December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor Bombed by the Japanese

Aerial photo of U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941 a swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes descended onto the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a brutal bombing attack. This U.S. naval base was located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Many believe that Japan partook in this horrific event because the “United States cut off the shipment of oil and other raw materials to Japan after they joined forces with Nazi Germany, and took over all of Indochina” (1). And since the nation’s government knew that Japan was very poor in natural resources they took this as a threat to the survival of their country. F.D.R and his advisers knew that an imminent Japanese attack was probable with the diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Japan breaking down. With having this “feeling” of an attack by Japan F.D.R did not increase security at the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, the most important naval base.

At precisely 7:55 a.m. Hawaii Time, Japan unleashed a massive surprises air attack on the U.S. Pacific Naval Fleet. According to The History Channel website, “five of eight battleships, three destroyers, and seven other ships were sunk or severely damaged, and more than 200 aircraft were destroyed. A total of 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,200 were wounded, many while valiantly attempting to repulse the attack. Japan's losses were some 30 planes, five midget submarines, and fewer than 100 men.” Because of this horrific attack on American soil, which isn't something we were used to, Americans viewed war a lot differently. American’s acted quickly towards wanting war and supporting the war effort. Due to the fact that this attack happened so close to home states on the West coast, such as Oregon California, and Washington practiced blackout routines as precautions. This cause American’s to unite, come together and protect their homeland. America was affected psychologically as well. After the attack on Pearl Harbor the people and the news made Japanese-Americans out to be villains. We then forced these people into internment camps. America was so irate that it took advantage of these people’s rights, took them from their homes, and put them in unhealthy, inhabitable camps.

The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a very short, very powerful speech to Congress and than asked them to support the declaration acknowledging the state of war between the United States and Japan. The Senate voted for war against Japan by 82 to 0, and the House of Representatives approved the resolution by a vote of 388 to 1 (2). The speech FDR gave was on national radio and also broadcasted in schools. This would eventually lead to Germany and Italy, allies with Japan, to declare war against the United States. At the end of FDR’s 6-minute speech he says, “We will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God." This is statement is virtually what makes Congress agree to the declaration and gets American support.

- Joe E. and Anthony S.


1. Department of Defense. 50th Anniversary of World War II Commemorative Committee. Pearl Harbor: 50th Anniversary Commemorative Chronicle, "A Grateful Nation Remembers" 1941-1991. Washington: The Committee, 1991, http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1.htm (accessed Nov 27, 2013).
2. “Pearl Harbor bombed,” The History Channel website, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-harbor-bombed (accessed Nov 27, 2013).

December 6, 1907 - Monongah Coal MIne Disaster

On this day 106 years ago, one of the most devastating accidents in American history occurred in an uprising ( at the time ) town of Monongah, West Virginia. It is still recorded to this day to be the worst coal mining accident to ever occur in United States history. A total of 362 men were reported dead after this horrible disaster.

Coal mining at that time period was some of the only work some Americans and European immigrants could find. The working conditions were beyond awful which also led to some of the worst possible types of dangers including cave-ins (when walls and mineshafts have not been properly secured ), fires, chemicals leakage, gas explosions, and electrocution. These men and children were simply just looking for money and put the poor working conditions and life threatening situations behind them.

Around 10:20 am on the morning of December 6, 1907 an enormous rumbling and bomb-similar sound struck the 3,000 people living in the town of Monongah. The community came together as one and created teams of rescue workers as soon as possible to assist the people trapped under these mines. Rescue parties included almost the entire town and a good amount of other people and workers from other small towns were quick onto help with this disaster. Mineshafts numbers 6 and 8 were where the methane gas exploded and it all went downhill from that point on. There were stories told about this disaster that you could hear this explosion “from 8 miles away” which is very impressive in a sense. Immediately as this was occurring, the ventilation fans were tumbling from all the falling rock, timber, debris which created an instant problem for the number of people trapped down in these mines and that was the simple cause of breathing in these deadly gases and chemicals. Poor oxygen levels in these mines was already a major issue of the working conditions, but this explosion made the oxygen situation much worse.

Considering the fact that this chemically infused area was already a horrible place to work, rescue teams and other people assisting the accident could only help the victims for a maximum of 15 minutes at a time. This was due to the poor protection against these harmful chemicals that they did not have. Even the people helping needed medical attention immediately after helping in this incident. Two days after the explosion, the disaster worsened when fires broke out slowing down the process of moving forward. Cleaning up the mess continued for days, but little by little and with help from all around the state of West Virginia, the mess was finally cleaned up 6 days later on the date of December 12th, 1907.

Later on in the investigation in October a Catholic priest and miner activist who lived in the area Everett Francis Briggs stated that the estimate of the people that died in this tragedy was closer to about 500 people. This accurate estimate was brought to the nation’s attention from the works of Davitt McAteer who was the secretary for the Mine Safety and Health Administration at this time period. Overall, there were many theories about the cause of this tragedy including ideas such as the combinations of dust and gas, or the simple fact of coal dust being brought up and to slow down this process the miners would water it down. The conclusion was finalized by the jury on January 16th, 1908 and they had come to in the investigation of what had truly happened was that according to the post that Maureen K. Fluery had posted about the incident was that the “explosion was caused by a blowout shot or by the igniting and explosion of powder.” Disasters like these occur all the time in the United States by in the world of mining, but this one has gone down in history was the worst ever.

- Luke M. and Troy S.

References :

Fleury, M. (2013, December 2). The Monongah West Virginia Mining Disaster, December 1907. Retrieved from http://suite101.com/a/the-monongah-west-virginia-mining-disaster-december-1907-a285143

The Pump Handle. (2007, December 7). 100 Years Ago Today: Deadliest US Coal Mine Disaster. Retrieved from http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2007/12/06/100-years-ago-today-deadliest-us-coal-mine-disaster

WVgazette.com. (2007). Monongah. Retrieved from http://www.wvgazette.com/News/Monongah

December 5, 1955 - Start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a famous social protest that opposed racial segregation. The boycott started on December 5, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama sparked by Rosa Parks’ famous bus stand, not giving her seat up on a segregated bus to a white man. The Rosa Parks incident occurred on December 1, 1955 and raised a lot of conflict in the city for the next few days. On December 5th the African-American residents of Montgomery, led by Martin Luther King Jr., made it known that they would not be riding the buses until they were made desegregated. This boycott was the first of many attempts to abolish segregation throughout the nation.

