Newsreel titled 'Goa falls' shows Indian troops occupying Goa after its 1961 invasion and annexation, ending 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule. Wrecked houses and natives on the streets as Indian soldiers patrol the area. Natives carry Indian flags.
Christmas time advertisement for U.S. Savings Bonds. Interior of a house decorated for Christmas, with Christmas tree and toy train running on a table. Actress Donna Reed walks to the table, stops the train and holds up a December 1958 U.S. Savings Bond. She speaks about the Savings Bond, places it on a toy train car, and starts the train. As the train moves along the track, it passes signs reflecting successive passing time increments: Dec 1961 (three years), Dec 1964 (3 more years), and Aug 1968 (3 more years and 8 months). By staying on track to maturity, the bond is worth much more. Donna Reed notes this and suggests Savings Bonds as a Christmas gift. She closes by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. (Note: The original maturity period for a Series E Bond was 10 years. But the U.S. Government reduced it to 9 years and 8 months, in 1952. That revised maturity period is reflected in this advertisement.) (Additional note: The trains are by Lionel, and include "The General" locomotive, a New York Central boxcar, a Lionel flatcar, and Lionel Lines caboose.)
Mostly reenactment footage showing how post-civil war Industrialization leads to a market surplus in United States giving a boost to commerce. (Film made in 1961) Development of communication system, system of sending mails by horsemen. Telegraph poles and cables set up. Construction of Transcontinental railroad tracks to develop a vast transport network. Sketches of men laying telegraph cable across Atlantic to set up link between east and west. Expansion of petroleum industry: Dramatization of an oil well "gusher" as it gushes oil upward and excited well workers celebrate. Following scene is of actual oil wells gushing and a field of oil wells and derricks in place.
Newsreel clip on Minnesota welcoming major league baseball to the state in April 1961. Exterior views of Metropolitan Stadium, the home of the new Minnesota Twins. Banner reads "The Minnesota Twins Welcome You." Announcer notes team is playing in Bloomington, seven miles from each of the state's two major cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. View of 25,000 spectators, most bundled up for a chilly day, inside stadium for the home opener against the Washington Senators. Those on hand include baseball commissioner Ford Frick, American League president Joe Cronin, and Minnesota Governor Elmer Andersen. Announcer notes the previous Washington team moved to Minnesota and was replaced with a new Senators team in Washington. Dignitaries walk on field trailed by Minnesota manager Cookie Lavagetto and Washington manager Mickey Vernon. Dignitaries raise the American flag. Governor Andersen kisses a baseball and throws out the ceremonial first pitch. Announcer notes Twins lost this game, but says "Who cares?" because Minnesota is in the big leagues.
Major events around the world in the year 1961, causing international tensions and crisis after crisis. A large crowd runs on roads during riots in Cairo caused by death of African anti-colonial leader Patrice Lumumba. Fidel Castro strengthens his regime in Cuba. Castro addresses a large crowd of his supporters. Warfare splits newly formed nation of Congo. Katanga President Moïse Tshombe waves hands towards crowd of his supporters. Soldiers fire rifles and advance cautiously in grasslands of Laos and South Vietnam during Vietnam War. War between brothers in Algeria. Soldiers fight on streets of a town.
U.S. President Richard Nixon visits Tehran, Iran. President Nixon and Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi look out from the rooftop opening of their car in a motorcade. President Nixon, the Shah, the First Lady of the United States Pat Nixon and Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi, wife of the Shah of Iran, step from a car at the Niavaran Palace (Tehran Province Tehran District 1 Niavaran St, Niavaran Square, Iran). The children of Shah Pahlavi greet Mr. and Mrs. Nixon upon their arrival. The group poses for pictures. The group enters the palace.