The Broadcast

by Liam Fialkov

  “It is an honor,” said the guest with a charming French accent, and smiled.

  “The nineteenth century saw the spread of the Industrial Revolution, which started in the eighteenth century,” Susan Riley read from the teleprompter in an erudite tone of voice. “The United Kingdom of Great Britain, under the ruling of Queen Victoria, became the most significant global power. With the assistance of our guests in the studio, and of course, with the help of TXB’s exclusive films, we will turn the spotlight to two of the most important occurrences of the nineteenth century: the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, and the American Civil War. This evening, we are privileged to watch amazing footage of events that were not documented by cameras.

  “And we’ll start with Napoleon.” The host turned to the French guest who sat to her right. “Who was Napoleon Bonaparte?”

  “Good evening,” Professor Péllissier opened; she looked about fifty years old, had a pleasant and friendly appearance, she was elegant and well-dressed. “So first, let’s correct a small historical inaccuracy: Napoleon was not short. In fact, he was slightly taller than the average Frenchman, and the reason for the mistaken perception stems from the difference between the English and the French measuring units.” The French guest’s face became serious as she continued, “Napoleon came to power in a coup that ended the short period when France was democratic, after the revolution. In the year 1804, he crowned himself as the French Emperor.”

  “Professor Péllissier, what are we going to see?” Susan Riley asked.

  “I have watched the impressive footage,” said the professor, “and I picked three of the most important events of the Napoleonic era. Choosing was not easy, and I hope I could get further access to the films so I could use them in my lectures. I must admit that I was skeptical about the authenticity of the footage, but I’ve found that the films match pretty much what we know from history books, and what I’ve learned in my many years of research.”

  “Do you believe it is authentic?” Greg asked Michael.

  “We’ll talk later,” Michael responded hastily; he was riveted to the TV screen and tried not to miss a word.

  The showing started while the French guest was explaining the occurrences to the viewers. The film looked similar in style and quality to the previous clips aired by TXB. They were shot from the same unusual angle, straight from above, without sound, and of mediocre and slightly grainy quality.

  The guest elected to start with the Battle of Austerlitz, which took place in the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the year 1805, and was considered to be Napoleon’s greatest victory. In the battle, Napoleon defeated the combined forces of Russia and the Austrian Empire.

  Despite the apparent distance between the battleground and the camera, viewers could see and realize the cruelty of the war, when large forces of cavalry and infantry clashed and slaughtered each other, using artillery bombardments, gun salvos, drawn swords, and bayonets. The battle started in the early morning hours and continued until it became dark, and took place on several fronts simultaneously, on hills and in villages.

  Viewers could observe the various tactics taken by the opposing commanders, who tried to surprise, encircle, trap, and inflict onto the enemy as much damage as possible—in body and equipment losses. At the end of the battle, the French had about nine thousand casualties, while the Russian and Austrian armies had about twenty-seven thousand dead or injured soldiers.

  Professor Péllissier continued with a film showing some of the events from the bloody Battle of Borodino, in 1812, when Napoleon invaded Russia. About two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers participated in the fighting that resulted in about seventy thousand dead or injured. “Following the battle,” the professor explained, “Napoleon entered Moscow, but the Russians left behind a scorched-earth, and consequently, Napoleon had no choice but to retreat from the harsh Russian winter. During the withdrawal, he lost most of his army, about five hundred thousand troops.”

  The professor wished to end with a clip that was likely to have been Napoleon’s most dramatic moment. “He landed on Golf-Juan after a short exile on the island of Elba,” she explained. “He moved by foot with a small force of his loyalists and local volunteers who joined him, while in front of him stood a regiment from the army of King Louis XVIII that was deployed to stop him.” The short film showed the unusual chain of events. An officer in the royal army who was sitting on the saddle of a horse, raised his hand that was holding a sword, and ordered his soldiers to aim their guns at Napoleon.

  Napoleon’s men were also seen raising their guns, but he signaled them to lower their weapons. Napoleon stepped forward and stood in front of the guns that were aiming at him. From the angle of the camera, viewers had a hard time seeing clearly, and they definitely could not hear what was transpiring. But according to Professor Péllissier, Napoleon spoke to the soldiers who were directing their guns at him. He said: “If any of you will shoot your emperor, here I am.”

  “Fire!” called the officer on the horse, but the soldiers refused to shoot. They lowered their weapons and joined Napoleon’s men, yelling with exultation.

  “We could further elaborate about Napoleon and his wars,” said Professor Natalie Péllissier. “To conclude our segment, I would say that he was a gifted army commander, but his megalomania caused France the death of about one million soldiers, and eventually brought about his own demise.”

  “Thank you very much,” said Susan Riley to her French guest. “These were fascinating and illuminating materials; after a short break, we’ll return with the American Civil War.”

  “So what do you say?” Greg asked. He took a slice of pizza, stretched out comfortably on the sofa and added, “The fact that your network refuses to reveal where they are getting the films, makes me doubt their authenticity.”

  “It’s a matter of press immunity,” Michael responded. “You remember that reporters in this country have the right to protect and hide their sources.”