The south had historically been known for African-American discrimination, lynchings, and violence, occurring there since the end of the Civil War. Therefore, for the Civil Rights Movement to make a big step in America in the 1950s and 60s, a large, public “statement” would have to be made somewhere in a heavily segregated region. A handful of arrests had been made earlier that year with African Americans not abiding by the bus law, but none were as powerful as Rosa Parks’. After her arrest, the African Americans’ decision to not use the city’s public transportation system sparked an everlasting effect. Martin Luther King Jr., who became a popular leader through this event, with other local leaders, originally believed only half of the African-American city population would support the boycott; however, they were shocked when over 90% boycotted the bus system [1]. Alternative options were developed as African Americans carpooled, rode bikes, or simply walked [1]. This caused the city’s bus system to lose thousands of dollars in revenue and almost go out of business [2]. This boycott also spread nationally, as television was becoming a popular household item and people around the country could hear about the boycott. Other southern cities followed as they took on boycotts of their own.

Martin Luther King Jr., among others, preached that this boycott should remain non-violent, and it did. However white southerners brought violence, as they wanted to prevent African-Americans from gaining equal rights. King’s house was bombed as well as four black churches in the months that followed the boycott [2]. City officials sought to jail the leaders of the boycott as a statement to the government’s resilience, and jailed King, however the boycott continued. Montgomery’s African-American residents stood behind their leaders.

After a Supreme Court decision, African-Americans could
board at the front of the bus for the first time.

Continuing through December of 1956, the Montgomery Bus Boycott had a lasting effect on America and the Civil Rights Movement. The Supreme Court desegregated public transportation on November 15, 1956, as this issue was put to rest legally [1]. Also, locally the court case Browder v. Gayle declared the Alabama state bus segregation laws unconstitutional. During the boycott, Martin Luther King Jr. stepped in as a famous figurehead for the movement. Following the event King said “We came to see that, in the long run, it is more honorable to walk in dignity than ride in humiliation. So … we decided to substitute tired feet for tired souls, and walk the streets of Montgomery.”


- Ryan R. and Percell D.



[1] “Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)” Martin Luther King Jr. and The Global Freedom Struggle. Accessed 28 November, 2013, http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_montgomery_bus_boycott_1955_1956/
[2] “54b. Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott” U.S. History, A New Civil Rights Movement. Accessed 28 November, 2013, http://www.ushistory.org/us/54b.asp
[3] “Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott” Wesleyan University. Accessed 27 November, 2013, http://www.wesleyan.edu/mlk/posters/rosaparks.html

December 4, 1867 - Oliver Kelley Founded the Grange

Oliver Kelley founded the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry in 1867. The organization, better known as the Grange, formed as a secret society meant to educate farmers. Periods of drought and excessive rain, high shipping costs due to railroad monopolies, and poor farming practices frustrated farmers’ ambitions. Many farmers, particularly in the Midwest, functioned at a substance level. Kelley had grown up in Boston, but at the age of 21 moved to Minnesota to begin a career in farming. He had no experience, but he educated himself and became an advocate of new scientific farming techniques. He published many articles in national newspapers and kept meticulous records. Kelly’s work led to a clerk position in the US Department of Agriculture in 1864. He kept his farm active and spent his winters in Washington, DC.(1)

The Department of Agriculture sent Kelly to the postwar South in order to assess the state of the

region’s agriculture. As a northerner in the South he expected poor treatment and resistance. Fortunately his membership in the Free Masons transcended regional differences and impressed upon Kelley the value of secret societies. The Grange was a natural extension of his belief in the importance of education and community. By April 1868 Kelley had begun to organize Granges outside of Washington, DC, beginning in New York and spreading to other states. At first membership was quite low but once Kelley returned to Minnesota he became more confident in his pitch.

Women were involved in the Grange as equals from the beginning. This egalitarian characteristic is

usually attributed to Caroline Hall, Kelley’s niece. She wrote him a letter stating, “Your organization will never be permanent if you leave the women out.” The founders thought women should be “helpmeets” to their husbands by becoming the primary educators and moral stewardess of the     family.(2)

Although it was founded as an educational society the Grange became a powerful political tool for farmers during the Panic of 1873. The Granger Laws, early regulations on banks and railroads, were their greatest success. The laws limited the cost of transporting and storing grain.(3)

In 1885, the national session of the Grange formally supported women’s suffrage noting, “We are

therefore prepared to hail with delight any advancement of the legal status of women, which may give to her the full right of the ballot box, and an equal condition of citizenship.”(4)

- Valarie S. and David P.

1. Dorothy W. Hartman "Conner Prairie Interactive History Park." GrangeMovement.

http://www.connerprairie.org/LearnAndDo/IndianaHistory/America18601900/GrangeMovement.aspx (accessed December 1, 2013)

2. Dorothy W. Hartman

3. Jennifer D. Keene and Saul Cornell. Visions of America: a history of the United States. 1. ed.

Boston u.a: Prentice Hall, 2009.

4 Hartman

December 3, 1964 - the Berkeley 800 were Arrested

On this day in history, almost 800 college students were arrested by three police officers for protesting. The students found support in the protesting form the Freedom of Speech Movement. The vigorous determination from these students caused an immediate halt in the Berkeley campus. Many unconstitutional regulations and rules about politics and social ideas that were made by the university were the reason why these protests and arrests were made. At the beginning, these 800 students marched into Sproul Hall destined to make an impact. Freedom of Speech Movement leader spoke in front of the court building showing utmost moral support. He stated that the students could bring the University to a "grinding halt." The students were extremely persistent in their protest.

