It’s something that most of us gratefully never had to experience – creating radio during a world war. For those who remained behind to stay on the air, it was a very different atmosphere. Gone were the jokes (except on the uber-patriotic comedy shows) and the gab. It was all about loyalty to country and cause and defeating the Nazis.
 
The need to consider both war and peace cropped up in ads run by CFRB throughout the entire length of the bloody battle, giving you the feeling not of the usual radio wars, but of radio at war.
 
From 1942:
 


 
By 1943, the name of “Hitler” began appearing in the pitches.
 

 
Pearl Harbour figured in, too.
 

 
But there was also an eye – and a prayer – towards peace. From 1943:
 

 
When FDR died suddenly in 1945, just prior to the war’s end, it merited special coverage in Canada.
 

 
And CFRB not only brought the war to the Canadian public, but to some of its European counterparts.
 

 But 1010 wasn’t the only one. Competitor CKEY also tried to do its part for those back home.

 But it was clear nothing would be back to normal for a while
 

 
Like many still in the workforce at home, the show had to go on. And it gave a usually shut-out group a chance to shine.
 

 
Still while the good guys were fighting the battle overseas back home, there was the ugly hint of racism in some of their ads, as they tried to dehumanize the enemy. That resulted in this image from WGY Radio in Schenectady, which would never get published today.
 

           
And finally, if you think it was easier being here and not Over There, as the old war song goes, many in radio were warned they would have to live without, as rationing struck the industry. 
 

 
When peace finally was declared, it took a long time to get over the war-ravaged hangover.
 


 Next week: Some Famous Firsts and Lasts