It was based on a science fiction story by H.G. Wells (no relation) which entailed Martians landing in New Jersey to take over the world. The broadcasted imagery produced through sound effects and acting was so powerful, it caused mass hysteria. Thousands of listeners panicked nationwide, not realizing it was just a radio play, even though disclaimers were announced before and during the production.

How bad was it? The next day, "The New York Times" ran this headline:

Listen to the Broadcast • Audio at Earthstation1.com

United Press reported: "The federal communications commission investigated a radio program which caused thousands of persons in every part of the country to believe that the eastern United States had been invaded by creatures from the planet Mars in the first engagement of a "war of the world."

There are many interesting sources for you to relive this historic broadcast.

At Earthstation1.com, there are .wav and .mp3 files to download and listen to. They are split up into segments and labeled.

War of the Worlds, Orson Welles, And The Invasion from Mars - an analysis

War of the Worlds, Orson Welles, And The Invasion from MarsListen Online

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- Corey Deitz

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