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Starting with reports from Australia that the War wasn't getting much in the way of newspaper space because of the monotony of the dispatches. However, on this day it was reported that Darwin had it's first raid-free day. The same couldn't be said for Port Moresby, as raids by some 18 Heavy Japanese bombers made up for Darwin's lack of action. The whole picture was painted in grim terms as General MacArthur, in an appeal for support of an Australian War Loan drive, said Australia was facing an imminent invasion and it was imperative they be prepared for it.

While on the air, a bulletin came through the newsroom that the Canadian Air Force and Anti-aircraft units had joined up with U.S. forces, for the first time, in the defense of Alaska over the invasion of the Aleutian Islands.

From Stockholm came reports that Berlin was counting on a Japanese Declaration of War against Russia within hours, and that the Russian-Japanese Friendship Pact signed a year earlier was now worthless. Reports also came through that the situation in North Africa was cautious, as Germany was experiencing difficulties with their Italian allies in the area of water supplies and dwindling morale.

From London the picture was a bit different, with news that British forces had withdrawn from El Aderri and Sidi Rezegh and that Rommel was making good his threat to cut off land communication between Tobruk and Egypt. It was also noted that the British Government voiced concern over the lessening of antagonism between Washington and the Laval Government of Vichy, despite reports that Laval had okayed sending idle French workers to Germany in an effort to shore up Berlin's lagging war production, since Laval had shut most non-essential industry in Occupied France.

From Washington came reports that the Sugar shortage was an on-again-off-again situation with wild discrepancies in rationing being noted. Also of concern on Capitol Hill was the recent signing of the Anglo-Soviet Pact which led many to wonder just where Moscow would be fitting in with the proposed United Nations and Post-War atmosphere in Europe.

And today marked the second anniversary of the Surrender of France.

All that and much more on this June 18, 1942 as reported by the NBC World News Roundup.

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Reports from London told of intense fighting in North Africa, with German forces aiming at Tobruk in Libya. Several thousand more U.S. troops landed in Northern Ireland with reports of no submarine attacks en route. The U.S. Army introduced the new design of helmet, abandoning the old one used during World War 1. News was also reported of the signing of the Anglo-Russian pact.

From neutral Stockholm came sparse reports from the Eastern Front, but word of Russian attacks on Sebastopol and Kharkov in an attempt to drive the German army out of the area were revealed.

From New York and Washington it was learned that the Japanese had landed on Kiska in the Aleutian Islands. It was viewed as a face-saving measure by Tokyo in lieu of the crippling loses from the battles of Midway and The Coral Sea, even though the Aleutian Islands were not viewed as an important strategic gain. Still, it made for a propaganda tool, as it meant the Japanese had landed in North America.

This day in 1942 also marked the 43rd anniversary of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's entry into West Point and much was made of the promise by MacArthur to return to The Philippines. It was also announced that, as of midnight, a huge rubber drive was inaugurated and everyone in the U.S. was urged to turn in rubber goods for the war effort. Today also marked the inauguration of V-Mail.

And that's what happened on this June 13th in 1942 as reported by NBC's News Of The World.

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News reports on this day told of the first massive RAF bomber raid on the German city of Cologne the night before. Some 1,000 planes, the most of any air raid, and the first of what would become a new policy of mass bombing of cities throughout Germany, left the city almost totally destroyed. Fires could be seen some 150 miles away. RAF losses were reported at 44, which was a surprisingly small number in lieu of the damage inflicted on Germany.

In other news - From Moscow came reports the Germans had claimed to retake the industrial city Kharkov and that the much anticipated Spring Offensive was underway.

Fighting around Libya was continuing with German Field Marshall Rommel aiming to take Tobruk and staging an attempt to cut off British supply lines at the Suez Canal.

From Belfast came reports that U.S. troops, isolated from news of the war were starting to pass rumors, allegedly supplied by "Lord Haw-Haw", that the war was going badly for the allies and that the need arose for some method of supplying the American troops with useful information on news of the war, rather than propaganda.

From Washington came word that the former War Production Chief during World War One, Bernard Baruch, had been tapped to repeat his performance in this war. News also came of Chinese reports that the Pearl Harbor attack was originally intended to be one of two major attacks on U.S. targets. The other being The Panama Canal. But the Japanese aircraft carrier reportedly heading to the area was sunk somewhere in the Eastern Pacific, and the raid was thwarted.

News also came of an Allied Oil Tanker was sunk in Tampico Harbor in Mexico, under suspicious circumstances. Since Mexico had declared War on the Axis a day earlier, it was widely believed this was the work of sabotage.

And that's what was going on this May 31st in 1942, as broadcast by The NBC World News Roundup.

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Word from London was the arrival and settling in of U.S. troops in Northern Ireland; the first leg of the journey that would eventually lead to Invasion of Europe. Reports as of this day claimed the troops were well behaved and everyone in Belfast seemed to like them. Not so much with the IRA though. As it was also reported those elements of the organization, sympathetic to Germany, were routinely reporting troop arrivals to the German Embassy in Dublin, causing a security concern.

Meanwhile, RAF bombers were busy striking at munitions factories outside Paris, as well as raids on Cherbourg and Dieppe, in addition to air strikes at industrial centers in Germany. Fighting in the Libyan desert was escalating with news of British advances in the region.

Reports from Moscow told of the first shipments of U.S. tanks being put to work almost immediately on the Eastern Front.

From the Pacific. Reports out of Australia concerned recent air attacks on Japanese ships outside Port Moresby and talk about a drastic change in priorities of supply shipping.

And it was disclosed that recent British cargo shipments, dodging enemy submarine and air attacks, were carrying such "essentials" as costume jewelry, golf balls and party favors. The Americans didn't fare much better as it was revealed one shipment arrived in Australia carrying some 70 tons of nothing but bottled soft-drinks. The heavily censored report went on to say that one General, dismayed over the soft-drink fiasco, said it would have been much better had the 70 tons been of ammunition instead. Priorities were still skewed at this still-early stage of the War.

In Washington - since it was a holiday, there was little Capitol Hill news to report, aside from reports that it was no holiday for Defense Plant workers and that production was going at full-speed. It was also noted that Congress was anticipated to be getting closer to abandoning draft deferments for Married men and that they would be in the mix along with everyone else of draftable age shortly.

And that was the story on this Memorial Day (May 30) in 1942, as reported on the Blue Networks World News Roundup.

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Reports from Berlin said a full-on invasion had taken place on the island of Crete. Reaction over FDR's latest Fireside Chat regarding U.S. shipping and neutral waters was swift and predictable. German bomber raids over England had increased, with raids on Northern Ireland included in the mix. In addition to Crete, intense fighting was now taking place in North Africa, concentrating on the area of Tobruk.

It was also reported that Berlin was relaxing its armistice terms to allow the Vichy French Air Force to "defend itself", causing many in London to speculate that it was a ploy on the part of the Laval government and Berlin to stimulate French manufacture of planes, the majority going to Germany in an effort to step up their lagging production with 7-8 of every 10 planes going to Germany. The French Merchant fleet was under Axis control and French Captains were ordered to scuttle theirs ships rather than face capture by the British.

From London came reports of RAF raids over Northern Germany and the French coast and confirmation that German raids the previous night did heavy damage on Liverpool and Belfast.

From Washington came reaction to German reaction to FDR's Fireside Chat saying Berlin was getting nervous and resorting to name calling and that U.S. involvement in the War in Europe would only be a matter of time or if "one of the axis powers decides to pull the trigger".

All that, and it was only the morning news via NBC for May 29, 1941.