Northeastern High School - Aerie Yearbook (Elizabeth City, NC)

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1972 brought election results to a nation in need of leadership andfin search of answers. Edmund lVluskie,a'Presidential candidate, un- able to withstand cruel slander, shed public tears that ended his campaign hopes. Arthur Bremer shot and crippled George Wallace 'during the' Maryland Presidential Primary. George lVlcGovern became Nixon's greatest threat, but in the end a landslide victory returned Nixon to office. On June 17, five men were arrested for breaking into Democratic National Headquarters. This seemingly ,insignificant break-in be- came the biggest disgrace ever to shake the White House. Unaware of the extent of Watergate, the Americanpeople-totally supported Nixon. lt would be years before the true story would surface. 1 V War continued with the United States launching the heaviest bombardment in history against Hanoi-Haiplong. Aside from'-the war in Indochina, there was an attempt at peace as China wel- comed Nixon to Peking, ending two decades 'of hostility. Wash- ington buzzed with talks of war and peace and hints of Watergate cover up. , the Ji 'gil' Q r-1 '2 The war in Indochina ended for America in 1973, yet none dared celebrate the armis- tice until the POW's were returned. With the trials of the Watergate burglars came knowl- edge of a cover-up with Nixon as' the con- spirator. It was also discovered that Nixon had taped Oval office conversations. Con- gressional' demands finally forced Nixon to release some of the tapes, one of which had a mysterious 18 minute gap. Adding to the Washington trauma, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned and was convicted of tax evasion. Gerald Ford became the new Vice President. A new age of short supplies, long gas lines, sky rocketing prices, and diplomacy based on oil began with the Arab oil embargo. 1973 seemed to be a year of disappointment and disillusion- ment for the American people. As the truth of Watergate was un- covered, it became clear that leaders were men, capable of error and corruption. Americans were stunned,-discouraged, and uncer- tain of their country's future or at the importance of truth. Opening i i 3

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Over the past decade, events that one time headlined daily news have become blurred in the minds of those remembering. Whole wars have faded, becoming less brutal and painful, and significant discoveries less important. Yet, the turbulent years of the '70's have left a nation waiting to begin a new decade. From the vantage of today, it becomes much easier to recognize the mistakes of yesterday, hopefully to be corrected by the progress of tomorrow. The beginning of the seventies found a world confused,chaotic, and bleeding from wounds of combat. Richard Nixon pledged to return the American troops fighting in Vietnam, but the conflict only worsened. The United States and South Vietnam moved quickly into Cambodia and increased airstrikes over Laos. As the fighting continued, disillusioned students became out- raged. America's campuses exploded with the news of Cambodia, answering with strikes, demonstrations and shutdowns. At Kent State, Ohio National Guardsmen killed four students and wounded ten during a demonstration. The violence of what many con- sidered a senseless war had reached American soil 3, l j J EKGAY QVVRWQN .-iomctizs wmv? , it , ' .A get S gill- l V L61 E Q Q i rt, 's if 1971 brought a crack in the great wall that divided nations, generations, and indi- viduals. lt was a year of war and peace, pride and disgrace, and progress and regression. Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon papers, revealing America's involvement in Indo- china. Although war continued in Vietnam, there were hints of peace in other corners of the world. Peking astonished the world by inviting a Ping Pong team from the United States to play in China. Henry Kissinger went on a secret mission to Peking with Nixon to follow. There was finally a crack in the great wall surrounding China, allowing an attempt at peace to seep through. The growing social trends throughout America hinted of open expression, liberation and freedom for all individuals. Gay liber- ation appeared shamelessly from behind closed doors, demanding society's approval. Cocaine became a damaging means of expres- sion throughout the lVliddle Class. Another voice of expression came from 18 year-olds who were given the right to vote. It was a year of free expression and expensive peace. P' s-Qs E , , FSL , ff f f is V U t

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Impeachment demands began 'after' a grand jury proved that Nixon was the main paign sabotage and dirty tricks. When the end was clearly in sight, Nixon resigned gracelessly as a defeated, broken man. Ford became the President and proceeded to grant a full pardon to Richard Nixon, attempting to end the In other ded with an affair with stripper Fannie Foxe. Her moonlight en swim in the Tidal Basin dampened lVlills' reputation and his many headlines, Wilbur lVliIls' political career years in Congress. Newspaper heiress, Patty Hearst, was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army. She became Expressing the extremity of 1974, nation revealing what was truly the sign of Tania across the ' qi f.'1?Q1:i.?ti475 get '-'Z Bush K . J Lgii fd -fs 1 711 Z? F 29' L. ,ff . new .,. 4 Opening conspirator of Watergate and of otherdcam-g E 3 ieljeaw g - J 1 6. The United States made a gracelessjlreqfiti from Cambodiaiin 1975 by refusing to last minute aidtthat would have prolonged? the war. Cambodia and South Vietnamsfeilll to the Communists. V l' 'N Patty Hearst and three other SB LA mem4 ed in San Francisco. , 1 Lynette akyl Fromme, a lVlanson- family follower, pointed a gun at President Ford but it didn't fire. Sara Jane Moore-did shoot at Ford but heiwas unharmed. The economy moved toward depression with the United States reaching the highest unemploymentsirate since 1941. Americans were out of work, out 'of moneyijfilfandg disillusioned by weak officials in positions of power. V - F Y ' , Jaws swept the box offices in 179751 Millions watched intently as a shark preyed mysteriously on a public beach. lt was a year of sharks, communist takeovers, and 1 unemployment-three of America's most feared predators. I ' ' ,