Kate Smith is America

Anyone who hears the song “God Bless America” knows Kate Smith, but many don’t realize that she held the solo performing rights to this Irving Berlin number. (She donated all profits to the Boy Scouts.) Berlin wrote the piece in 1919, but chose not to publish it because he decided the song was “too syrupy.” Kate sang it for the first time on Armistice Day, 1938, and within a year, she became the country’s patriotic symbol.

President Franklin Roosevelt introduced her to Britain’s King George VI by saying, “This is Kate Smith-this is America.” She “did her bit,” for the war effort as did many celebrities. A popular Broadway and radio start, she traveled over 90,000 miles to entertain troops and host bond-selling marathons.  

One such marathon occurred on September 21, 1943. The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) held an eighteen hour broadcast during which Kate spoke at repeated intervals. By the end of the event more than $39 million in bond pledges had been collected, the largest amount by a single person via radio. Over the course of the war, she went on to inspire $600 million in war bond sales.

Hearing of Kate’s death in June 1986, former President Reagan said, “She thrilled us all with her stirring rendition of ‘God Bless America,’ and sang with a passion that left few eyes dry. America was indeed God-blessed to have Kate Smith as one of her daughters.”

Have you ever watched Kate’s rendition of ‘God Bless America?’ If not, you can catch her performance on this YouTube video. 

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life. She is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a Trustee for her local public library. Active in her church Linda serves as treasurer, usher, and choir member. To find out more about Linda and her books visit www.LindaShentonMatchett.com. Sign up for her newsletter for links to free ebooks, book reviews, historical tidbits, and more.

How to Finance a War

Throughout history, governments have borrowed money to pay for their wars. Some used private financiers and others raised or implemented taxes. According to Wikipedia, the first use of the term “war bond” was during the War of 1812, but it was not aimed at the general public. During WWI, the U.S. sold nearly five billion dollars in war bonds.

To finance the United States entrance into WWII, War bonds had been on sale since May 1942, but the first of nine concerted campaigns began in November, with President Roosevelt purchasing the first bond. The drive’s goal of nine million dollars was exceeded and brought in thirteen million dollars. A snippet from FDR’s speech can be found on the National WWII website.

Just as athletes and well-known celebrities are used today as spokespersons for products, services, and organizations, the U.S. government sought the assistance of movie stars as well as famous fictional characters to appeal to the general public. Hollywood stars such as Kate Smith, Rita Hayworth, and Bette Davis traveled all over the country, appearing in person and on radio to make their appeals. Mickey Mouse and Popeye showed up on posters and in the news reels that preceding motion pictures.

Athletes such as Yogi Berra and Babe Ruth also did their part. Norman Rockwell created a series of illustrations distributed by The Saturday Evening Post, and Irving Berlin wrote “Any Bonds Today?” that became the Treasury Department’s National Defense Savings Program theme. Sold at 75% of their face value (from $25 to $10,000), installment plans were implemented that enabled employees to purchase bonds through payroll deduction. (When I worked at The Boeing Company in the late 1980s they still had this program in place.) There was a children’s installment plan as well that allowed kids to purchase twenty-five cent stamps that they pasted into a small booklet. When they had purchased $18.75 worth of stamps, they could exchange the book for a bond. State committee were created with volunteers canvasing for bonds door-to-door.

Contests were held with a variety of prizes awarded that are reported to include confiscated German canteens. Other prizes included a kiss from Hedy Lamarr, the horseshoes from Triple Crown winner Man O’ War, and Jack Benny’s violin. Some stadiums and movie theatres provided free admission with the purchase of a bond.

By the end of WWII, Americans had bought over $185 billion worth of bonds, and in 1980 the government retired the Series E (war bond) and replaced it with the EE Bond.

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A freelance writer for over ten years, Linda Shenton Matchett is the author of several romance novellas. Under Fire, the first in her trilogy about WWII War Correspondent/Amateur Sleuth Ruth Brown was released in July by eLectio Publishing. Visit Linda at www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.