News stories from Monday December 25, 1972
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- United States bombers resumed raids above the 20th parallel in North Vietnam after a 36-hour suspension. The resumption came 12 hours after American attacks were resumed against the enemy in South Vietnam. The undeclared bombing halt had been ordered for the Christmas holiday. Hanoi, meanwhile, said that 40,000 tons of bombs had been dropped on North Vietnam between Dec. 18 and 24. [New York Times]
- The U.S. acknowledged further airplane losses during the bombing of North Vietnam. [CBS]
- Harry S. Truman was in a deep coma throughout Christmas Day in Research Hospital and Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo., where he has been a patient since Dec. 5. Physicians said that Mr. Truman's condition was deteriorating and that he was "near death." Mr. Truman's wife Bess was at his bedside, and she was joined by their daughter Margaret who flew in from New York. [New York Times]
- President and Mrs. Nixon celebrated Christmas in Key Biscayne, Florida, while protesters of the Vietnam war and the bombing of North Vietnam converged on the White House. An ecumenical church service began the demonstration. An open letter was delivered to the President but the White House guard refused the letter. Reverend George Docherty spoke about the bombing halt for Christmas and belittled it as being hypocritical. [CBS]
- A Red Cross official in Managua said that the Nicaraguan government had cut off food supplies to force survivors to leave the shattered city, which once had a population of 325,000. Most survivors of the earthquake last Saturday have fled the city and the government believes that disease could strike those who refuse to leave their homes. The city is almost destroyed. Estimates of the death toll vary widely, from 3,000 to 10,000, with 20,000 injured. [New York Times]
- Pope Paul VI in a Christmas message to the world pleaded for Christian witness and commitment. The Pope said his glance was "turned especially to those places where there is still war, hunger, suffering and distress, where the coming of justice and peace is still awaited." [New York Times]
- Even in Bethlehem, Mideast troubles are evident. Israeli occupation forces have turned the hills of Bethlehem into an armed camp. Christmas, armed might and commercialism flourish together in Bethlehem. Arab guerrillas threatened a Christmas Eve attack, but pilgrims, church officials and peddlers mingled in the streets and the Church of the Nativity was the scene of a religious ceremony. Some characterize Bethlehem as being too secular now. [CBS]
- There are more poor people in U.S. cities than the 1970 census implied. Edward Blum, vice president of the Rand Corporation, says that the census may be inaccurate with regard to welfare and the poor. New York City is said to have been undercounted by 39%. [CBS]
- The uneasy truce in Northern Ireland was broken today by sporadic gunfire. [CBS]