Major "space race" and defense events of the year 1957. Laika, Soviet space dog prepared for the space flight. Laika takes off in Sputnik 2 in Soviet Union. An animation shows the spacecraft in outer space. In United States, Space Race efforts to launch a small "grapefruit" satellite on Vanguard TV-3 test rocket meet in failure as the rocket explodes at take off on December 6, 1957. View of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. President Dwight D Eisenhower arrives in Paris, France to talk about the development of missiles with other NATO leaders. The French Prime Minister Felix Gaillard with President Eisenhower. View of Atlas missile SM-65A Serial 12A launched successfully from Cape Canaveral pad LC-14 in Florida, United States, on December 17, 1957.
The people celebrate independence of Algeria. The people gather on a street. The native soldiers march on the street. They carry guns on their shoulder. The women dance on the street. A view of the people on street and soldiers march. Lightning on the street. The people celebrate. Premier of Algeria Benyoucef Benkhedda in a car. People on either side of the street greet him. He waves to the people. The people on the street cheer. Benkhedda in a balcony with other officials as he waves to the people. Vice Premier of Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella gets of from a car. He shakes hands with the officials. The people crowd on the street. Benkhedda, Ben Bella and other officials stand together.
European refugees flee from Algeria. Violence on the streets of Algeria. Damaged and burning buildings. Firemen douse the fire. European refugees with their belongings flee from Algeria via airways and waterways. Soldiers help French civilians as they land in Europe.
A documentary depicts Algeria soon after its independence. Date and fig trees in the Sahara region of Algeria. A map of Algeria shows location of oil wells. People near a truck. Tomatoes, lemons and figs in baskets. Men unload crates from trucks. Vegetables and fruits in crates at a market place. People in the market. People fill water at a community tap. A cobbler mends shoes.
German POWs gathered near Coast Guard Transport ship, Thomas Stone at the port of Bone, Algeria (present-day Annaba, Algeria) during World War II. The German POWs climb a ramp to board the ship. View of them coming on the ship's deck. A Coast Guard Officer and sailor watch as the prisoners board. View of the wharf where lines of German prisoners are boarding. An African American sailor, in chef's white outfit, gives a small card to one of the boarding prisoners. Various views of them boarding. Scene shifts to view from the Robert Stone deck as the ship makes way leaving the harbor of Bône, Algeria.
View of Central High School, Little Rock Arkansas. Former student, Jefferson Thomas, one of the nine African American students who integrated the school in 1957, is revisiting the school. View of integrated student track and field team practicing.View of the front of the school. Flashback scenes of the "Little Rock Nine," black students trying to enter Central High School, Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. Police officer keeping back jeering local students. Racial fighting breaks out among people watching the event, and police try to maintain order. African American students unable to enter school while white students enter and police stand by despite federal school integration orders. Scene returns to 1964 briefly and then back to September 27, 1957, when on orders from President Eisenhower, a company of U.S. Army soldiers marches up takes up positions at the school. They set up barricades, maintain order, and provide armed escort for the nine black students entering school. The nine students enter army station wagons and drive to school accompanied by soldiers in an army jeep.Views of people mingling around the school as U.S. Army soldiers stand amongst them.