Spooked!: how a radio broadcast and the War of the worlds sparked the 1938 invasion of America

Description

Describes the panic induced when listeners believed Orson Welles' radio broadcast of "The War of the Worlds" to be news of an alien invasion, discussing the context in which the broadcast was aired and why it was so convincing.;On Halloween eve 1938, people across America gathered around the radio to listen to their favorite Sunday evening program. Expecting to hear the latest drama from Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre, many were alarmed when news bulletins interrupted the show. New Jersey had been rocked by mysterious explosions. The announcements continued, each more frantic than the last. An invading army's strange and powerful weapons had killed thousands. Listeners feared the worse. Was America under attack by the Germans? Could this be the start of another world war? Award-winning author Gail Jarrow reveals in riveting detail the events leading up to the terrifying radio broadcast and its aftermath. She explores the reactions of listeners, the mass hysteria reported by the media, the public's susceptibility to propaganda, and the role of radio as a source of both entertainment and information. The SHOCKING broadcast has never been forgotten. Tune in ... -- From dust jacket. Haunted on Halloween Eve -- Mercury rises -- Taking to the air -- Blood-red planet -- Plotting the invasion -- The final day -- The attack -- Panic -- "Wreckage" -- It's all over -- Extra! Extra! Read all about it! -- Dear Mr. Welles -- Fallout -- Dear FCC -- "Too darn realistic" -- Soft landing -- Hoaxes -- Timeline.