– January 6, 1979 – CBS World News Roundup – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
January 6, 1979. News for this first week of 1979 had much to do with The Shah and growing unrest in Iran. As demonstrations and violence continue to spread throughout the country, The Shah vowed to leave the country, and go on vacation, just as soon as order was restored. But he emphasized his absence would be temporary, that he did not intend to abdicate.
The declaration came as his new Prime Minister, Shapour Bakhrtiar introduced to him the new civilian government The Shah asked him to form. And should his vacation take him out of the country, a regency council would be established to assume the Monarch’s functions. He assured observers that this had been done several times before and there was nothing to worry about.
Observers were suspicious. And Russia once again accused the U.S. of meddling in the country’s affairs which officials said was reminiscent of the Cold War. The accusation was made in an article in the Soviet newspaper Pravda and criticized the U.S. for saying the Soviet Union was toughening its position at the very end of the latest SALT talks. Pravda went on to say it was a deliberately distorted picture of the talks.
Vietnamese forces were pushing further into Cambodia with Cambodians talking of a “life or death struggle”. The latest reports from Radio Phnom Penh said heavy fighting was continuing between Cambodian troops and a large contingent of an invading Vietnamese battle force, claiming some 2,000 Vietnamese troops were killed and 69 tanks destroyed, which Vietnam denied, adding it was clear Cambodia was nearing defeat.
And that’s just a little of what went on, this January 6, 1979 as reported by the CBS World News Roundup.
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