Normally after Suspense aired at 8:00 over CBS stations on Thursdays, The FBI in Peace and War followed at 8:30. Thursday December 6th 1945’s usually scheduled FBI in Peace and War was preempted for a special Victory Bond program, hosted by Bing Crosby and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman.
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Although In December of 1945 Bing Crosby was on strike with NBC, he had no problem donating his time and talent to CBS to help sell Victory Bonds.
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US Government Series E Bonds were first issued in 1941 to help pay for the US’ Entry into World War II. Seven War bond drives had taken place throughout the war. The budgetary expenses for the years 1941–1945 amounted to $317 billion, of which $281 billion was directly related to the war effort.
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Expenditures had also fiscally climbed from $9.6 billion in 1940 to nearly $100 billion in 1945. The result of which was that in December of 1945, the U.S. War Debt was $240 Billion.
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The Victory bond effort was part of a renewed public service marketing campaign to help sell these US Bonds which accrued interest for 40 years. Print ads appeared in major newspapers and trade periodicals. Radio—long a patriotic organ—did its part of help.
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407,316 American men and women had lost their lives in World War II. Another 671,278 were wounded. With these Victory Bonds, Americans could help make sure their wounded countrymen and women would be cared for.
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NBC dedicated its entire Saturday December 8th block of programming to the Victory Bond selling effort on the final day of the drive. Denominations were incrementally available between $25 and $10,000.