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Update: With a flood of donations overnight, we've come within $1,000.00 of meeting Newstalgia's goal of staying online and saving the archive from extinction. Those of you who have donated, and re-donated, I cannot begin to express my gratitude and heartfelt thanks for your help, your kind words, your encouragement. You have made all the difference between disaster and hope. We're extremely close and this final push over the next day is crucial in averting what would have been a complete disaster. Because we're so close, your donations are still desperately needed. Any amount is deeply appreciated. You may not think giving $1.00 can make a difference, but it has and it's being proven over the past few days. It all makes a huge difference and has succeeded in turning this seemingly insurmountable obstacle into a speed-bump. If you haven't considered making a donation to help keep Newstalgia up and running yet, please consider it now. Any amount, any amount at all, is needed and appreciated beyond words. We're making it. We're close. We're getting there.

The news on this morning in April of 1945 was about the eventual collapse of Germany and the end of the War in Europe. With news reports coming in, and bulletins being reported one on top of the other, news of the Fall of Berlin was being reported. Soviet troops had succeeded in occupying the center of the city, while defacto head of the German government, Heinrich Himmler was busy hammering out surrender terms. The latest communique had Himmler attempting to reach a surrender with the Allies without including the Russians. Needless to say, it was rejected. And despite some rumors to the contrary, no Surrender had been arrived at. Allied forces were systematically taking over and occupying every other German city, with news that Munich had fallen while this broadcast was on the air. Also reported was news that the Allies had liberated the Dachau Conentration camp, and news of that discovery would be coming in time. During the course of the morning news broadcast, an address by Gen. Spaatz of the Allied Air Forces announced confirmation that the German Luftwaffe had been completely obliterated and subsequently, the Allied Air Force would changed its role over to tactical support of ground forces during these final hours/days.

Meanwhile, the War in the Pacific was still far from over. With news reports of a Kamikaze attack on an Allied Hospital ship near Okinawa brought outrage from the Allied High Command and fighting was still intense.

And that was the news for this April 30, 1945, as presented in two morning Newscasts over NBC. One, the Morning Roundup and the later Alka-Seltzer News Of The World.

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Update: Still hovering at the 3/4 mark with just a little ways left to go. My deepest appreciation and sinceret thanks to those of you who have donated in the last few hours. Your contributions have been lifesaving. We're so close to hitting our goal and I am so blown away by your support of this site and what we're trying to do. We're getting there and,with your help, we'll succeed. Any amount you're comfortable with, it is all needed and it all chips away at the problem. You're making a huge difference. Just a little bit more to go - we can do it - we are doing it! You are all amazing.

April 29th may have marked the 20th anniversary of the start of the now-famous Rodney King Trial verdict insurrection, but April 30th was when the shit truly hit the fan and the streets were filled with anger and violence. Fires sprang up everywhere, most raging out of control because fire fighters were in short supply and the ones who did respond were attacked. The Police were mostly powerless to stop the rage and stores and businesses throughout the city were broken into, ransacked and burned. As of the start of the morning of the 30th, 9 had already been reported dead, with scores injured and a city in chaos and spreading.

Here is coverage, as presented by Public radio station KCRW, who also broke in and out to carry news reports from the local TV outlets as well as CNN. This recording covers the period of time from 8:55 am until roughly 10:00 am on the morning of the 30th. There are two press conferences, one from Mayor Braddley assessing the situation and Chief Darryl Gates. Also covered are statements from President Bush and a lot of eyewitness accounts.

And this day was only starting.