October 30: On October 30, 1938, a CBS radio station in New York aired an episode of the soap opera "War of the Worlds", in which a famous actor, named George Orson Welles, described a Martian invasion happening at the time, causing a so hysterical panic that it spread throughout northeastern US and Canada, to capture the fear of both nations.

Orson Welles's War of the Worlds broadcast terrified listeners, many of whom actually believed a Martian invasion was actually occurring.

As usual, there were people who came late to the program that was broadcasting a fake invasion from Mars in honor of that week´s Halloween. Additionally, it was also the eve of World War II that Americans feared more Japanese than Hitler himself.

Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre of the Air were planted firmly on the map of human events. Much has been spoken of that fateful broadcast over the years, and its impact on both American culture and the entertainment industry.

People left their homes in a rush; there were people who took planes to the outside, airports were crammed; there were people who committed suicide. Others tirelessly called the White House… to the CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) until communications collapsed and even the electrical system of the entire US northeast.

Presenting News Like Soap Operas.

CBS promised not to make jokes and interrupt programming with news that may frighten listeners. The world's newspapers published 12,500 articles on the subject in a month. Adolf Hitler said: "That is the evidence of decadence and corrupt condition of democracy."

Photo of Orson Welles meeting with reporters in an effort to explain that no one connected with the War of the Worlds radio broadcast had any idea the show would cause panic.