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The United States was preoccupied with domestic issues, especially economic issues, during the run-up to the war in Europe.

The Neutrality Act was intended to keep America out of another war. The Roosevelt Administration looked for ways to aid France and Britain in spite of it.

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• Transcript.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

“Komm, süßer Tod”
Composed in 1736 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Public domain.
Performed by Laurindo Almeida. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Pulp fiction magazines sorted themselves out by genre, although the heroes of these stories were mostly drawn from one archetype.

Eventually, magazines emerged that only published stories about one particular fictional hero. From there, it was only a few short steps to superhero comic books.

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• Transcript.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Overture to William Tell
Composed in 1829 by Gioachino Rossini. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Marine Corps Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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For much of the twentieth century, until television, pulp fiction was a major form of entertainment, offered in pulp magazines that usually bore garish covers, like the one above, to attract attention on the newsstand.

Most pulp fiction magazines focused on a single genre of story, such as Westerns or adventure or detective stories. Science fiction as we know it today was born and nurtured in the pulp magazines.

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• Transcript.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

“Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” from The Planets
Composed in 1916 by Gustav Holst. Public domain.

Closing War Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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New York City hosted a memorable World’s Fair in 1939 and 1940.

Unlike previous world’s fairs and exhibitions, this one would celebrate not what was or what is, but what is to come. It’s eye was firmly fixed on the future, as indicated by the theme, “Dawn of a New Day.”

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• Transcript.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Sonata in d
Composed by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). Public domain.

Closing War Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.