The period just after World War 2 has always been fascinating, not only to see the wave of emerging nations from former colonial rule, but also the shaping of the Cold War atmosphere that would be such a part of life for decades after. A pivotal period of time, to be sure.

While the ink on the Surrender documents was still drying, a Conference was held in Moscow by the former Allies to start hammering out a plan for the post-war world. Needless to say, it wasn't terribly successful, but Secretary of State James F. Byrnes did come back with some interesting proposals, which of course never saw fruition, including one for Korea.

Sec. of State James F. Byrnes: “The Administration of Korea has been a trying problem since the surrender of Japan. For purposes of Military operations the occupation of Korea was divided North and South of latitude 38 into Soviet and American areas. The continuation of this division after the surrender has been very unsatisfactory. The movement of persons and goods and the functioning of public services on a nationwide scale has been greatly hampered. Under our agreement at Moscow the two military commands are to form a joint Soviet-American Commission to solve immediate economic and administrative problems. They will make recommendations to the governments of The United States, The Soviet Union, Great Britain and China for the formation of a Korean Provisional Democratic government. They will also make proposals to these governments regarding a four power trusteeship to prepare Korea for its independence within five years.”

Nice words but . . .it didn't happen. In fact the shooting war got started just around the time the proposed Independence time frame was supposed to have taken place.

There's something about looking at history from the viewpoint of "what could've happened, what should've happened and what did happen" that makes it interesting and frustrating at the same time.

And then there's that hindsight thing. . . .

Here is Secretary of State James F. Byrnes' address on the outcome of the Moscow Conference which he delivered on December 30, 1945.

With the current situation in Egypt, we tend to forget these movements have had a history and, for all intents and purposes, a recent one. Recent, in the sense that in the past fifty or so years (which in terms of nations is pretty recent) the entire region has undergone a series of independence movements brought about as the result of former colonial rule.

Algeria is a case in point, since there have been flare-ups of late indirectly connected with Tunisia and, in fact many other Arab nations. Both countries, if you remember were French colonies who received independence around the same time but have been struggling with military-backed governments, corruption and class structure.

In 1957 though, Algeria was still very much under French rule and the war for Independence had been escalating since 1954 and had been fomenting since the end of World War 2 and wouldn't be finally resolved until 1962.

This documentary, Algeria Aflame, was produced for CBS Radio on October 1957 and outlines the intense struggle that was going on and how it was affecting the French people.

It's interesting to look at this to get a better understanding why the entire region is so volatile right now and how these things don't just happen overnight. In retrospect, independence for them is a relatively recent thing.

And when you think about it, we went through the exact same situation a couple hundred years ago.

We just didn't have cable then.

News for this March 15th in 1947 was about reconstruction, Foreign Aid, the creeping Cold War and grumblings of discontent.

Starting with news of the upcoming Big Four Conference and Russia's criticism via Pravda and Izvestia (the government Press) of President Truman's plan for assistance to Greece and Turkey, and a general blast of the Marshal Plan on the grounds of "Imperialist meddling". Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marshal and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov were huddled in Moscow debating the word Democracy. The nits were being picked clean. Discussions were also underway as to what Moscow was planning on doing in the area of repatriation for the hundreds of thousands and German Prisoners of War, still held in Russian camps.

In other International news: Britain was making plans to toss the Palestine question over to the United Nations to sort out in the coming week. The Japanese War Crimes Tribunal was meeting in Tokyo and the latest from the Japanese Defense team was Japan's fear of a Communist takeover from Russia that made it do what it did. Not much of a defense. Fighting was intensifying in China with Communist forces making gains and serious advances against Government forces. And the Civil War in Paraguay was taking a huge turn for the rebels, who were now outnumbering government forces three to one. Following suit, but with not much success, was a revolt brewing in Ecuador meeting with heavy resistance from the government there.

And blizzards were churning around in Wales while East London was underwater from floods.

On Capitol Hill: Debate was going on regarding the Foreign Aid question and, as usual, where was all this money going to come from. On the Good News domestic front - new housing construction was hitting its highest point in history.

And President Truman was in Key West, fishing. It seemed like a good time to take a vacation.

All this and so much more via Roy Porter and The NBC World News Roundup for (Friday) March 15, 1947.

