On October 30, 1938, the radio show The Mercury Theater on the Air had a special episode planned: a scary play for Halloween. The War of the Worlds was the story of Martians landing in New Jersey and attacking New York City. And the acting was so good that people actually believed the attack was real!
On today's episode, Erika and Amelia talk with Gail Jarrow, author of SPOOKED!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America. Listen and learn about the terrible night aliens landed on Earth.
Do you think you'd believe such a story if you heard it? Listen to the broadcast for yourself! And if you happen to be near Grover's Mill, New Jersey, you can see exactly where the Martians landed in the story.
Check out more of Gail Jarrow's books about terrible things:
American Murderer: The Parasite That Haunted the South
Blood and Germs: The Civil War Battle Against Wounds and Disease
