Say what you want to about our brand of highly marketed politics, it has been a virtual stranger in other parts of the world. Television as a tool for "getting the message across" was something avoided in Britain up until the advent of Margaret Thatcher. Prior to that it was the occasional odd televised Press conference and holiday message. But mostly it was ignored and viewed much the same way as one would view bacteria.

In retrospect, it was really only during the time of the 1960 election that TV became a medium of great potential in U.S. politics, and people like JFK who saw that potential ran with it. It has never been the same since.

Here is a radio documentary first aired by the BBC World Service on December 31, 2000 which traces the evolution of TV and Politics in Britain from the post-World War 2 period all the way up to Tony Blair - at the time of this broadcast there still were no televised debates as those didn't happen until 2010.

It's a fascinating comparison in just how the message is put across and how image has shaped our politics in a much more all-encompassing way than in other countries.

It could probably explain why there's been a recent trend in Britain to have all politicians looking somewhat the same, just as we do.

Heaven help the world from the invasion of the clueless and ruthless Pretty People. But alas, I'm afraid it may be too late . . . .

(Lord of The Admiralty Winston Churchill - very dark days just ahead)

I've had a number of requests over the months to post some complete Winston Churchill addresses. Churchill is certainly a familiar voice to most people, but in the context of soundbites; short excerpts from famous speeches or radio addresses during the years of World War 2. Tonight I thought I would include a complete speech he gave in Manchester on February 1940, when the War in Europe was relatively new and the dark days of the Blitz were just ahead. Churchill had not become Prime Minister yet, but was still Lord of The Admiralty. That too would happen shortly after this address.

Winston Churchill: “Even if we look at numbers alone we have no need to feel that the task we have taken up is beyond our competence. I cannot pretend or venture to forecast what the course of this war will be, whether it will be long or short. Whether it will be dull and grinding or burst suddenly into furious flame. But I am quite sure that the British Empire and the French Republic and French Empire, once they have got on the move, and they are on the move, are far stronger together in physical energy and in psychic strength than Hitler’s Germany.”

It's also interesting to note that even Winston Churchill was not immune to heckles from the audience, as was evidenced by two shouting protests mid-way through his speech, briefly halting his address. A technical note: Because this is a shortwave broadcast, the sound goes from great to weird and distorted in places and back. In 1940 that was the best available technology at the time.

Some things, even in history, never change.

(Sec. of State James F. Byrnes at The Paris Peace Conference of 1946 - not at all that much different from herding cats.)

A voice probably not heard very much the past fifty or so years. James F. Byrnes was Secretary of State at the end of World War 2 and had the somewhat onerous task of rebuilding the peace in a war shattered world. The initial Peace Conferences, held in Paris were not successful. The world was undergoing changes not encountered at the end of World War 1. Former colonies were seeking independence and the Soviet Union was actively engaged in a land grab. Only a few months earlier, in March former Prime Minister Winston Churchill warned of an impending "iron curtain" which would fall over Easter Europe and the prospects of a Cold War loomed dangerously close in the future.

But Byrnes was optimistic.

Sec. of State James Byrnes: “Building the foundations of a people’s peace in a war shattered world is a long, hard process. A People’s peace cannot be won by flashing diplomatic triumphs. It requires patience and firmness, tolerance and understanding. We must not try to impose our will on others, but we must make sure that others do not get the impression they can impose their will on us.”

Byrnes would resign by the end of 1946 and be replaced by George C. Marshall. And a whole new era would begin.

News for this June 21st in 1955 was mostly all about the 10th Anniversary celebrations taking place in San Francisco, site of the first meeting of the United Nations. June 21st commemorated the signing of the UN Charter. Right after the newscast is a re-cap of the days activities and excerpts of addresses from British Foreign Secretary Harold Macmillan.

With the news was also enthusiastic anticipation over the upcoming Big Four Conference, to be held in Geneva in July. Macmillan voiced optimism that the issues of the Cold War were becoming more agreeable. In addressing the assembly, Macmillan hoped for a continuing of good relations between East and West. Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill was less unreserved, saying he welcomed the softening of positions, but was still wary that the Cold War was still very much with us.

In other news, it was reported two North Korean pilots defected to South Korea. CIO Leader Walter Reuther rejected an offer by the Auto Makers for uniform contract negotiations and President Eisenhower extended the Reciprocal Trade Agreements.

All that and a re-cap of the celebrations at the United Nations for this June 21, 1955 as reported by Ben Grauer of NBC Radio News.

Despite the breathless news a day earlier, and the quick admonition that it wasn't really official, the news finally broke 24 hours later that yes, in fact that Germans had surrendered and the War in Europe was really-really over.

So news of this May 8th in 1945 was given completely over to reports and reactions - speeches and proclamations and reminders there was still a war in the Pacific going on. So as much as there was cause for celebration, it was not as riotous as would be imagined.

Here is a 1 hour extraction from that day - from roughly 11:00 am - 12:00noon Eastern War Time, as reported on CBS Radio, anchored by Robert Trout with reports from correspondents throughout the European front. Also included are some addresses, including one by General Patton, one of his rare public speeches.

All this on May 8th 1945.

As a supplement to yesterdays entry where election votes were in the process of being counted, this installment of Edward R. Murrow and The News is from the following day (October 26th) and gives an assessment of the election outcome and how it will impact British domestic and Foreign policy.

