Origins & Early Life

Howard Kingsbury Smith (May 12, 1914 – February 15, 2002) was an American journalist, radio reporter, television anchorman, political commentator, and film actor. He was one of the original members of the team of war correspondents known as the Murrow Boys. Smith was born in Ferriday in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana near Natchez, Mississippi. Upon graduating, Smith worked for the New Orleans Item, with United Press in London, and with The New York Times.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In January 1940, Smith was sent to Berlin, where he joined the Columbia Broadcasting System under Edward R. Murrow. He visited Hitler's mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden and interviewed many leading Nazis, including Hitler himself, Schutzstaffel or "SS" leader Heinrich Himmler and Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. He was one of the last American reporters to leave Berlin before Germany and the United States went to war. His 1942 book, Last Train from Berlin: An Eye-Witness Account of Germany at War describes his observations from Berlin in the year after the departure of Berlin Diary author William L.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Shirer. Last Train from Berlin became an American best...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Abba Eban — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Aileen Wuornos — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Alan Lomax — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Pioneering ethnomusicologist known for preserving global folk music traditions.
• Adolfo Pedernera — Shared historical date (05-12 · Died) (1995): Argentine football legend, nicknamed 'El Maestro,' pivotal in the 1940s.
• Aly Khan — Shared historical date (05-12 · Died) (1960): Diplomat, socialite, and former Pakistani Ambassador to the UN.
• Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib — Shared historical date (02-15 · Died) (653): Paternal uncle and wealthy merchant of the Prophet Muhammad; ancestor of the Abbasid Caliphate.
• Alexander Borodin — Shared historical date (02-15 · Died) (1887): Russian Romantic composer, chemist, and physician known for 'Prince Igor' and symphonies.
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