For this week, ending on May 11th in 1975, news was about the last Americans and press evacuated from Cambodia. The stories now coming out about the atrocities and the takeover by the Khmer Rouge. In South Vietnam, the Tsunami of refugees was still on, with stories of over-flowing boats and chaos and confusion.

So confusing, that the story came out of the last two Marines, killed in Vietnam were still somewhere in a Saigon hospital morgue, waiting to be picked up. Reports also came in that Laos was facing a Communist takeover, based on the elections recently held.

And that was the picture from Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, it was reported Senator George McGovern was visiting Cuba and talk of the OAS preparing to drop sanctions against the Castro government, sometime during the Summer.

Egypt was moving to finally clear the Suez Canal of wrecked ships leftover from the 1967 War.

And on this week it was 30 years since VE day, and many comparisons were being drawn between the end of that conflict and the one just recently ended in Vietnam.

All in a week, ending May 11, 1975 as reported on The World This Week from CBS Radio.

I was reminded that November 30th 1986 was a significant day for American history. At the time we weren't sure. As allegations and discoveries of covert activity in the area of Arms-for-Hostages emerged, the scramble for denial was on. But people still felt betrayed. Buried somewhere, but certainly not lost was the realization this was the "October Surprise" that carried Reagan to victory in the 1980 election. That this clandestine operation was a political ploy in order to win an election.

Certainly not going to be the first time. But it's no wonder that, with Watergate, the stain of scandal on the highest office in the land was going to become more the norm than the exception in the future. We were now about to embark on another public display of the worst traits capable of human beings, cloaked in the banner of patriotism but mired in the mud of hypocrisy and seething with the sneer of arrogance.

And what progress? None.

So a reminder of this watershed and pivotal day via ABC World News This Week.

The Dog Days of Summer in history appear to be anything but, when looking at the goings on this particular week in 1949.

Congressional Hearings over a mysterious character named John Maragon, who managed to get himself in high positions for seemingly no apparent reason, yielded as much as his reputation did in his repeated use of the fifth Amendment. The hearings ended knowing less about the highly influential man than when they started. Our tax dollars at work.

In other Congressional news, the much promised Civil Rights Legislation brought down the wrath of the South, in the form of the Dixiecrats, who swore up and down they would defeat any bills brought before Congress having anything to do with Civil Rights. At one point, the DNC met and tossed a number of highly visible Dixiecrats out of the party, and even President Truman weighed in on the fracas.

Hurricane season was starting - then as now, the East Coast was braced for whatever was coming their way. Of course, in 1949 there were no satellites and no way of predicting where or when they would arrive. Everyone just nervously watched the skies and tides.

The FCC this week ruled no more giveaway programs on Radio which was, up until the point, a staple in the diet of most Networks.

Veteran entertainer and legendary star from Vaudeville Harry Lauder was near death in Glasgow. And controversy erupted among the press on both sides of the Atlantic over the economic recovery in Britain and the lean towards Socialism taking place. Both the right and left wings of the Fourth Estate got their digs in.

And this week marked the 10th anniversary of the beginning of World War 2 (at least the war in Europe), and a goodly chunk of the program is given over to historic recordings of Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain and the ominous days ten years earlier. Good historic stuff. Interesting too, are the contrasts with Germany today and the voices of present-day (in 1949) Germany.

Everything that happened this week in 1949, which just so happened August 28th was a Sunday too, via NBC Radio's "unique experiment in News" Voices and Events.

Just thought you'd like to hear what it was all about.