Elements of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet designated “Formosa Strait Force” (Task Force 72), sent by President Harry S. Truman to keep peace between Formosa (Republic of China or Taiwan) and Mainland China (People’s Republic of China), in 1950. The U.S. Navy Destroyer Maddox (DD 731) underway. Views aboard the flagship of the Formosa Patrol, the light cruiser, USS Juneau (CL 119) as sailors respond to a drill. Two are seen entering one of the USS Juneau's gun turrets housing a Mark 12, 5-inch/38 caliber gun. Glimpse of the closed turret with single gun barrel seen at the front. Gun crew maneuvering one of the USS Juneau's quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns. Sailors arranging shells for the USS Juneau's guns. Officers on deck pointing at other ships and observing them through binoculars. Glimpse of two landing craft (possibly Landing Craft Infantry) underway.
Convoys of the 7th Fleet of United States Navy supply shipments to blockaded Quemoy, Taiwan, in Formosa Strait. U.S. carriers in the sea and fighter planes aboard. Fighter planes take off from the strip of one of the carrier. Carriers stop near the shore and supply liners cruise towards the shore of Quemoy. Commanders aboard a ship make plans and bombardiers on alert near an artillery gun on a ship.
American troops aboard ships of Seventh Fleet underway in China Sea. Fleet stand guard in the straits between Taiwan (ROC) and the communist People's Republic of China. Planes take off from the carrier Essex for daily patrols and practice. Aircraft in flight over water. Planes make landings on carrier's deck.
A Battalion of Nationalist Chinese troops assembled in formation on a ramp at an airbase in Formosa (Taiwan). They wear summer conical hats. Their Commander, a Major, calls them to attention and addresses them. Next, a Sergeant is seen briefing a squad of camouflaged soldiers. A landing craft stops short of a beach and Nationalist Chinese troops jump out, wade ashore, and charge across the beach. From different view, the beach is seen to have barbed wire and other obstacles on it. Smoke rises from live fire carried out at side of beach. The troops dash between obstacles and surmount a berm. Next, soldiers are seen riding atop two camouflaged U.S. M2 half-tracks, crossing a bridge, at high speed. They are followed by two U.S. Stuart M3 light tanks and infantry running behind. An infantryman running along a furrow in a cultivated field. Two infantrymen run through a rice paddy where farmer is working. One gets exhausted and falls down in the paddy. Two soldiers firing a mortar. Another soldier demonstrates throwing a hand grenade, and ducks for cover as it explodes. Three soldiers firing an M1917 Browning water-cooled machine gun. Goosestepping Nationalist Chinese troops parade along a wide dirt road, past several buildings. They raise considerable dust as they march.
Supply convoy reaches Quemoy in China despite the communist Chinese blockade, during Cold War. Ships carry the supplies at sea. Men on landing craft at the sea. Men on deck. President Chiang Kai Shek arrives at a press conference in Formosa. He opposes reduction of garrisons on the off-shore islands. Mainland China rebuffs United States peace bids with an enormous Chinese propaganda demonstration in Peiping (Beijing) on the grounds of the old Imperial Palace. Communist Chinese demonstrate with boards, placards and flags in hand. A huge crowd gathers at the palace grounds and decries what it calls American aggression in the Taiwan strait. President Zhou Enlai addresses the massive crowd.
The fourth presidential election debate between Democratic nominee Senator John F. Kennedy and Republican nominee U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon on 21st October 1960 in in New York, United States. News correspondent Quincy Howe speaks prior to the fourth Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate. Mr. Howe reads out the rules and conditions under which the candidates will proceed. He says that Senator Kennedy will make the second opening statement and the first closing statement. Vice President Nixon speaks about the present issue in the United States which is keeping peace without surrender. The peace which is threatened by international communist movements. Nixon says that the United States has to learn from mistakes made in past. He relates to this by mentioning the period of the Iron Curtain in Europe and during the Korean War. Nixon says that situation in President Dwight Eisenhower's administration is reversed. He says that the United States made errors in the past in misjudging the Communists, applying same rules of conduct that are applied to the leaders of the free world. Nixon mentions East-West Paris summit conference of 1960 and Eisenhower's policy regarding Formosa Strait (Taiwan). Nixon speaks that that United States should increase its military strength to high level regardless of what potential opponents have and if any surprise attack is launched, the United States can destroy their war-making capacity. Nixon further says that American policies of military strength, economic strength, and diplomatic firmness will keep the peace without surrender.