LAD #37: Brown vs. Board of Education

The Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court Case judged the constitutionality of the "separate but equal" clause (from Plessy vs. Furgeson) in education.  A black third grader by the name of Linda Brown was forced to endure a three mile hike through extremely rough terrain just to get to her designated school -- because she was not allowed to go to an "all whites" school.  Even though the white school was a mere seven blocks away, Brown was not allowed solely because of race.  When her family contacted the NAACP for help, her case gathered much support from people facing similar hardships, desiring to finally challenge the principle of segregated schools that created a black inferiority complex amongst students of the African American race.  However, the Topeka board responded that segregated schools were an adequate representation and preparation for each's individual future lives (and thus were justified).  When brought to the Supreme Court, the case was re-argued as the judges were forced to interpret educational segregation as coinciding or contradicting the "equality rights for rights" notion of the fourteenth amendment. Finally, after much deliberation, the court decided that segregation did in fact create an air of black inferiority in schools and was ruled unconstitutional. Though marking a significant step toward desegregation, the ruling was largely ignored as the intractable racist status quo of the south impeded the progress of equal civil rights.

LAD #36: Truman Doctrine

Instead of immediately venturing into the spotlight of American politics, the Cold War slowly but surely worked its way up the ladder.  After a complete failure of peace conferences following the war, the United States and the Soviet Union entered a war against governments.  The Truman Doctrine was what first spoke forth of the Communist threat of expansion -- starting with Greece.  Therefore, after WWII was over, American troops immediately dispatched from the battle fields and set off to rid the Greek State from German control and influence.  With the Soviet Union claiming to take control of the nation, the United States (with next to no help from Britain and the practically useless League of Nations) deemed Greece in need of its assistance.  He issued the departure of a small military army along with food and supplies that would equip the Greek army with sufficient weapons to defend and rebel against the Soviet Union.  Once Truman asserted that Greece was temporarily safe, he took note of the dilemmas right next store in Turkey -- who, just like Greece, needed the modernization and development of a Democratic government that would be provided for by the United States.  With the helping of these countries, the United States executed and established its responsibility of being the the World Superpower 'for Justice,' spreading political freedom along with the will of the majority into office.  It became the protector of the 'free world' from Communism. It is for this reason that Truman asked Congress to send a total of 750 million dollars and a contingency of American military servicemen and women to Greece and Turkey for reconstruction and modernization.

LAD #35: Executive Order No. 9066

In accordance to his Executive Order No. 9066, FDR granted multiple military officials (including the Secretary of War and Military Commander) the power to maintain a military residence within certain areas -- both foreign and local -- for troops.  The temporary inhabitants were to be provided "transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations that may be necessary" for the fulfillment of their assigned tasks.  To help maintain balance and order, the military men was also given the right to use Federal/State agencies for additional troops.  FDR also authorized and planned out aid for each individual military inhabiting through providing Federal and independent agencies of hospitalization,  food, clothing, transportation, use of land etc. TO prevent the destruction of this order, it also contained parts that superseded those originally believed to be ahead in the "food chain."  Such examples would be acts such as the Proclamation of December 7 and 8, 1941, superseding the authority of the Attorney General.  Yet this does not mean that it completely nullified the Proclamation, it merely took precedence over it when control was needed by the military.  Likewise the Order did not interfere with either Executive Order 8972 nor the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

LAD #34: FDRs Declaration of War

Immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), FDR issued a declaration of war on Japan to Congress.  FDR claimed that the confidence of the armed forces, the overall power of the nation, and a conviction and determination brought by the People, Japan must not go unpunished.  Based on the facts of the attack and events leading up to it (Midway, Hawaii, Guam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, etc.) there is no denying that Japan secretly and suddenly broke any notion of peace that had ever existed between the US and the Pacific island nation.  To confirm and ensure the nation's interest and protection from this aggressive island overseas, Roosevelt urged Congress to ultimately declare war on Japan -- which would bring the United States into the Second World War.  A war that most definitely would not have been won without the aid of the United States.

