Tokyo Rose Tokyo Rose ( alternative spelling Tokio Rose ) was a generic name given by Allied forces in the South Pacific during World War II to any of approximately a dozen English - speaking female broadcasters of Japan ese propaganda . The intent of these broadcasts was to disrupt the morale of Allied forces listening to the broadcast . American servicemen in the Pacific often listened to the propaganda broadcasts to get a sense , by reading between the lines , of the effect of their military actions . Farther from the action , stories circulated that " Tokyo Rose " could be unnervingly accurate , naming units and even individual servicemen ; though such stories have never been substantiated by documents such as scripts and recorded broadcasts , they have been reflected in popular books and films such as " Flags of Our Fathers " . Similar rumors surround the propaganda broadcasts of Lord Haw - Haw and Axis Sally . " The Zero Hour " . The name " Tokyo Rose " is most strongly associated with Iva Toguri D ' Aquino , an American citizen born to Japanese immigrants . D ' Aquino broadcast as " Orphan Ann " during the 15 - 20 minute D . J . segment of the 75 - minute program " The Zero Hour " on Radio Tokyo ( NHK ) . The program consisted of propaganda - tinged skits and slanted news reports as well as popular American music . When the war ended , the U . S . military detained Toguri for a year before releasing her for lack of evidence . Department of Justice officials agreed that her broadcasts were " innocuous " . But when Toguri tried to return to the US , a popular uproar ensued because Walter Winchell , the powerful broadcast personality , and the American Legion lobbied relentlessly for a trial , prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigation to renew its investigation of Toguri ' s wartime activities . Her 1949 trial resulted in a conviction on one of eight counts of treason . In 1974 , investigative journalists found that key witnesses claimed they were forced to lie during testimony . Toguri was pardoned by U . S . President Gerald Ford in 1977 . The name " Tokyo Rose " in the context of these broadcasts first appeared in U . S . newspapers in 1943 . Others . Toguri ' s advocates have long argued that other announcers better suited the legend . These include the American Ruth Hayakawa ( who substituted for Iva on weekends ) , Canadian June Suyama ( " The Nightingale of Nanking " ) , who also broadcast on Radio Tokyo , and Myrtle Lipton ( " Little Margie " ) who broadcast from Japanese - controlled Radio Manila . However , during the war , journalists and officials with the US Foreign Broadcast Information Service identified Toguri ' s " Orphan Ann " as the woman " most servicemen seem to refer to when they speak of Tokyo Rose " but characterized the " legends " of clairvoyance that " piled up about ' Tokyo Rose ' " as " apocryphal " . Tokyo Mose . Walter Kaner aired on US Army Radio during and after World War II as " Tokyo Mose " , answering Tokyo Rose ’ s broadcasts . In Japan , his " Moshi , Moshi Ano - ne " theme song , sung to the tune of " London Bridge Is Falling Down " , was so popular with Japanese children and GIs alike that " Stars and Stripes " , the Army newspaper , called it " the Japanese occupation theme song . " Elsa Maxwell ' s column and radio show in 1946 referred to Kaner as " the breath of home to unknown thousands of our young men when they were lonely . " Popular culture . Tokyo Rose has been the subject of song , movies and documentaries :