On December 3rd, 1964, 800 students participated in a protest sit-in at the University of California at Berkeley. Eventually, the University staff got fed up with the protest, so they continued campus regulations and shut down the building normal time (7pm). So, the students protesting were stuck inside. However, the news of this protest quickly spread nationwide. Many students from other schools such as Harvard and other Massachusetts colleges negotiated with police to allow other Berkeley students to give supplies to the protesting persons. Even though these students purposely locked themselves inside the hall, a huge impact and statement was being made to Berkeley's staff and board.

As midnight came about on the night of December 3rd, 1964, police were ready to take action. Governor Brown informed California police about the protesting students at Berkeley University, and that action must be taken in order to end the brigade. Finally, Chancellor Edward Strong, the head administrative officer at Berkeley University, politely asked the protesting students to leave the building and continue on with their lives. Eventually, after the students refused to comply, the police took action and slowly began to arrest all 776 students that were inside the building. Ironically, faculty members of Berkeley University were protested the use of police on campus by sending Governor Brown a telegram expressing their opposition.

The protesting Berkeley students showed great support of the Freedom of Speech Movement. They felt that the political restrictions on campus handicapped all of their individual voices. Since the US has always been a democratic country, every US citizen has a vote in politics. This event showed and proved that American people take value in their vote, and feel that we deserve absolute freedom.

- Nate G. and Dot L.

December 2, 1980 - American Nuns Kidnapped, Raped & Murdered by U.S. Trained Salvadoran Death Squad

The Four American Women

This story begins in El Salvador a third world country located in Central America that borders Guatemala and Honduras on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other (2). These three countries are considered to be three of the top five most dangerous countries in the World. El Salvador is home to the third highest murder rate in the world at 51.83 per 100,000. Its neighbors to the north Honduras and Guatemala own the highest and fourth highest murder rates, Honduras (first) with 60.87 and Guatemala (fourth) with 45.17. To help put in perspective of how these numbers are the murder rate in the United States is 5.22 and the World average homicide rate is 9.63 (3).

On the evening of December 2, 1980 4 American were slain in cold blood by an El Salvadoran murder squad. Maura Clarke, Jean Donovan, Ita Ford, and Dorothy Kazel were on their way from the airport where Maura and Ita had just arrived from Nicaragua. The 4 women were pulled from their car at gunpoint, raped and murdered. Their bodies were simply tossed to the side of the road. The original report to the public was that the 4 women were victims of a horrible robbery. This was a lie and an easy one to pass off to newly elected President Reagan. The Salvadorans knew from top to bottom who was responsible for this horrid crime. They knew who ordered, and carried it out. The catch to this is we also knew who

The Slain Bodies of the American Women

was responsible, we knew the names of everyone involved but we did what some would call “turned a blind eye” to it. We did this because there was at the time a greater cause at hand. We were well aware of the brutal methods of the Salvadoran military, in fact this was the reason these murders were overlooked because President Reagan was more concerned with defeating the uprising in the impoverished third world country that he viewed as a threat to the United States, then bringing the men responsible for this crime to justice (5).

It’s because of these actions by our former President that these brutal murders are considered one of the most notorious in the history of the Western Hemisphere.

- Jack R. and Jenna S.

December 1, 1913 - Ford Motor Company Begins Using the Moveable Assembly Line

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company introducing the movable assembly line to the world. This invention completely revolutionized the way that business and production were conducted across the entire globe and its effects are still evident in society today. Many would be surprised when finding out the place of inspiration for Henry Ford’s world changing idea was a Chicago meatpacking store[i]. This meat packing store had a disassembly process in place and upon seeing this, Ford made the connection and applied the reverse process to his own company. Prior to Ford’s revolutionary concept of bringing parts to employees, the product (specifically the Model-T), was stationary on a table and teams and groups of workers moved from one table to another to build or add on one piece to any specific Model-T. While production techniques needed to be refined, it was quite clear from the start that this new method was going to greatly reduce costs and time of production. The two foundations of this new method were the concepts of interchangeable parts and division of labor[ii]. These two new techniques were both the foundation and the driving force behind the rise of Ford Motor Company’s modernization of the production industry.

While production skyrocketed and seemed to be a great idea from the outside, these new methods took a toll on the factory workers. Previously, workers had a variety of tasks and were constantly moving from place to place to achieve goals along the production line. This style kept work fresh and kept employees engaged. In the new system, employees were stuck in one spot, preforming one function all day long. It made work mundane, caused frustrations, and gave workers back aches. Ford and his engineers slowly worked out the kinks to make work easier for employees and to create a better work environment. One of the most shocking changes that Ford introduced was doubling in the salary that workers received. Henry Ford was an innovator and truly looked after his workers with their best interests in mind. He was a master at achieving maximum production while satisfying the needs of his laborers simultaneously.

Henry Ford, and his introduction of the assembly line to his company, successfully made the car an accessible item to even the most low-income families. Similar to the likes of Steve Jobs, Henry Ford was one of the greatest visionaries in American history. These two men took their respective products, the computer and the automobile, two items known to only wealthy Americans, and made them attainable for those from all walks of life. Ford is directly credited with the revolution of the assembly process, but should be given more credit for his work in effectively altering the course of human history for the better.

- Nick M. and Matthew G.



[i] "Ford Installs First Moving Assembly Line." PBS.org. PBS, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013
[ii] "Ford Motor Car Company History." The Assembly Line. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013

November 29, 1929 - First Flight over the South Pole

This Friday is November 29, 2013. To most people it is just Black Friday, worthy of shopping at discounted prices, but actually, it is the anniversary of the first flight to the South Pole. On November 29, 1929, Naval Aviator Richard Byrd and three others made a voyage to the South Pole. It has been 84 years since the first documented flight to the South Pole. Byrd was able to have the first documented flight over the South Pole because of his prior flights elevating his career giving him the opportunity to take this flight.

