Focus on the 70s - The Ford Years: The transition of power from Nixon to Ford; the fall of Vietnam & Cambodia & cessation of American aggression in Southeast Asia; spike in illicit drug use among Americans; Squeaky Fromme lamely tries to kill Ford; forced desegregation in Boston; detente in US-USSR relations.
Est shot of the White House, pedestrian and car traffic passing along Pennsylvania Ave in FG. MS protesters with banners & signs calling for impeachment of Richard Nixon. (Excerpt) CU President RICHARD M. NIXON resigning office in national address, Aug 8, 1974. TLS/MSs Richard and PAT NIXON & family stepping off platform in White House after Nixon's final press conference.
MS President GERALD FORD and BETTY FORD walking Dick & Pat Nixon from White House and to waiting helicopter; MS Richard Nixon boarding Marine One helicopter, waving peace sign (victory sign); LS Marine One helo leaving White House grounds. MS Richard & Pat Nixon boarding Air Force One, turning to wave to crowd gathered at airport; TLS audience waving back; LS Air Force One taking off.
MS President Ford sitting in Oval Office, delivering national address: "I, Gerald R Ford, have granted--" C/A of the White House portico, South Lawn, night-- "a full free and absolute pardon onto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States."
MSs President GERALD FORD delivering 1975 State of the Union Address to Joint Session of Congress: "The State of the Union is not good." MS two long-haired young men smoking marijuana from pipe in park. LS combine harvesting wheat in field. TLS body of car being lowered to chassis in automobile manufacturing plant. MSs uniformed West Point cadets marching during exercises. TLS long line of cars waiting to buy gas at station. MS Mr. Ford continuing speech: "Some people question their government's ability to make hard decisions and stick with them. They expect Washington politics as usual."
The fall of South Vietnam & Cambodia to communist forces, 1975: MS mass of refugees fleeing, walking along road; LS large rusted boat jam-packed with refugees (boat people) sailing in harbor; MS/CUs Cambodian refugees standing, weeping; MS Cambodian girl refugee walking along road with younger sister on her back; panning MS two U.S. Marines running with rifles along street; MSs African-American air force soldier helping Vietnamese people from bus.
The fall of South Vietnam. MSs Americans fleeing, evacuating embassy building in South Vietnam; TLS Americans boarding CH-53 helicopter; l/a LS U.S. Marines CH-53 helicopters leaving; TLS CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter landing on USS Blue Ridge aircraft carrier.
Amazing LSs of stolen Huey helicopters piloted by Vietnamese refugees flying, crashing into ocean near American naval vessels, rotor blades breaking in water.
USS Mayguez incident (Khmer Rouge soldiers seized the merchant marine ship in the Gulf of Siam, prompting retaliatory rescue mission): MS U.S. Marines boarding helicopters; MS Marine manning helo machine gun; TLS Marines patrolling street; MSs wounded Marines being helped off rescue chopper, onto bus.
American soldiers stationed in Southeast Asia use recreational illicit drugs: MS skinny African-American soldier shooting heroin intravenously in darkened tent; CU cigarette being dipped into container of PCP (angel dust); MS black soldier lighting marijuana joint; MSs agonized soldiers whacked out on heroin sitting in dim room, smoking cigarettes.
CU white woman talking about her son, that when he came home from Vietnam he was a changed man (and a drug addict). At home: MS/CUs group of young white Americans partying, snorting cocaine from a mirror with a smiley face painted on it.
1975 newsreel of forced busing in Boston, Massachusetts: TLS/MSs Boston police breaking up violent racist demonstration; TLS school bus with motorcycle police escort; TLSs school buses driving by police; MS African-American teenagers getting off bus; MS racist graffiti on brick wall ("White is Right" & "White Power Forever!"). (racism, prejudice, protest, race relations)
Sept 5, 1975 newsreel of assassination attempt on President Ford: MSs press contingent following GERALD FORD as he crosses street, headed toward the State Capitol in Sacramento, California; MS Secret Service pushing press away after shots fired; MSs LYNETTE ALICE FROMME (Manson family member Squeaky Fromme) being detained by authorities, later taken away in police car; TLS police squad car pulling away, several police officers walking in FG.
MS Soviet General Secretary LEONID BREZHNEV posing with President Gerald Ford at Finland Summit, 1975, Mr. Brezhnev making funny though aggressive nudging motions at Ford's ribs; detente. Quick MS Leonid Brezhnev meeting with Cuban Premier FIDEL CASTRO in Red Square, Moscow. MS Mr. Brezhnev sipping champagne with President RICHARD NIXON in Moscow, 1972. Various shots of Helsinki Accords conference, 1975.