Until the Bethany Relay Station began operating, Voice of America broadcasts originated from either England or ships at sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. Because each of its broadcasts began with the words, “this is a voice from America,” the United States Information Agency, Office of War Information, became known throughout the world as the Voice of America.

The Bethany Relay Station was commissioned just months after Pearl Harbor was bombed in December of 1941. President Franklin D. Roosevelt approached Powell Crosley and asked if his engineers were capable of building a facility that could broadcast a short-wave signal so strong that it could be heard throughout the world, especially behind enemy lines, in spite of Axis attempts to block or jam the signal.

The Voice of America was unique not only because of the powerful Bethany Relay Station, but because the United States chose to use this facility to “tell the truth, and let the world decide.” Historically, nations at war would broadcast propaganda, stretching the truth or even telling outright lies to support their military effort. The United States determined from the very beginning to confuse and overcome their enemies by telling the truth, good or bad.

During the early years of World War II, the news was very bad indeed. Tens of thousands of Allied troops were being killed, countries were falling under the might of the Nazi and Japanese armies; and the Voice of America documented all of it. Everyone who listened to the Voice of America, huddled secretly around their radios for fear of discovery, came to know that if the Voice of America said it, it must be true.

Eventually the United States and its allies began winning battles, retaking countries and freeing their people. And when the Voice of America broadcasted the successes of the Allied forces, everyone knew it was the truth because they heard it on the VOA.

When the Voice of America announced that the Allied Armies had landed at Normandy, France, everyone knew the final days of the horrors of World War II were at hand—because they heard it on the Voice of America.

This facility was the first and only station the Voice of America constructed that was powerful enough to broadcast to virtually the entire world. The station operated continuously from 1944 until it was decommissioned in 1995. Only the advancement of satellite technology was able to still its powerful voice.

It will never be known exactly how much the Voice of America broadcasts contributed to both our nation’s war efforts and to world peace. We learn more about how important the VOA actually was from some of the visitors who tour the museum.

There are still countries today, like North Korea, where listening to the Voice of America is punishable by death or imprisonment. But listen they did, then and now, on hidden and/or home made radios.

So hated was the Voice of America, the governments of foreign countries did everything in their power to jam, disrupt or interfere with the messages being transmitted to its citizens. Hitler referred to the VOA as “those Cincinnati Liars.” North Korea went so far as to permanently modify radios so they could not receive the VOA broadcasts.

The VOA had its own bag of tricks. Methods of getting past the jamming and interference were developed. As a result, many times the Voice of Freedom ended up being broadcast in the clear, without jamming or interference.

In addition to broadcasting unbiased news, the VOA also broadcast news and programs that told the listeners what life in America was like, and gave them some idea of what American people were like.

Thousands of citizens from foreign countries have emigrated to America and become citizens of our country. Many of them have stated that they wanted to come to America from listening to the Voice of America broadcasts.

Efforts to have the Voice of American Bethany Relay Station added to the nation’s Registry of Historical Landmarks have been underway. The certification should be completed in 2006 to certify this facility as one of the most important sites in the history of this nation.

The Bethany Relay Station is important to save. Not only has it played an essential part in our nation’s history, it is also an important part of World History.