According to Murrow, not much. The win was a somewhat slim one. With enough of a majority claimed by the Conservatives to enact some changes, but not big enough to go after major issues in Post-War Britain. The polls showed the Labour Party had actually scored 200,000 more popular votes than the Conservatives, but ironically the number of Parliamentary seats the Conservatives gained was in direct proportion to the number the Labour Party gained in the previous election. Some called it reverse stalemate, and others said it was further evidence the division between parties was getting deeper (reminder: this is 1951 we're talking about, not 2011).

Reactions in Egypt and Iran were understanably predictable, with demonstrating Iranian students renaming Churchill Street in Tehran Mossadegh Street and shouting "Down with Churchill" at mass demonstrations while Egypt placed an embargo on British Naval ships from entering the Suez Canal.

The talk shifted of a looming economic crisis in Britain - utilizing the "guns or butter" argument over increased military spending while employing austerity measures in social programs and having disastrous results.

In short, the newly re-established government of Winston Churchill, who was returning to #10 Downing Street for the first time since 1945, was headed for a bumpy ride.

In Washington, response to the Churchill win was warm with a certain reservation. Reserved because of a hint from Churchill he would visit Stalin in Moscow at some point and the White House was hoping for perhaps a summit meeting in Washington. Republicans hailed the Churchill win as a harbinger for a Republican win in 1952, saying the world was turning right.

Meanwhile, President Truman had his own batch of problems to deal with, namely in the form of strikes breaking out all over the country. The Dockworkers on the East Coast were picketing and and Railroads were looming with walkouts. Even pipe fitters were staging walk outs at the Oak Ridge Nuclear Power Plant. No one, it appeared, was immune.

And that's what it looked like to Edward R. Murrow, with Bill Shadel reporting from New York on this October 26, 1951 installment of Edward R. Murrow and The News.

This day, November 11th has come to be known as Veteran's Day, but it's reason for existence was to commemorate the end of World War 1 - the "War To End All Wars" when an armistice was signed on November 11th 1918 and the bloodiest, most inhuman (and pointless) war up to that point was finally over.

On that occasion, former First Lord Of The Admiralty the Right Honorable Winston Churchill recorded a short address to acknowledge the war just ended.

"We have won the great war, let us win the great peace."

If only.

(Belgian prisoners and German captors - a common sight in May 1940)

Seventy years ago this week, the war in Europe inched closer to the brink when Germany launch a full-scale invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland on May 10th. On the same day, Neville Chamberlain offered his resignation and the duties of Prime Minister went to First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill.

H.V. Kaltenborn: “Let us, in this evening hour, attempt to summarize what has happened during the day, in which three neutral countries were invaded; Luxembourg. Belgium and Holland. In which there were two cabinet changes. A complete change of leadership in England and the addition of further parties to the cabinet in France.”

All signs were pointing to an eventual invasion of Britain as each country was invaded and fell under Nazi rule. And, despite assurances to the contrary, it was only a matter of time before the U.S. would get involved. But that wouldn't be for another year.

(Small town America 1950 - yes, it was different then)

In addition to the vast array of interview shows that hit the airwaves from the 1930s on, there was also the introduction of the "week in review" in the late 1940s, largely because of the invention of the tape recorder and the ease of doing documentaries. Prior to that time, weekend roundups consisted of "dramatic recreations" of events during the week and well . . it was more than a little hokey.

In 1948 NBC Radio started their long running series Voices and Events and took the events of the previous week, highlighting the memorable bits and presenting them as a weekend addition to the discussions and interviews that made up most programs on the air at the time.

This particular installment of Voices and Events takes place on April 2, 1950 - sixty years ago this week. The world was, by and large a much different place. But some things have stayed the same - foreign aid, the lack of bi-partisanship in Washington and fear.

In 1950 Sen. Joseph McCarthy was getting warmed up on his anti-communist crusade, promising to rid the government in Washington of communist sympathizers, whom he was convinced inhabited just about every square foot of Capitol Hill. He took aim at the State Department and drew a goodly amount of scorn from former Secretaries of State who were also, as it happened to be, well-respected Republicans.

Henry McGrath, reading a letter from Henry L. Stimson (former Secretary of State): “It seems to me quite clear that the real motive for the accuser in this case is to cast discredit upon the Secretary of State of The United States. This man is not trying to get rid of known Communists in the State Department, he is hoping against hope that he will find some. Fortunately, the Secretary of State needs no defense from me. Signed, Henry L. Stimson, March 24th nineteen hundred and fifty.”

The McCarthy imbroglio would continue for a few years before it ground to a halt. But in 1950, Communism and all things Communist were suspect.

And that was just a sampling of what went on this week, sixty years ago.

(British Elections in 1950 - campaigning the old fashioned way)

Even though the elections in Britain wouldn't take place until the 23rd of February, interest in the turnout was eagerly watched in the States. So CBS Radio ran a special program The People Speak on February 2, 1950 to discuss the upcoming election and the issues. Since it was an off-year election here, and since the issue of Universal Health Care was a hot topic around Americans homes, the continuance of the Universal Health Care was closely watched over here.

Elmo Roper (CBS News): “Perhaps the most controversial issue of all is also the most popular measure of all. That is the National Health Scheme under which the people of Britain are assured medical assistance from their government. Almost a third of the British people cite this as the Labour Party’s outstanding achievement in its past five years in office”.

The Labour Party under Clement Attlee stayed in power, narrowly defeating Winston Churchill and the Conservative Party. But it was short lived as another election was called a little over a year later and the Conservative Party led by Winston Churchill regained the majority in Parliament.

Universal Health Care guaranteed for everyone in Britain didn't change one iota.