The Oklahoma City bomber's demise, coming during a TV "sweeps" period, has again triggered a debate over whether such executions should be broadcast. While proponents have argued that the public has a right to see the government carry out death sentences (and even that viewing an execution might serve as a crime deterrent), most Americans believe that a televised killing would serve little purpose, appealing only to the public's most base and voyeuristic instincts.

But that hasn't always been the case.

During the World War II years, Americans were regularly presented with graphic evidence of what happened to spies, saboteurs, and other enemies. It was a time when many people didn't own television sets, so they relied on newsreel footage for filmed updates on current events. Played before the featured attraction at the local movie house, the newsreels covered everything from German atrocities to the latest fashion craze--they were the precursor to TV's nightly news programs. In many cases, footage was provided to newsreel producers by the War Department, whose cameramen filmed from the battlefield and near the firing squad.

Here's a look at what your parents or grandparents--with Baby Ruth and popcorn in hand--might have viewed while settling in to watch Bing Crosby in "The Bell's of St. Mary's." Click on the titles below to get more information on the clip (and to see the video itself). You'll need Real Player to view the clips.