Richard Byrd, born October 25, 1888 in Virginia, graduated from the United States Naval Academy. Before his big flight that landed him with 22 citations and special commendations, Byrd commanded a naval station in Nova Scotia. After World War I, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and in 1925, he led the naval air unit of an expedition to Greenland. Byrd was no stranger to being a navigator and would use his extensive skills to take his first polar expedition to the Arctic.

During his expedition to the Arctic, he claimed a vast territory for the United States and named it after his wife. With his trusty pilot Floyd Bennett, Byrd navigated to the North Pole. They claimed to be the first to fly over the North Pole, but his claim was later disputed. For this expedition he received a Medal of Honor for the achievement. After this flight, Byrd took many more and ultimately flew over the South Pole.

In 1927, Byrd announced his intention to take a non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean to the Orteig Prize. Once again, he chose Floyd Bennett as his pilot. During their practice takeoff, the plane crashed injuring both Byrd and Bennett. While they took time to recover from their injuries, Charles Lindberg won the prize. This made Byrd change his pilot to Bernt Balchen along with two other companions as mentioned earlier. January 21, 1927, the three made it to Paris. Landing was not an option because of the clouds and they crash-landed near a beach on the coast of Brittany. All four guys survived this tragedy and for this successful flight, France made Byrd a Commandant of the French Foreign Legion. With his new position, Byrd decided to go on a voyage to Antarctica.

With his fame from his prior expeditions and his high rankings, Byrd received funding for his voyage that resulted in his 19 hour flight over the South Pole and back. Once Byrd was able to reach Antarctica they set up the base they named “Little America”. Flights were made from this base and on November 29, 1929, Byrd and three others made the first flight over the South Pole. For this achievement, Byrd was promoted to rear admiral. In the following years, Byrd spent many more winters doing polar research until his death in 1957. Byrd and his three companions were the first to make a 19 hour flight to the South Pole from their base in Antarctica.

All the expeditions Byrd completed before the South Pole were just practices for his real test to be the first to fly over the South Pole. 84 years later, Black Friday and the first flight over the South Pole share the same date. While others celebrate the holiday by shopping, I will know this day has a different anniversary.

- Dot L., Ruben P., and Nate G.

November 28, 1871 - Federal Ku Klux Klan Trials Began in South Carolina

On November 28, 1871 the South Carolina Klu Klux Klan trials began. This was brought to court because of several arrests and trial of other KKK members in the south, particularly in South Carolina. The federal government attempted to show how far they would go to preserve the fourteen and fifteenth amendments to the constitution. The Fourteenth amendment was intended to secure the rights of former slaves and the Fifteenth amendment was that the U.S may not prevent a citizen from voting based on their race(1).

The Klan was more active in South Carolina for many reasons one being that the Republicans, who were supported by the majority of blacks, won the election in 1870. The worst part of these actions by the Klan was in the northern parts of South Carolina such as Spartanburg, Union, and York counties. For example, in Spartanburg, from the election to July 1971 four people were killed and 200 beaten, whipped, wounded by gunfire, and had their ear cut off by a Klan member. The Federal Government got involved when the Enforcement Act was passed because it made it a Federal offense for two or more persons to deprive someone of any right of their citizenship(1).

At the end of the trial, of the 220 of the Klansmen that were indicted, only 5 were prosecuted and charged with violating the Enforcement Act. 53 others pleaded guilty. All the others cases were postponed. There were only four trials because two of the Klan members were tried together and at all four of those trials, the majority of the jurors were former slaves(1).

- Alex S.

(1) http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3498200088.html

November 24, 1963 - Lee Harvey Oswald was Killed

Today fifty years ago Jack Ruby, a Dallas Texas night club owner, shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald. On November 24, 1963 Jack Ruby entered the downtown Police Headquarters with a .38 caliber revolver in his jacket as Lee Harvey Oswald approached from the elevator towards a waiting vehicle to be transported to another location. Jack Ruby stepped from a crowd of reporters and gatherers and placed his .38 caliber revolver into the abdomen of Lee Harvey Oswald. Jack Ruby then shot Lee Harvey Oswald as millions of Americans watched with horror, and some with delight, on television. As soon as the commotion was over, Jack Ruby was placed in handcuffs. In an ironic twist of fate, Lee Harvey Oswald was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital just two days after the assignation of John F. Kennedy. Shortly afterwards the assassin of John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead from an assassins bullet at the same hospital. As Jack Ruby was being taken away, many of the reporters reported that they heard him say “Jackie Kennedy does not have to come back to Dallas for the trial”. Jack Ruby was also rumored to have muttered “I killed Lee Harvey Oswald to redeem the city of Dallas and the State of Texas”. In initial questioning, Jack Ruby stated to Dallas police and later the Warren Commission, that he was part of a much larger conspiracy. His statement was later recanted weeks prior to his death at Parkland Memorial Hospital on January 3, 1967 at the age of 56. It was at this time that he stated “I alone made the decision to shoot Lee Harvey Oswald”. The most widely believed conspiracy to this day is that the mafia was involved in the assassination of our 35th President. Jack Ruby was not just a night club owner, however was also presumed to be an associate of the Chicago Mob. It was believed that Jack Ruby owed the Chicago Mob a favor. When it came time to cash in that favor, the Chicago Mob asked him to kill Lee Harvey Oswald. Some even speculate that Lee Harvey Oswald was set up as a patsy by the Chicago Mob. While there are many conspiracies, read my tweets to learn a little bit more about them.

November 22, 1963 - The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

The 35th president of the United States

John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 which was one of the biggest presidential elections because it was the first time presidential debates were televised. Kennedy and Nixon argued with each other very strongly and vigorously. Nixon kept saying that Kennedy was too young and inexperienced to handle all the responsibilities that he would be faced with as president. Kennedy remained poised and many people think the deciding factor in the debates was his charm [1]. JFK became the youngest man to win a presidential election.

