The first signs of the impending disaster came slowly: increases in the cost of oil and gasoline, reductions in voltage delivered by power companies during peak hours, and occasional dim-outs. But then the pace accelerated as the Government began rationing essential fuels and exhorted the public to forsake private cars. The reduced use of automobiles had immediate repercussions in Detroit, where the auto industry began laying off workers by the thousands. Other industries, notably the steel manufacturers, also were severely hit. A "domino effect" of factory shutdowns swept through the U.S. economy.
Eventually...