Edward Murrow

            Edward Murrow is the man whose voice would become radios most listened to voice in London throughout the Second World War He was born into a farming family in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1908. At the age of 18, Murrow entered Washington State College. He graduated in 1930, not with a degree in journalism, but in speech and history. Murrow first job was with the National Student Federation of America. The main things he did were arrange European tours for student groups. The experience taught him to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people. In 1935, Murrow took a job with the Institute of International Education. When he was there Murrow placed scholars who were refugees from Hitler's Germany into teaching, research, and other professional positions. The stories he heard from these men and women extremely shaped his political worldview. Consequently, Murrow came to believe that Hitler was more than just a political dictator, but an actual force of evil capable of bringing harm to any individual, community, or country who stood in the way of his thoughts. In all of his wartime broadcasts, Murrow would hold unswervingly to the view that Hitler must be destroyed no matter how high the cost. Later in 1935, Murrow joined CBS. In 1937 he was appointed European News Director for CBS, a position which brought him to London. By the time O-Hell was broadcast Edward Murrow had been in London for six years. His reports aired at least once a week and, as the war escalated, with increasing frequency. Murrow was able to convey the reality of the war in England because he had lived that reality. His own office was bombed three separate times and displaced people slept on the floor there at night. Murrow grew to have tremendous admiration for the courage of the British people. In his broadcasts he made it clear that the English could not attain victory without assistance from other nations.