Even though JFK was in office just a little past his 1,000 day mark he still managed to achieve great success for the time allotted. JFK's inaugural speech will always be remembered with the phrase "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." [2] JFK was trying to get America back on its feet and moving again. JFK's economic programs, one in which he proposed a cut in the corporate tax from 52% to 47%, helped the country sustain its largest expansion since WWII. Not only did he get economics back on track but he also called for new civil rights legislation because he believed in equal rights and new how important it was for our country.

This day in history will always be remembered . Today is not just a day of weeping but also a day to take a stand on presidential assassinations and to prevent this from ever happening again. Fifty years ago today, President Kennedy was assassinated on a campaign trip in Dallas, Texas. As his motorcade passed by the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza, gunshots were fired [3]. Although they were not far from the nearest hospital, nothing could be done to save the President. At 1:00 pm on November 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. The whole nation was shocked and will forever be changed from this event. We have not had a presidential assassination since Kennedys and the Secret Service take all the right precautions to keep the President and officials out of harms way. It's sad that it took an assassination like this one to make us realize that but at least we did something about it.

- Hunter O. and Zach P.





[1] "John F. Kennedy" Presidential Library and Museum

http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx

[2] "John F. Kennedy Elected President" The History Channel Website

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-elected-president

[3] "John F. Kennedy" The White House Website

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy

November 19, 1919 - Congress Rejects the Treaty of Versailles

On November 19, 1919 a peace treaty was rejected for the first time. The Treaty of Versailles was a formal peace treaty between Germany and the allied forces and also included the creation of the League of Nations. Representatives from each country signed the treaty but for the U.S to accept the conditions it had to be ratified by Congress. Henry Cabot Lodge was the majority leader in the Senate and he opposed the treaty (1).

Lodge specifically opposed the section about the League of Nations because he thought the U.S would be giving up too much power. Lodge made Fourteen Reservations to go along with Wilsons Fourteen Points which reduced the control that the League of Nations would have over the U.S. William Borah, another leader of the Senate, also opposed the treaty (2).

Once again there was more conflict on the Treaty of Versailles. The Senate considered the treaty and voted on a version that included the Fourteen Reservations. Wilson did not want this so he ordered all his supporters to vote against that version. Borah and “the Irreconcilables”, which he was the leader of, didn’t support the treaty either way so they also voted against it. This treaty fell short of what it needed by a 55-39 vote. Another version without the reservations also fell short with a 53-38 vote (3).

The Treaty of Versailles never passed. In place of the treaty, Congress passed the Knox-Porter Resolution in 1921 (4). This was a resolution of Congress signed by Warren Harding officially ending U.S involvement in World War I. The Knox-Porter Resolution did not form a League of Nations like the Treaty of Versailles did.

- Alex S.




(1) "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles," FindingDulcinea, 19 Nov. 2011, http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/November/Senate-Rejects-Treaty-of-Versailles.html
(2) FindingDulcinea, "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles,"
(3) FindingDulcinea, "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles,"
(4) FindingDulcinea, "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles,"

November 17, 1979 - Thirteen U.S. Hostages Released from Iran

The U.S. hostages were blindfolded and paraded in front
of the Iranian public.

Imagine going to the U.S. Embassy in another country for safety, to quickly find that people from that country have taken charge and are holding U.S. citizens hostage. On November 4, 1979 attack of the United States Embassy in Iran was led by a group of angry students, who quickly captured the building, due to government leader Ruhollah Khomeini . Ruhollah Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician and eventually became the supreme leader of Iran after the Iranian revolution which forced the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Khomeini was anti-American and wanted to protest against the United States. The protest against the United States arose, when Carter allowed the former ruler Shah of Iran to enter the United States for medical treatment. (1) Iran demanded the U.S. government send the Shah back to stand trial. (2) In November 1979, Iranian militants, protesting against the U.S.’s refusal to send the Shah back to Iran, captured the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took more than fifty Americans hostage.

During the crisis many hostages were treated poorly. Most hostages were blind-folded and paraded in front of the Iranian public. The parade was not only seen by the Iranian public, but it was also broadcasted for Americans to see. The hostages went for months without being able to contact their families in America to tell them they were okay. On November 17, 1979 Khomeini orders the release of thirteen female and African-American hostages from the embassy. Thirteen hostages were released to alleviate the crisis, because the Shah was on his way to the Panama. After the release of the thirteen hostages in November, only one more hostage was released in July 1980, due to illness.

Many attempts to rescue the American hostages are made by the CIA, but they are not successful. The first mission set out to rescue the hostages by Carter was a complete failure. (5) Three helicopters were sent over to Iran, but neither of the three made it successfully. Upon take off, all the helicopters now functioned and crashed killing their passengers. Finally, on the day of Ronald Regan’s inauguration, all the hostages were freed and safety back in America, to be welcomed home.

The return of the hostages safely back to the U.S, January 1981.

Upon the release of all the hostages, Carter had to unfreeze all the assets of Iran.

The significance of this event is that it ruined Carter’s presidency and caused more problems between the United States and Iran. This event made Carter look like an inefficient leader of our country. (6) Due to the hostage crisis many other problems also began to occur between the two countries. For example, the relationship between the two countries deteriorated further.


