A history of covering conflict

The final episode of Rewind's 12-part 75th anniversary series will look at CBC's history of war coverage.

World Report host Peter Armstrong joins Michael Enright to look at how war has been covered by CBC Radio over the years, spanning right from the Second World War to Canada's role in Afghanistan. The episode also touches on the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, peacekeeping efforts, the Gulf War, the Somalia Inquiry and Rwanda.

Each week Enright has been joined by a special guest host to provide a dynamic exploration of how CBC has evolved into one of the world's most respected public broadcasters. The episodes have revolved around themes ranging from music to literature to multiculturalism to politics.

Armstrong has served as a foreign correspondent for CBC Television and has covered three wars and reported from four continents. He has been on the front lines of Afghanistan, been embedded with Canadian, U.S. and British troops and travelled throughout Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

"I've been involved in our coverage of a handful of conflicts but in going through the archives, it's just stunning what a storied past this news department has," Armstrong says.

While still in its infancy, CBC covered the Second World War and the broadcasting corporation became the voice of Canada during the war, Enright says.

"CBC reporters told Canadians what their soldiers were doing and helped forge a sense of national identity."

At the start of the Second World War CBC was without a news department but the war coverage was immensely popular and set a standard that Canadians came to expect. It was the war coverage that really established the necessity of having a news department at the CBC, Enright says.

Highlights from the Nov. 10 episode include speeches by William Lyon Mackenzie King, Blitz recordings made by Art Holmes, celebrations marking the end of the Second World War, coverage of a simulation of a nuclear attack, interviews with Canadian peacekeepers in Cyprus in 1965, discussion on a commission established to investigate war criminals and a live report at the outbreak of the Gulf War.

Over the years, CBC's war correspondents have had to deal with a lot of challenging stories, Armstrong says. "They did it with such grace and class - it really is something else. We have a lot to be proud of," he says.

You can hear the war episode on Thursday on Radio One or check for it on Rewind's website.

You can also come back to the 75th anniversary site and visit our special Rewind section following each episode's broadcast for a chance to hear extended audio from the series. Just revisit these preview blogs each week after Rewind's broadcast to find the extra clips.

Posted on Nov 7, 2011 6:00:00 AM