PRESIDENTE EISENHOWER EN MADRID {PRESIDENT
EISENHOWER IN MADRID} {TAPE 1 OF 2} {SPANISH} (RADIO)
Summary
Tape one of two. This program features live coverage as
aired on Radio Nacional de Espa–a (RNE) of Dwight D.
Eisenhower's visit to Spain, the first U.S. president to
do so. The program begins at the Torrejon Air Base
outside Madrid at 4:20 in the afternoon, as a crowd of
about 3000 awaits the arrival of the president's plane.
An unidentified announcer describes the scene. Gen.
Francisco Franco is accompanied by high Spanish
dignitaries, military troops, ministers of government,
the president of the Cortes, and ambassadors;
television cameras, stands for the invited, bands and
flags are part of the scene. The arrival of the plane
is recorded live. The band strikes up "Hail to the
Chief" and the Spanish and American national anthems as
President Eisenhower, accompanied by his wife Mamie
and other representatives, disembarks from the plane
and is greeted by Franco. After reviewing the troops,
General Eisenhower and Generalissimo Franco proceed to
the platform. The announcer comments on the windy and
cold weather. Franco gives his greeting to the
President: he recognizes the United States's
contribution to the building of the base at Torrejon as
"a symbol of our friendship" and says it has been built
under Eisenhower's motto, "Peace is our possession"; he
thanks Eisenhower for including Spain in his
"epoch-making tour"; and he offers Spain's hospitality.
A direct English translation of Franco's statement is
then read. Eisenhower replies in English with his
statement: he says it has been a life-long ambition of
his to visit Spain; he refers to the "memory of Spanish
explorers and builders, soldiers and missionaries" that
lives on in the names of cities, rivers and states in
America, and his personal connections to Spain ranging
from the Spanish history of his home state of Texas to
his time in the Philippines; he emphasizes a new
message of "peace and friendship and freedom," asking
Spain and the United States to "work together so that in
our own day we may see a long advance toward a world
free from aggression, from hunger and disease, free from
war and free from the threat of war" and "pass on to our
children a golden promise that mankind will achieve
peace with justice, friendship with freedom"; he offers
assurances that the United States will work for
"stronger bonds of understanding" with Spain. A direct
Spanish translation of Eisenhower's statement is then
read. Franco and Eisenhower then get in the motorcade,
rounded by troops. The announcer then turns over
coverage to the studio which will follow the motorcade
to the Plaza de Castilla, where the official Madrid
reception will be celebrated. The studio coverage, lead
by two unidentified announcers and interspersed with
parade music, follows the motorcade through the streets
of Madrid; the coverage describes the order of the cars
and path of the motorcade, the decoration of the streets
of Madrid with arcs of flowers and Spanish and American
flags which make it appear as if "Christmas has come
early," and the crowds which have gathered to greet the
U.S. president along the way and which increase as the
motorcade approaches the Plaza. The studio also
describes the Plaza de Castilla itself which includes
colorful honor guards, large posters of Eisenhower, and
crowds eagerly anticipating the arrival of President
Eisenhower. The studio connects with an unidentified
reporter at the Plaza de Castilla who comments on the
enthusiasm of the crowds at "this patriotic moment" and
records the sound of the bands and the people at the
moment of the motorcade's arrival. The reporter
describes, with obvious emotion, the scene as
Eisenhower is greeted by the crowds and meets the
mayor of Madrid who gives him the keys to the city;
Eisenhower returns to the motorcade within five minutes
and travels on to Moncloa Palace. Coverage returns to
the studio which resumes its description of the path of
the motorcade and describes how thousands of
Madrile–os line the streets as the city "opens its heart
to this Western ambassador of peace" and welcomes this
"firm and noble friendship." Continues with
R:25094.001.
(This program is in Spanish.)
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Media
Planning, 2003.
Details
- NETWORK: RNE (Spain)
- DATE: December 21, 1959 4:20 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:12:11
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R:25093
- GENRE: Radio - News
- SUBJECT HEADING: Franco, Francisco, 1872-1975 - Addresses; International Collection - Spanish - Zone 1 - Spain; Presidents - U S - Addresses; U S - Foreign relations - Spain
- SERIES RUN: RNE (Spain) - Radio, 1959
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dwight D. Eisenhower … Speaker
- Francisco Franco … Speaker
- Mamie Eisenhower