- Amanda D and Brandon C


[1] “THE 1979 IRANIAN US EMBASSY SIEGE AND HOSTAGE CRISIS. WAS IT A COVERT CIA OPERATION?” Global Research, accessed 6 November, 2013,
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-1979-iranian-us-embassy-siege-and-hostage-crisis-was-it-a-covert-cia-operation
[2] “Iran-U.S. Hostage Crisis” History Guy, accessed 6 November, 2013,
http://www.historyguy.com/iran-us_hostage_crisis.html#.UoFtQOKRJag
[3] “Iran Hostage Crisis” Sheppard Software accessed 6 November, 2013,
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Middleeastweb/factfile/Unique-facts-MiddleEast9.htm
[4] “Iran Hostage Crisis” EVResourcesSite accessed 11 November, 2013,
http://evresourcesite.wikispaces.com/Iran+Hostage+Crisis

November 12, 1942 - The Start of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal

The Guadalcanal Campaign began on August 7, 1942, when Americans landed on the Guadalcanal

Above is the Guadalcanal Island layout. As you can
see, Iron Bottom Sound is to the right of
Henderson Field.

with the objective of denying the Japanese use of the island for their bases to threaten supple routes between the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand (1). Four months later the first Battle of Guadalcanal started on November 12th. During that day the Japanese had came to realize that: “one, that the Americans had far more troops on Guadalcanal than earlier estimates had indicated, and two, Henderson Field had to be neutralized in order for the Japanese to control the seas around the island” (2). Henderson Field is an air landing strip that the Japanese built in order to demolish the Marine’s radio station, food stock and construction equipment. The night of November 12, fights broke out

Above is Kinugawa, a Japanese cargo ship,
beached and sunk on the shores of Guadalcanal.
The Japanese were unable to receive supplies.

between the Japanese and Americans, sinking six Japanese ships and ten American ships (3). At about 1:00 AM on the 13th, a bombardment force entered Iron Bottom Sound, the body of water located at the Southern end of the slot between Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and Florida Island (4). Waiting for them was an American force of cruisers and destroyers (5). The two main Japanese ships, Hiei and Kirishima, whose job was to bombard Henderson Field into impotence, were sunk (6).

Guadalcanal’s importance meant that fighting continued because, “neither side was willing to give up the struggle to maintain control over the Sound, and thereby denying supply to the other side's land forces” (7). The stage was set, yet again, for another brutal battle two nights later, which began the second naval battle of Guadalcanal. Americans lost three destroyers and a battle ship that evening. The Japanese had lost one additional destroyer that played an important part in taking over Henderson Field. Because of this they have finally given up the war effect to take over Henderson Field. The Campaign of Guadalcanal finally ended on February 9, 1943; the Japanese had lost 31,400 troops, whereas the U.S. had only lost 2,000 soldiers when about 60,000 were deployed (8), both sides lost a lot of ships. But by far the most significant loss for the Japanese was the decimation of their elite group of naval aviators (9). Japan, after Guadalcanal, no longer had a realistic hope of beating the all-powerful United States (10).

-Jenna S. & Jack R.



(1) "Guadalcanal Campaign," Princeton University, Accessed November 7, 2013, http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Guadalcanal_Campaign.htm.
(2) Nihon Kaigun, "Guadalcanal Campaign - Nihon Kaigun," Accessed November 7, 2013, http://www.combinedfleet.com/battles/Guadalcanal_Campaign#First_Guadalcanal.
(3) “Guadalcanal Campaign – Nihon Kaigun”
(4) “Guadalcanal Campaign – Nihon Kaigun”
(5) “Guadalcanal Campaign – Nihon Kaigun”
(6) “Guadalcanal Campaign – Nihon Kaigun”
(7) “Guadalcanal Campaign – Nihon Kaigun”
(8) "Battle of Guadalcanal,” — History.com, Accessed November 7, 2013, http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-guadalcanal.
(9) “Battle of Guadalcanal”
(10) “Battle of Guadalcanal”
(11) Naval History and Heritage Command, "Guadalcanal Campaign,” Accessed November 7, 2013. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/guadlcnl/guadlcnl.htm.

November 11, 1918 - Armistice Day

November 11, 1918 will forever be remembered as the date the First World War reached a ceasefire on the Western Front, eventually leading to the conclusion of the Great War. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an official order was passed through the ranks declaring all nations on the western front to cease firing. While June 28, 1919 is the certified date the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, President Woodrow Wilson made an effort for the date of armistice of World War I to be recognized and celebrated.

An Armistice Day celebration in Raleigh, N.C. in 1920

November 11 of that year included many parades and celebrations, including a “brief suspension of business activities.”[1] A congressional act passed in 1938 officially made November 11th a national holiday.[2] The Great War caused horrendous injuries and deaths to all those involved. Speaking on the Allied Powers specifically, they mobilized an estimated 42,000,000 soldiers, and of those, an estimated 22,000,000 were wounded or killed in action. [3]

America was involved in WWII on a far larger scale than in the First World War. During World War I, the U.S. mobilized a little under 4,400,000 troops. While involved in World War II, the U.S. set over 12,000,000 to battle. [4] By 1954, due to the massive number of new veterans and pressure from major veteran’s support groups, President Dwight Eisenhower moved to change the name of Armistice Day to Veterans’ Day.[5] In 1971, Congress decided to alter Veterans’ day even more by shifting it to always fall on the fourth Monday of October.[6] However, not every state decided to follow suit with the federal government. With confusion setting in due to Veterans’ Day being celebrated on the fourth Monday in October in Alabama, and on November 11 in, initially only Mississippi and South Dakota, changing the date of Veterans’ Day yet again was imminent. Slowly from 1971-1975, as many as half

Veterans' Day celebrated in Columbus, OH in 2012

of the states in the union switched Veterans’ Day back to the original date of World War I’s armistice, November 11th. In 1975, President Gerald Ford finally caved to popular support and passed legislation to shift Veterans’ Day to the date we observe today, however, the process to become official still took another three years until 1978. [7]

- Zach P. and Hunter O.

[1] “History of Veterans’ Day,” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, accessed November 3, 2013, http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

[2] “History of Veterans’ Day,” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, accessed November 3, 2013, http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

[3] “WWI Casualties and Death Tables” PBS website, accessed November 5, 2013, http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/casdeath_pop.html

[4]”By the Numbers: U.S. Military” The National WWII Museum website, accessed November 5, 2013, http://www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/ww2-by-the-numbers/us-military.html

[5] “The History of Veterans’ Day,” The U.S. Army Center of Military History, accessed November 3, 2013, http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/holidays/vetsday/vetshist.html

[6] “Veterans’ Day” The History Channel Website, accessed November 3, 2013, http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-veterans-day

[7] “Veterans’ Day November 11,” America’s Library, and the Library of Congress, accessed November 3, 2013, http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/modern/jb_modern_veteran_3.html

November 10, 1865 - Confederate Prison Camp Leader is Executed

A crowd gathered around the platform where Wirz was executed.