  “I understand that,” Greg said. “But I’m getting the impression that it is way too fantastic, and I’m starting to think that they are duping and manipulating us.”

  “I’ll remind you,” Michael said, “that the clips helped in cracking quite a few police cases that were unsolved for years.”

  “That is puzzling me,” Greg acknowledged. “The truth is, I hoped that since you’re working at TXB, you could shed some light on what’s going on behind the scenes of that show.”

  “Greg,” Michael said, “you know that if I had such information, I wouldn’t give it to anybody.”

  “Of course I know,” Greg said, and took a bite from his pizza.

  “Nevertheless, I will let you in on a little secret,” Michael said, and smiled when he noticed how his friend became all-attentive. “It just so happens that I have personally met and made friends with the show’s producer, Walter Lindsey. He didn’t reveal anything about what’s going on behind the scenes, and I didn’t ask him, but I can tell you I got the impression that he is an honest man, and not someone who would participate in any cunning acts of conspiracy.”

  “As we promised, we will now turn our attention to the American Civil War,” Susan Riley said after a long commercial break. “Once again we’ll say good evening to Professor Stanley Baker.” She smiled at the knowledgeable guest, “Professor, welcome to the program.”

  “Good evening,” the professor opened. He looked about sixty years old. He was beginning to bald and wore thick framed glasses. “First, we have to refute the widespread notion that the issue of slavery was the main cause for the war.”

  “Really?” the host was surprised.

  “The war broke out after the union faced secession by eleven Southern states,” the professor answered. “In the beginning stage of the war, President Lincoln— who adamantly opposed the institution of slavery—made it clear that if he could preserve the union without freeing even one slave, he would do it. Today, most historians agree that economic and political issues
were the cause of the cruel war, the bloodiest in US history, in which more than six-hundred thousand lost their lives. And it also brought about enormous destruction and financial damages.”

  “What are we going to see today?” asked Susan Riley.

  “I received exceptional films showing the Battle of Gettysburg, which took place in Pennsylvania and is considered to be the turning point of the war. During the campaign, the Union forces led by General George Mead, managed to defeat attacks by Confederate forces led by General Robert E. Lee, who sought to invade the North.”

  The showing of the film started, and Professor Baker expounded on the occurrences. In one clip the Union forces were viewed, well-fortified on the Cemetery Ridge. The Confederate forces assaulted their positions, one attack after another, but without success.

  Professor Baker explained and pointed to the tactical and critical mistakes of the Confederate commander, Robert E. Lee who attacked four times from an inferior position. Lee refused to listen to General Longstreet’s opinion when he recommended outflanking Cemetery Ridge and advancing toward Washington, DC. The mistakes cost the Confederate forces thousands of casualties. On the fourth attack, the Confederate soldiers had to pass about a mile where they were exposed to heavy artillery bombardment. The footage showed how tragic the assault was, and the attackers were seen being crushed to pieces by the cannon’s fire.

  As usual in TXB footages, the pictures were projected from a distance and without sound, and there was an eerie contrast between the somewhat sterile film and the horrors of the war, the killed soldiers and the screaming of the injured.

  Professor Baker concluded his presentation. “Following the decisive victory of the Union army, and following the Emancipation Proclamation led by President Abraham Lincoln, three and a half million black slaves living in the Confederate territories were liberated and went on to live their lives as free human beings.”

  Chapter 27

  Michael

  At the second musical meeting, Michael managed to free himself of the anxiety that took hold of him during the first session. He enjoyed playing the solo parts that were expected of him, and he was glad to see that the band members were smiling at him with encouragement and appreciation. In his heart, he thanked Walter for giving him the opportunity to once again play as a member of a band.

  With time, the friendship between Michael and Walter grew deeper, and the two discovered there was a lot in common between them. Both of them grew up without their biological parents: Michael because he was an adopted child, and Walter, because his parents were killed in a car accident when he was four years old, and he grew up in a foster home. Both of them were grateful to their adoptive families that accepted them, showered them with love, and took care of all their needs. Moreover, both of them found that the world of music took a central place in their lives and their hearts.

  From time to time, Walter had spoken with Michael’s supervisors at TXB. He was glad to hear that they were very pleased with his work; they appreciated his contribution, trusted him, and thought he had a promising future with the company. Michael wondered if the warm attitude that Walter displayed toward him stemmed from the fact that the Lindsey family didn’t have a son of their own, but two daughters.

  Gradually, Lindsey’s home became a second home for Michael, and he frequently stayed for a family evening meal after the weekly musical meeting. One Saturday afternoon, after the other band members said goodbye and went on their way, Michael asked Walter if he would like to listen to one of his songs.

  Songwriting held the most significant place in Michael’s musical world, but he was apprehensive about playing his songs to the members of the group. Michael assumed that his colleagues preferred to perform covers versions to known and loved hit songs and that they would be deterred from committing to songs written by one of them, perhaps because it could affect the delicate balance within the band. He remembered that even in his high school band, where he was essentially the leader, there were players that expressed reservations about playing his songs, and preferred to perform covers of known hits. It was a delicate issue, and Michael, who drew a great deal of gratification from playing together in a group, decided not to impose himself, and risk making other players uncomfortable.

