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Eisenhower In Korea.
Eisenhower In Korea. President-elect Dwight Eisenhower fulfills his campaign pledge with a three day visit to Korea - a visit that may affect the course of history. In three crowded days, under a veil of secrecy, Ike inspects U.N. troops, talks with top field commanders, flies over the front. In Seoul, half-a-million throng the streets, a popular demonstration hailing Eisenhower's arrival, as elsewhere, he sees South Korean troops demonstrate their capabilities in live-ammunition maneuvers. Talks with Korean President Sygnman Rhee round out Eisenhower's picture of conditions here. His tour concludes with a mass press conference at 8th Army headquarters, where he tells newsmen of this hopes for the triumph of freedom. Three fateful days - a dramatic story.
Indo-China: French Strike Back In Savage Attack.
Indo-China: French Strike Back In Savage Attack. French garrison forces brace for onslaught by 20,000 Reds. Their positions are over-run, but a savage counter-attack hurls back the Reds. A costly defeat for the Viet Minh forces. Equipment/supplies are dropped by parachute from airplane. VS shirtless French soldiers at work at their position. Asian men work at digging a trench. View through barbed wire, from underground bunker, as plane speeds past (probably taking off). Plane drops bomb(s); bombs (VO says napalm) explode on the ground. VS troops at battle. Shots of confiscated weapons. VS night shots, buildings burning (scorched earth?).
News in Brief: Ike En Route Home.
News in Brief: Ike En Route Home. Aboard the U.S.S. Helena, President-elect Dwight Eisenhower continues policy planning with top advisors, en route home from his Korean visit. U.S. naval cruiser underway at sea. On deck, Eisenhower and his new Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson.
News in Brief: Washington, Freighter Aground.
News in Brief: Washington, Freighter Aground. The S.S. Yorkmar is driven aground by pounding seas near Seattle. High and dry on the beach, the stranded freighter awaits refloating, weathering out the gale meanwhile.
News in Brief: California, Operation Morale Lift.
News in Brief: California, Operation Morale Lift. The U.S. Navy films and records the voices of servicemen's loved ones in a program to bring Xmas cheer to men far from home. They'll see and hear wives and children in yule greetings. VS Gigi the clown posing with women and children (families at the homefront) as motion picture cameras record them.
News in Brief: New York, Needlework Contest.
News in Brief: New York, Needlework Contest. Grand champions in 1952's national needlework contest display their trophies at the contest's finale. Three thousand entries are shown - including a fabulous crocheted U.S. flag. Japanese-American woman crochets, posing for camera. Man and woman hold up a large crocheted American flag. CU hands doing crochet. Caucasian man sits crocheting (sex roles). The two winners wearing crowns shake hands with one another.
News in Brief: Malta, Commando Cliff-hanger.
News in Brief: Malta, Commando Cliff-hanger. Commando troops display more agility than mountain goats, negotiating a cliffside handily in a spectacular demonstration of their skill. British Royal Marines climb down cliff, cross river on ropes, rappel very quickly down rock face. That seems to be Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, watching through binoculars as the men go through their exercise.
Britain Explodes Its A-bomb.
Britain Explodes Its A-bomb. Britain explodes its first atomic bomb in tests near the desolate Monte Bello Islands - the third world power to possess atom weapons. A triumph for British science, the a-bomb produces an unusual cloud - possible indication of a new type bomb. Nuclear arms race. VS empty warships. On shore, men are at work with construction equipment, prepare for the tests. Dark interior (bunker), technicians prepare/operate instruments. Clock ticks down toward zero hour. Shot of explosion already in progress. Men watch from afar. Huge cloud of smoke over the water.
Ike Comes Home: General Hopeful On Outlook In Korea.
Ike Comes Home: General Hopeful On Outlook In Korea. General (and President-elect) Dwight Eisenhower returns to the U.S. from his historic mission to Korea. As advisers look on, the president-elect promises a positive program, tells of hope for a peace with honor. VS Ike at airport or air field upon arrival, many journalists and photographers present. Ike speaks at microphones, says they have gained info for planning then says goodbye to the press (as he's going home to see his family). Looks like John Foster Dulles is in the background.
Violence Flares In North Africa
Violence Flares In North Africa Arab mobs riot, tension flaring into violence after the assassination of a nationalist labor leader. French troops and police stop the violence, and seize ringleaders, but at least fifty-seven have died in the outbreaks. VS people paying respects, caskets, mourners. Building with French flag at half-mast. VS troops at work; one frisks a local man. Tense scene as the soldiers seem to be making arrests. Car with destroyed broken windshield. Arab men, with facial injuries (bruises, cuts, etc.), look over a table of seized weapons.
America's Heritage Enshrined.
America's Heritage Enshrined. A new national shrine, planned to endure war and the ravages of time, receives the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. In ceremony, soldiers carry these historic documents into the National Archives building in Washington. President Harry Truman speaks at podium. Citizens walk by the documents, now encased in glass for preservation purposes. Shots of the case being lowered through floor to underground vault. Exterior establishing shot National Archives building.
News in Brief: Black Market.
News in Brief: Black Market. "In Seoul, Korea, unusual films show a black market in operation. G.I. uniforms are dyed, altered in appearance, and sold. Black marketeers dodge, but the camera gets the story." VS slums of Seoul in winter. The man repurposing uniforms doesn't seem to be hiding from the camera, since there are some close shots here. Shoppers in the back alleys of town look over clothing. Women vendors try to duck out of sight and hide their wares.