On November 10, 1865, Union soldiers surrounded an execution platform, all chanting, “Wirz, remember, Andersonville.” The executioner, Major Russell, said, “I deplore this duty,” to which Henry Wirz said, “I know what orders are, Major, and I am being hanged for obeying them.” Major Russell triggered the trapdoor; Wirz fell, but the fall didn’t snap his neck. It took a full two minutes for him to die, while all around him soldiers continued chanting. [1]

Andersonville, officially known as Camp Sumter, became the worst of the camps on either side. No barracks were ever built, forcing the prisoners to live in “shebangs” constructed of scrap wood. There was a stream, but it quickly became polluted and turned the land of the camp into a swamp.[2] The prisioners lacked fresh drinking water and disease quickly spread. The Confederacy built the camp to hold 10,000 soldiers, but that number quickly soared to somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000, with some estimates stretching as high as 45,000. Some 13,000 deaths are attributed to the camp.

Wirz was one of the few political executions of the American Civil War. After a year in Europe operating on behalf of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Wirz returned was given of the Andersonville POW camp, where he gained a reputation for being a “weak administrator …[with] a bad temper.” [3]

Historians debate about how at fault Wirz actually was. He had very little in terms of resources, and in 1864 the Union had stopped prisoner exchanges. When word got out about the atrocities of Andersonville, through photographs and witnesses, someone had to be held accountable. Wirz’s trial took 2 months, and throughout it all he refused to plead guilty to charges of “wanton cruelty.”

- Valarie S. and David P.





[1] John, Simkin. "Spartacus Educational." Accessed November 6, 2013. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USACWwirz.htm.
[2] "History.com." Accessed November 6, 2013. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/henry-wirz-hanged.
[3] Henry Wirz," The Biography Channel website,http://www.biography.com/people/henry-wirz-560234 (accessed Nov 06, 2013).

November 9, 1906 - President Theodore Roosevelt travels to Panama

 On this day in history, 107 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt took a trip to Panama that would essentially revolutionize America’s trading system in the years to follow.

Shortly after assuming the presidency in 1901, Roosevelt began working to negotiate a treaty with Columbia to construct a canal in Panama, which was, at that time, Columbian territory. When Columbia began to waver in their decision to sign over these rights, however, Roosevelt instigated a revolution between Columbia and their Panamanian subjects. Although the battle lasted less than a day, with it a new nation, Panama, was generated. Through the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, America was able to acquire all rights necessary to construct the passage that would eventually connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, for just $10 million. [1]

Several years after the initial construction began, Roosevelt traveled to the canal site to observe what progress had been made, becoming the first president of the United States to leave the country during his tenure. Roosevelt’s visit proved successful in boosting morale and interest in the Panama Canal project. Upon arrival, the president was shocked by the chaos that erupted from the project’s overall disorganization; workers suffered poor working conditions, life threatening illnesses, and an overall lack of proper nutrition. He rallied to provide a better environment for those employed at the canal, including improved medical attention and healthcare. [2]

Approximately 30,000 workers labored in ten-hour shifts in order to complete the $400 million project by 1914. The Panama Canal stretches nearly fifty miles across the diameter of the Isthmus of Panama and shortens the route from New York to San Francisco by nearly 8,000 miles. [3]

Ultimately, the construction of the canal was a massive undertaking, with massive rewards; bringing forth tremendous economic advantages to the United States. 1974 marked the canal’s first toll increase, raising prices from 90 cents to $1.08 per cargo ton; America’s ownership of the canal allowing the nation to reap all such profits. The record toll amount was set the following year by a passenger ship that was charged $42,077.88 for passage [4].

Because the route through Panama was so significantly shorter than the alternative route, America, as well as other countries involved in trade, were also able to enjoy larger profits from transported goods. Despite the economic advantages that America incurred, however, Panama received hardly any benefit at all. Panamanians were prohibited from marketing goods or services of any kind within the Canal Zone and were often refused employment on the Canal. It was not until 1977, during Jimmy Carter’s administration, that the Panama Canal Treaty was signed, promising to repeal the United States’ power over the canal by the year 2000, at which time Panama would be responsible for the defense and operation of the canal. [5]

Now, nearly 100 years after construction reached completion, the Panama Canal is still being used; allowing shipments of commercial goods to be transported more quickly and efficiently than ever before. Approximately 14,000 ships pass through the Panama Canal each day, traffic ranging from automobile shipments to military vessels [6].

It is thanks to Theodore Roosevelt’s great vision and perseverance that we are now able to enjoy the benefits of the Panama Canal, or as he called it, “This Great Enterprise.” In the words of Roosevelt himself, “The canal was by far the most important action I took in foreign affairs during the time I was president. When nobody could or would exercise efficient authority, I exercised it.” [7]

- Brittany W.




