Episode 190: The Oil Campaign

In mid July, 1945 people in America weren't worried about the usage of fuel because it wasn't affecting them directly. The Deputy Solid Fuel Administrator for War, C.J. Potter wanted people to realize the affect that fuel consumption had on the military at the time so he put out a broadcast.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Welcome to World War Two Chronicles aweekly tribute to America's fighting men and women
in commemoration of the Second World War. These programs are narrated by ed Hrlihy
and are based on the news broadcastsof the war period from the recorded sound
collection of the National Archives in Washington, d C. Mid July nineteen forty

(00:27):
five. No one on the homefront is worried about keeping his house warm
in the coming winter. No onethat is, except C. J.
Potter, Deputy Administrator of Solid Fuels. Fuel is still our silent partner in
the battle against Japan. It isstill fighting on land and sea and in
the air, and will continue tofight until complete victory is ours in the

(00:51):
Pacific. You can do your partin making the most of limited fuel supplies
by storing whatever call or fuel youcan just as soon as you can stretch
your fuel supply by cleaning and repairingyour heating equipment. Installing heating controls save
up to thirty percent of your fuelBy winter rising, your home or building

(01:12):
canselate weather, strip, cawk cracks, order or make yourself storm doors and
windows. Remember last winter was nopicnic. Your government urges prepare for winter
now a bunch not at all concernedwith Jack Frost. The GIS on a

(01:33):
multi day furlough from Germany, livingthe life of Riley on the French REVERA.
Army staff Sergeant Robert Blake describes thescene from his hotel room in Nice.
Yeah, they are given rooms overlookingthe blue waters of the Mediterranean and
service which up to now has beenonly a GIS dream. They remember dreaming
about these very things when they wereup at those most of bad bases in

(01:57):
Germany, trying to imagine what wouldbe like. Wake up in a comfortable
bed with sheep, get up andshave with hot water, find the morning
newspaper at their door, and chowshine ready to go. As the office
says, well here and these thatdream is realized. There's no reveli,
no formation, no first thought ofbalking at them, nothing to do except

(02:19):
eat, sleep, lie on thebeach, go boating, golfing, fishing,
or anything that for long years theycouldn't do In New York with a
newspaper delivery strike continuing. Mayor Fiorellola Guidia uses his weekly radio broadcast to
keep the kids up to date ontheir favorite comic strips. The next picture,
we see Dick Tracy. You know, the fine type of Dick Tracy.

(02:45):
He's been a detective so long andhe still has that slender form.
Lou Valentine, Why do our detectivesget fat? I wonder, Well,
anyhow, here's Tracy. He's askingthe only vehicle that left the house at
that time was one of your long, big trucks. I'd like to question
the driver. I'm in Hurley,show me next time. The World War

(03:06):
Two Chronicles. World War Two Chronicleswas produced by the American Veterans Center and
Radio America in cooperation with the NationalArchives. To listen to more episodes,
subscribe on iTunes, or visit AmericanVeterans Center dot org. We need your
help to keep the legacy of ourWorld War Two generation alive. Visit American

(03:31):
Veterans Center dot org to make adonation to support World War Two Chronicles and
the ongoing work of the American VeteransCenter