A fireside chat about banking
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Roosevelt’s 12 March 1933 radio address used the domestic receiver to explain a national banking crisis.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library · afdr013
Archive & source ↗Hear history through radio
Original voices, documented moments. Choose a recording to listen; nothing plays automatically.
Signals through history · A short film
Three archival excerpts with original animation: D-Day, China’s victory address and Apollo 11. Subtitles provide historical context, not a verbatim translation.
Explore the recordings
War is declared
Neville Chamberlain
Wikimedia Commons · PD-UKGov
Archive & source ↗The “Day of Infamy” address
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library · afdr244
Archive & source ↗D-Day: Order of the Day
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
Archive & source ↗China: the victory address
Chiang Kai-shek · 蔣中正
The victory address was broadcast on 15 August 1945. The Commons copy is catalogued as 1 September; the date of that copy remains to be reconciled.
Wikimedia Commons · PD China / Taiwan / U.S.
Archive & source ↗Japan: the war-ending broadcast
Emperor Shōwa · 昭和天皇
Wikimedia Commons · Imperial Rescript
Archive & source ↗The Korean War: a U.S. radio address
Harry S. Truman
1 / 2
2 / 2
This is a U.S. address about the Korean War, not a North or South Korean broadcast.
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library · SR62-79 · ABC
Archive & source ↗Sputnik: a signal from orbit
Sputnik 1 · radio beacon
A radio beacon rather than a spoken programme. NASA’s collection preserves this signal associated with the satellite launched in 1957.
NASA · Historical Sounds · Sputnik signal
Archive & source ↗Apollo 8: a Christmas greeting
Apollo 8 crew · Frank Borman
A short greeting from lunar orbit in December 1968, not the complete Christmas Eve broadcast.
NASA · Historical Sounds · Merry Christmas
Archive & source ↗Apollo 11: the Eagle has landed
Neil Armstrong
The landing report on 20 July 1969 UTC, before the first steps heard in the other Apollo 11 recording.
NASA · Historical Sounds · Eagle has landed
Archive & source ↗Apollo 11: a voice from the Moon
Neil Armstrong
NASA · Historical Sounds
Archive & source ↗Apollo 13: reporting a problem
Apollo 13 crew & Mission Control
Spacecraft and ground control exchange during the emergency. The event was 14 April UTC, still 13 April in the United States.
NASA · Historical Sounds · Houston, we have had a problem
Archive & source ↗German unity: de Maizière
Lothar de Maizière
Both addresses were broadcast on 2 October 1990, the eve of reunification on 3 October.
Bundesarchiv · B 136 Ton 731 A
Archive & source ↗German unity: Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Both addresses were broadcast on 2 October 1990, the eve of reunification on 3 October.
Bundesarchiv · B 136 Ton 731 B
Archive & source ↗If playback is unavailable, open the archive source.
Audio provenance & editing
Three archival excerpts with original animation: D-Day, China’s victory address and Apollo 11. Subtitles provide historical context, not a verbatim translation.
The victory address was broadcast on 15 August 1945. The Commons copy is catalogued as 1 September; the date of that copy remains to be reconciled.
- 00:03–00:16.7 · Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library · U.S. government audio · 00:00–00:13.7
- 00:16.7–00:35.9 · Chiang Kai-shek · Wikimedia Commons · PD China / Taiwan / U.S. · 00:00–00:19.2
- 00:35.9–00:48.9 · Neil Armstrong · NASA Historical Sounds · 00:00–00:12.95
More voices in public archives
These links open the archive’s own player or collection page.
WORLD RADIO NOW · LIVE
From radio history to radio today
World Radio Now helps you listen to live stations around the world. Explore a historical voice, then discover music, news and culture on today’s airwaves.