When the United States was "attacked" by Mars!

 

When the United States was "attacked" by Mars!

This phrase suddenly came out of American radios: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are interrupting our program for urgent reasons." At this moment began one of the most controversial days in media history.

The surprise press release fell on the Americans like a thunderbolt: "The Martians attacked Earth". Cities are being destroyed, and the army stands helpless!

According to press reports

after this announcement

more than a million people in the northeastern United States believed that a Martian attack had occurred, and they were in a state of extreme panic. Reports flooded police stations, newspapers and radio stations.

The New York Times alone received 875 phone calls on the subject.

Crowds gathered in the streets

others hid in basements, armed with rifles, and some hastily left the cities. Stories were also told to people who suffered trauma and heart attacks.

In this radio broadcast

• the news continued as if it were coming from the battlefield itself

• confirmation from Professor Farrell of the Princeton Observatory.

• Then there's a stunning report of a meteorite that fell in New Jersey

disintegrating into

a metal monster that moves like a gray snake. Voices rose describing

the monster as "as big as a bear and sparkling like wet skin".

The situation

quickly became tense and panic increased.

The broadcaster said that the Martians were firing weapons from "thermal rays", and that they burned the National Guard and released clouds of toxic black smoke. This radio broadcast included the sounds of explosions, chaos, and the desperate, dying voices of journalists. What was being broadcast seemed completely real.

It later emerged that the "bulletin"

was part of an episode titled "The Worlds Pavilion" of the Mercury Theatre on Air radio series, which aired live on October 30, 1938, on CBS.

The material was directed

and narrated by journalist Orson Welles, and is adapted from the novel "War of the Worlds" by Herbert George Welles. This episode was known for causing panic by convincing listeners that a Martian invasion had actually occurred.

What further fueled the event was that

• radio in 1938 was the primary source of news and entertainment

• for most Americans. Families would gather in the evenings

• around radios to listen to drama and comedy series

and news broadcasts.

They trusted the sounds coming from this magic box.

Subsequent research in that

era found that the panic was not as widespread as the next day's newspapers claimed. At the time, the Associated Press aired in its newsletter: "Editors' Note: The Associated Press Newark, NJ Pavilion of Worlds is a radio drama. Inquire about any reports of a Mars invasion.

This panic

the magnitude of which has been disputed, occurred despite

four announcements during the broadcast, including at the beginning

middle

and end of this episode, stating that it was a play.

However

some listeners missed these explanations for various reasons.

The morning after this famous radio broadcast, Orson Welles and CBS found themselves in the middle of a media storm and massive public outrage.

During the press conference

Orson Welles, who was in a state of nervousness and boiling with anger, expressed his shock and regret, insisting that there was no malicious intent

adding a comment in which he said:

1. "We are tired of the way everything that
2. comes from this same magic
3. box is swallowed".

No one suffered legal consequences.

• Despite threats of judicial accountability

• no case was successful.

•  The matter stopped

at CBS :

and director Orson Welles publicly apologizing, and a promise from the radio network that in the future it would be more careful with the way fictional news is presented.

It is noteworthy

that the only beneficiary of this "scandal" 

was the 23-year-old journalist and director Orson Welles. It became popular across the country and the "fake Martian invasion" opened the way for it to Hollywood, which later led to the emergence of "Citizen Kane", which is described as one of the most important films in history.

Thus :

that terrifying evening turned into

• a striking sign reminding us of the power of the media

• and the speed with which the crowds obeyed

• and the story of a young man who turned

the chaos of :

imagination into a magical force that

pushed him into the world of lights and fame.

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