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. At the end of the radio show, President Roosevelt addressed the nation and stated why war was needed against Japan to guarantee our constitutional rights as free people. That speech was shared during the previous episode of this podcast series. A special thanks to Dennis Humphreys of the Journey's Into American History Podcast for granting permission to use this historic recording. His podcast can be subscribed through iTunes and other podcast services.

In this portion of the radio show, you will hear the voices of famous Hollywood actors portraying average Americans in the late 1700s who debated reasons for passage of the Bill of Rights, its importance to average Americans, and why war might be needed to protect its freedoms. One of the voices you will hear will be Corporal Jimmy Stewart. After the Pearl Harbor bombing, Mr. Stewart immediately enlisted in the military like many other actors at that time. By the end of the war, Mr. Stewart was piloting bombing raids over Germany. He would eventually retire from the United States Air Force Reserves with the rank of Brigadier General, the highest-ranking actor in military history.