News in Brief: Morrisville, PA, Steel Mill.
News in Brief: Morrisville, PA, Steel Mill. Operations are begun with dedication ceremonies at the $450 million Fairless Steel Works - a new addition to the productive might of the free world. Mrs. Benjamin Fairless (Hazel) christens some part of the steel mill. Then, child endangerment - a Fairless child (7-year-old Nancy) uses an oil torch to light a fuse - she looks pretty scared of it, when it lights. VS the plant. Molten steel pours.
Finger-tip Fantasies
Finger-tip Fantasies Shadow artists create drama and comedy out of the images of their silhouetted hands. A wistful lover, a burlesque bull-fight, magically created by a pair of hands, with magic fingertips. People make shadow puppets of sorts.
Ike And Mac Meet. Confer On Solution of Korean Conflict.
Ike And Mac Meet. Confer On Solution of Korean Conflict. President-elect Dwight Eisenhower confers with General Douglas Macarthur on the details of Mac's proposed solution to the problem of Korean peace. Newsmen throng the sidewalks outside John Foster Dulles' home, scene of the meeting. Ike and Mac (with Dulles behind them) stand outside the building, with a huge crowd of journalists and press photographers around them. Macarthur pushes his way through the crowd to a car; Dulles follows.
NATO Opens New Session for Planning.
NATO Opens New Session for Planning. Foreign ministers and defense leaders of the NATO nations meet to review progress and financing the defense organization for the coming year. VS diplomats/representatives arriving, among them: U.S. Army Chief of Staff Collins; France's Prime Minister (not sure about his name) and Foreign Minister Robert Schumann; Britain's Foreign Minister Anthony Eden and Defence Minister Alexander. VS interior at the meeting; Canada's Defence Minister Brooke Claxton; Italy's Alcide de Gasperi. From the U.S., Dean Acheson and John Snyder confer.
News in Brief: Body Armor Shown
News in Brief: Body Armor Shown. The quartermaster corps displays new light-weight body armor for the infantry. Similar to protective garb now worn by U.S. Marines in Korean War combat, it's expected to save countless lives. (Too funny - the newsreel is playing light "fashion show" music on the audio track.) One man helps a soldier suit up. The model turns for the camera.
News in Brief: Washington, Truman Makes Air Awards.
News in Brief: Washington, Truman Makes Air Awards. At the annual meeting of the Aero Club, President Harry Truman stresses the need for continued military build-up, presents awards for contributions to aviation. At large black-tie banquet, Truman hands out awards to John Stack (?) of Langley Aeronautical Laboratories; Major General Lucas Beau (I think the VO mispronounced it as "Bean"); General James "Jimmy" Doolittle.
News in Brief: Venezuela, Pageant Of Progress.
News in Brief: Venezuela, Pageant Of Progress. The nation reviews past progress and looks to future gains in a gala exposition at Caracas. New housing projects and public works are part of a $300 million annual development program. People look at impressive scale model of city. Crowds walk around at the opening ceremony of a housing project. Statue of Simon Bolivar amid scaffolding.
News in Brief: Italy, Art Works Shown.
News in Brief: Italy, Art Works Shown. On display are new creations by Italy's craftsmen - glittering engraved glassware, intricate laces, brilliantly colored mosaics and pottery -- and masks made out of hay (unusual material, unusual medium).
News in Brief: New York City, Clothes For Korea.
News in Brief: New York City, Clothes For Korea. A shipment of clothing, food, and medicines for Korea receives Cardinal Spellman's blessing, just before the prelate leaves for the fighting front, where he'll conduct Christmas mass. National Catholic Welfare Services sponsored the relief drive. Cargo is loaded onto a ship.
Season's Wishes: Embassy Children Give Them in Many Tongues.
Season's Wishes: Embassy Children Give Them in Many Tongues. International Christmas greetings from the children of the world's embassies in our nation's capital. Colorfully attired in their national costumes, these youngsters wish America a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Cute kids. They speak in various languages. Baby/toddler in a diaper that has written or painted on it, 1953 (baby new year).
86 Die in Worst Air Disaster.
86 Die in Worst Air Disaster. Eighty-six die, as an Air Force transport crashes on take-off. It's the worst disaster in the history of aviation - and the tenth in a series of crashes in the Pacific Northwest since November. Smoldering wreckage of airplane, the front half of it missing. Men inspect the devastating scene.
Red Prison Riot: UN Guards Kill 87 As POW's Riot on Island.
Red Prison Riot: UN Guards Kill 87 As POW's Riot on Island. "Die-hard Communists imprisoned on Ponggam Island riot - charge the fence, and force United Nations guards to fire. Eighty-seven are killed, many wounded before the disorder is quelled. The latest Red propaganda blow at the U.S." Asian (Korean?) prisoners of war (POWs) walk through the prison camp, carrying stuff. View through barbed wire of the prisoners marching around camp. VS after the riots were over: wounded POWs help one another along; UN guards watch them; prisoners sit in orderly rows, covering their heads for some reason. (The VO is very anti-Communist and some of the narrator's descriptions of the prisoners are dehumanizing.)