  Walter was glad to listen to his song, and Michael, after apologizing for not being a skilled singer, chose from his many songs, one that he especially liked that was called “Follow Your Dream.”

  Michael concentrated, took a deep breath, and then played and sang his song. The lyrics of the first verse were:

  “You know they say that miracles happen Though distant starlight may appear to look dim I’m going through You’re going through We’re going through the changes Blessed are those following their dreams.”

  After Michael finished performing his song, he looked toward Walter, his heart pounding as he curiously waited to hear Walter’s impression and opinion. Michael knew he had allowed himself to expose his inner world, and he understood that his connection with Walter had reached a degree of trust like he didn’t expect when he first met the producer.

  “What a touching song.” Walter seemed genuinely amazed. “Beautiful melody and honest lyrics,” he added. “I would like to add it to our band’s repertoire. And you know what? How would you feel about singing it for my family after our evening meal?”

  Michael was moved. “But I’m not a singer.” He sounded worried.

  “Your voice is not bad,” Walter said. “You also sing clean and without falling out of tune, and no doubt you sang your song with true feeling, which is why it was so touching.”

  “OK,” Michael hesitantly agreed.

  During the evening meal, Walter told his family about the song that so moved him. “I’ve asked Michael to sing his song for us, and he agreed, so this evening we have a short artistic program.”

  “We would be glad to hear the song,” Monica, Walter’s wife responded, and the two daughters nodded.

  After the meal, the family moved to the living room, and Michael tuned the acoustic guitar that he had received from McPherson. He concentrated, and for a split-second, he remembered the distant day when the song flickered in his mind, when he was a high school student.

  It was a winter day. Michael woke up early in the morning to the sound of the wailing wind. At first, he just wished to return to the arms of an embracing sleep, when suddenly he heard the whole melody in his head, and also some of the words. The song reflected the issues that were on his mind at the time, mainly the question of whether he would be able to accomplish his life’s dreams. He forced himself to step out of the warm bed, picked up the guitar and started to play the tune. Afterward, he wrote the song in his notebook.

  Sitting in the living room of the Lindseys, he played the opening chords, and then sang the first verse with his utmost intention. He then continued to the second verse:

  “We know not everything in life works as planned We also know how beautiful life can be Just follow through Yes keep on through Break through your limitations Blessed are those following their dreams.”

  He had tried to pronounce the words clearly while letting the melody flow through him. After the second verse he played and sang the chorus, and then he proceeded to a short instrumental section that he improvised on the guitar. He then took a deep breath and continued to the third verse, aware of the people in the room: Walter and Monica, and their two daughters, listening attentively. He returned to the chorus for the second time and then finished. After he strummed the last chord, he waited. For a moment, he felt like he was in a courtroom, waiting to receive his sentence.

  “Oh, Michael,” Monica responded. “What a charming song!” She walked over to him, leaned down, and tenderly embraced him. Michael noticed that Walter’s older daughter, Melanie, who came for a visit from Stanford University, nodded as if agreeing with her mother. Michael wasn’t sure, but he thought he perceived slight moisture in Melanie’s eyes. The atmosphere was warm an
d supportive, and it occurred to Michael that he indeed didn’t know his biological parents, but he was privileged to have two adoptive families.

  Later that day, Michael received a phone call from Stewart McPherson.

  “Anything new?” the investigative reporter asked.

  Michael noticed an impatient tone coming from the journalist.

  “It’s been quite some time that you’ve known Lindsey and his friends,” McPherson continued. “Are you telling me that all this time you didn’t hear anything about The Broadcast, and you didn’t ask?”

  Michael understood his interlocutor’s discontent, and he knew he hadn’t really made an effort to do the job that McPherson assigned for him. He didn’t even form an opinion regarding the source of TXB’s films, and during his visits to Walter’s house, he focused on making music together.

  The truth was, Michael noticed that he was always the last one to arrive at the playing session, despite making a point of coming on time, at 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. He wondered if the other members of the band were coming before him, perhaps hours before the allocated playing time, so as to engage in issues of The Broadcast.

  One time, when he entered the shed where the weekly playing session was held, he noticed a large map of Europe and the Mediterranean basin hanging on the wall, and he was certain that the map wasn’t there before. Nevertheless, he didn’t ask what the purpose of the map was, and on the following week, the map was already removed.

  But despite some doubts, at that stage, it became clear to Michael that even if he came across facts of an incriminating nature, he wouldn’t turn against Walter, the man who opened his house to him.

  “Look,” Michael said to McPherson, feeling a great deal of discomfort. “The truth is, I didn’t hear anything regarding The Broadcast, and I didn’t ask. I must tell you, I get the impression that Walter is an honest man, and I doubt that he is capable of the actions you suspect he is involved in. It seems to me that if I’m wrong and Walter participates in deceiving the public, then there must be a reason for it—and I have no idea what it is. Anyway, at this stage, it’s clear to me that I won’t be able to continue with the assignment, and probably I was never the right person for the job. I thank you for trusting me, and I’ll return the wonderful guitar to you.”