LAD #33: FDR's First Inaugural

Orating his first inaugural, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt recognized that his presidency would be defined by how he copes with the perilous journey through the economic depression. Despite its looming, FDR had no intentions of "sugar coating" the extent of the depression -- he was just going to tell it as it was.  Speaking one of the most famous lines ever uttered by a United States President, FDR stood resolute on his "firm belief" that "the only thing [America had] to fear was fear itself."  This was the hope that epitomized his first inaugural that became prevalent in his presidency as well.  Not only exceedingly hopeful, the United States' leader was a realist who also noticed the tough times thrust upon the common man and the economy.  He noticed that the farmers had no where to turn, families had no money to spend, the industrial corporations had no trade to effectively pursue, and the supreme belief of lost hope spreading throughout the nation.  Whilst setting no blame upon anyone, he did not leave the unethical practices unnoticed.  Instead, FDR constituted that the belief and ethics of society needed to shift away from the egotistical and narcissistic greed back towards the benefit of the many and spread of wealth.  His other efforts of relief included redistributing the nation's population from the overcrowded cities back to the agricultural ways of the past.  Leaving no stone left unturned, Roosevelt acknowledged the troubles at the hearth of human society and promised to cure these homely ills before any foreign policies would even be considered.  Ending his first inaugural, FDR developed his policy of self-sacrifice and collect action; the ideal that working together would rekindle the true American spirit that needed to be rejuvenated.  It is with confidence that Roosevelt ends his address, looking out toward the future with a pragmatic sense of optimism about the years to come.

LAD #32: Kellogg Briand Peace Pact

The Kellog-Briand Pact, albeit a noble effort from war-ridden nations, was noticeably ineffective when considering its solution to military conflicts between countries.  After the Great War had ended, the leaders of numerous countries began working together to ensure an "everlasting peace" to the world.  Among the treaty members were the leaders of America, Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, the free state of Ireland, Canada, the Australian Commonwealth, the Dominion of New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Japan, Poland, Czechoslavakia and many others. These members chose to follow by practicing passive action when resolving any problems, putting down war as a barbaric act that is beneath the humane strategy of diplomacy. The first article of the Pact outlawed war to solve international problems of the countries, the second stated that all international conflicts needed to be resolved through diplomatic solutions. Lastly, the third Article orates that the treaty will continue to remain open for all other countries to join if they deem it fit to outlaw war when considering foreign policy.  Furthermore, Article three also gave America the responsibility of providing all abiding nations of the treaty with a written copy which were ratified in our nations capitol.

LAD #31: Wilson's 14 Points

Responding to Russia pulling out of WWI, President Wilson addressed the serious blow that the Allied Powers sustained in losing the eastern portion of the war.  Through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the revolution-bound Russians made peace with the Central Powers and effectively left the War for the British and French to clean up.  Wilson, while also admiring the benchmark that the treaty set for Democracy, questioned the validity and effectiveness of the treaty -- for Russia ended up losing all territory occupied by the Central Powers, unable to get it back.  This seemingly Democratic act "watered down" Wilson's view of what was actually occurring (whom the Russians spoke to and whom the Germans truly represented).  In order to fully preserve the true Democratic nature and justice of the world, Wilson declared that it was United State's duty -- much like the White Man's Burden and imperialism -- to join the war and protect Democracy throughout the globe.  America needed to "make the world safe for Democracy."  Simply put, the points Wilson provided for the world were designed to unite the world in order and peace.  Amongst them included: ending secret treaties, freedom of the seas, removal of all economic barriers, colonial self-determination, reacquisition of lost territory to the countries of Russia, France, Italy, and Belgium, the peaceful organization of Austria-Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro and the other Balkan States, a sanctioned Ottoman port, and finally...a League of Nations.