On June 28, 1947 the news was all about the threatened Coal Miner's strike, set to go on July 8th unless a new contract was approved. Union Prez John L. Lewis was holding fast and the doomsday scenario was being bandied around Washington with threats of chaos and only a one month supply of coal above ground before it all went straight to hell. But a lot could happen between this day and July 8th when the Miners were scheduled to return from Summer Vacation and negotiators were burning lots of midnight oil over this one.

Weather wise, it was the same old-same old as far as the Mississippi River was concerned. It was flooding and taking a goodly chunk of Illinois along with it. After all this time you'd think . . . . . never mind. South Dakota was having it's special brand of disorientation with a rash of Tornadoes touching down and wiping out all over the state. Summer time and the livin' is nervous.

In other news this day - the last of the former Japanese fleet got parceled off by way of lottery with the last 93 ships destined for other ports or, in our case, target practice. Russia scooped up their winnings and wouldn't tell anyone what they were planning on doing. Meanwhile, the Paris Economic Conference reconvened and that's all they were saying as far as Ernest Bevin was concerned. Still the Press blackout and agitated Fourth Estate folk milled around, looking for rumors.

And what most likely came as a shock to people on June 28, 1947 and probably not at all today was the report from The Population Bureau that American's just weren't getting any smarter and, in fact were getting a bit dumber all the time.

Well now you have proof - it's official. A little known fact that's been with us for 63 years.

And that's what they said via NBC Radio's World News Roundup for June 28, 1947.

This day in 1945 the San Francisco Peace conference was getting underway, laying the groundwork for what would become the United Nations Charter. With war still going on in the Pacific, delegates from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America met to establish a means of working together as a Post-War world was coming into view.

But even then, even as the war was continuing, suspicions were raised over the future relationship between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Was all this euphoria going to last? Some didn't think so. And even Assistant Secretary of State Archibald MacLeish made mention of it in this broadcast, part of a radio series devoted to the San Francisco Conference and our Foreign Policy.

Archibald MacLeish (Asst. Sec. of State): “Political events in Europe are regarded in some quarters not only as denying the promise of San Francisco but as qualifying the hope that the continuing collaboration between the great powers, upon which San Francisco is based, can continue. Certain commentators have even spoken openly of an inevitable conflict of interest between the Russians and ourselves, and have debated the question whether Russia, our present ally in this war, is our enemy or our friend. A curious debate, one would think, with our soldiers living side by side in conquered Germany and our common dead but freshly buried.”

Interesting when you consider the Cold War became a reality not that long after these suspicions were cast. Interesting too, when you consider many members of the State Department at the time, including Alger Hiss, were hounded out of the State Department and labeled Communist operatives, triggering the Witch Hunts and Red Scare that permeated our National psyche for the better part of four decades.

But it all started out so optimistically.

Here is "Report From San Francisco - Part 5" as broadcast on May 26, 1945.

Picking a reasonably calm March 17th in history this one jumped out, although probably not for what didn't happen but what foreshadowed what was going to happen upcoming events weeks, months and years later.

The Big-4 Peace Treaty Conference in Moscow was more and more laying the groundwork for what would become a freezing of relations between East and West. Meanwhile, General MacArthur, heading the occupation forces in Japan, proclaimed there was no longer any need for an occupation force in Japan, citing the country was no longer in any condition militarily to wage war of any kind, but what was needed was rebuilding their economic base. In other news, Great Britain was going through a period of severe and strange weather with snow, flooding and a hurricane (that's what the reporter said) battering the country. In Uruguay, civil war was continuing. Marshal Law was declared in Palestine and the big subject in Washington was Rent Control.

It's all run down here, on NBC's World News Roundup broadcast of March 17th, 1947. No mention of green beer though.

In a special session on November 17, 1947, President Truman addresses the joint session of the 80th Congress on two issues. The first an emergency Foreign Aid package for Italy, Austria and France who were in the midst of going broke during this post World War 2 period. The second was to discuss the economy, which was spiraling towards inflation at an alarming pace.

President Truman: “Today, inflation stands as an ominous threat to the prosperity we have achieved. We can no longer treat inflation with spiraling prices and living costs, as some vague condition we may encounter in the future. We already have an alarming degree of inflation. And even more alarming, it is getting worse. Since the middle of 1946, fuel has gone up 13%. Clothing prices have gone up 19%. Retail food prices have gone up 40%. The average for all cost of living items has risen 23%. The housewife who goes to buy food today must spend $10.00 to buy what $7.00 bought a year and a half ago.”

Even then, it was about the economy. It was also about the "do nothing" Congress.