[1,3] “American President: A Reference Resource,” Miller Center University of Virginia, accessed November 1, 2013, http://millercenter.org/president/roosevelt/essays/biography/5

2 “Teddy Roosevelt travels to Panama,” On this Day in History, accessed November 1, 2013, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/teddy-roosevelt-travels-to-panama

4 “Timeline: Creating the Canal,” American Experience, accessed November 8, 2013, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/panama/2/

5 “Panama Treaty of 1977,” Council on Foreign Relations, accessed November 1, 2013, http://www.cfr.org/panama/panama-canal-treaty-1977/p12637

6 “What is the purpose of the Panama Canal?,” USA Today, accessed November 1, 2013, http://traveltips.usatoday.com/purpose-panama-canal-63793.html

7 “Teddy Roosevelt travels to Panama on Nov. 9, 1906,” Politico, accessed November 1, 2013, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/6790.html

November 7, 1972 - Girls Allowed to Join New Jersey Little League Teams

Maria Pepe, 1972

Over thirty years ago, a young girl named Maria Pepe changed Little League baseball forever. She was the first girl to ever step foot on a Little League baseball field and play a game with the boys in 1972. Little did she know she was about to become the center of national attention and a legal battle that would help shape the role of women in sports around the world.[1]

Protests begin because the parents of the Hoboken community believe girls should not play in Little League baseball and the matter is sent to Williamsport, New York, home of Little League baseball. The ruling is that the Young Democrats, Marias team, can't play anymore Little League games unless they take Maria off the team. The 12-year-old Hoboken girl started three games for the Young Democrats and pitched all three games until she was kicked off by her coach.[2] Revealing the prevailing social views on girls in sports, the little league stated that, “girls’ bone strength, muscle strength and reaction time were inferior to those of boys”.[3] That ends her Little League career, but the National Organization for Women sues Little League Baseball on her behalf that it is against equal rights. On November 7, 1973 Sylvia Pressler a Hearing Examiner for the New Jersey Civil Rights Division, ruled in favor of letting girls into Little League baseball. This ruling was later upheld in the Superior Court in early 1974; once passed it was a change that eventually allowed millions of girls on a global scale to participate in the largest organized youth sports program.[4] Maria is in high school and too old to play Little League baseball, but doesn't take long for the ruling in Maria’s case to start to make a difference in 1974 when Bunny Taylor another 12 year old girl becomes the first girl to pitch a no-hitter.[5]

Women in the 1970s dealt with major hardship of still not being equal to men. One great example of none equality rights was with girls like Maria being turned away from a male sport because of gender. The National Organization for Women gets involved in this case because of the gender problem and they were looking for strives in women’s rights during the 1970s. Women were striving in the 1970s to be a part of the Women Rights movement and Maria left her footprint in Women Rights history. [6]


- Frank F.





1. “Landmark Decision Allowed Girls to Play Little League. (n.d.). MomsTeam. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from http://www.momsteam.com/sports/baseball/general/landmark-decision-allowed-girls-to-play-little-league”

2. “ESPN top 10 Women sports movment. (n.d.). ESPN. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/moments/uswomen.html”

3.”ESPN top 10”

4. Settimi, Christina. "Before Title IX There Was Maria Pepe Waiting 'His Turn At Bat'." Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2012/06/24/before-title-ix-there-was-maria-pepe/2/ (accessed November 2, 2013).

5. “Women and their Roles throughout American History. (n.d.). : Women in the 1970's. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from http://womenrolehistory.blogspot.com/2011/09/women-in-1970s.html”

6. “Women and their Roles”

7. “Landmark decision Allowed”

November 5, 1968 - Richard Nixon Wins the Presidential Election

Nixon’s presidential victory relates to the factors his campaign was directed and established on. After serving as vice-president for eight years, Richard Nixon ran for president against John F. Kennedy in 1962; however, Kennedy won the majority of the popular vote by 0.17% (1). Two years after losing the presidential election, Richard Nixon ran for governor of California against Edmund G. Brown, but Brown won the election by 5% (2). However, failing again was not the end of Nixon’s political career as many political critics believed. By February 1968, Nixon’s political career recovered in the Republican Party and he announced his candidacy for president (3). Eventually in 1938, Richard Nixon won the presidential election against Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey and George Wallace of the American Party (3).

Firstly, foreign policy was one of the major factors in Nixon’s election (4). Through Nixon’s diplomatic achievements during Dwight Eisenhower’s administration garnered him public trust and support, and his claim that to stop the war in Vietnam was soothing to the ears of the people who were tired of the anti-war protests and its controversy (5). Therefore, Vietnam War played a vital role in the election of 1938. It also gave Nixon the chance to direct his campaign towards the “silent majority” of the middle class and the working class (6). Unlike the Democrats, the Republican candidates were careful to craft an image of moderation and dignity, which stood in contrast to the disorder in the Democratic Party. Lyndon Johnson, the sitting president and a Democrat, lost the public relations war to the North Vietnamese, and he dropped out of the race as he struggled in the primaries. Also, Robert Kennedy (a new forerunner) was murdered in June after the primary election in California, leaving the party in disarray (7).

Richard Nixon won about 31.8 million popular votes, while Humphrey won 31.3 million votes. In the Electoral College, Nixon received 301 votes, Humphrey won 191 votes and George Wallace won 46 votes (8). According to some critics, Nixon’s victory was a result of the division in the Democratic Party, rather than to strong support for himself or his platform. He was a president by default, without a mandate or a strong constituency, and that many Americans felt they had corrected a mistake (9). From another perspective, one might conclude that perhaps Nixon won the election because of his perseverance, as Julie Andrews once said, “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th."

- Teledalase O. and Lindsay T.




(1) “United States presidential election, 1960” Wikipedia, accessed on November 1, 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1960

(2) “California gubernatorial election, 1962” Wikipedia, accessed on November 1,2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_gubernatorial_election,_1962

(3) “Richard Nixon elected President” History .com, accessed on November 1,2013 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/richard-nixon-elected-president

(4) “Nixon and Foreign Policy”, accessed on November 1, 2013, http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/nixon-and-foreign-policy/

(5) “Nixon and Foreign Policy”

(6) “Nixon and Foreign Policy”

(7) “Richard Nixon Back Again: 1968”, accessed on November 1, 2013, http://www.examiner.com/article/richard-nixon-back-again-1968

(8) “Nixon and Foreign Policy”

(9) “Richard Nixon Back Again: 1968”

November 2, 1962 - JFK Announces USSR would Dismantle Cuban Missile Sites

On November 2, 1962 President John F. Kennedy and Nikita S. Khrushchev, the Soviet leader came to an agreement which concluded the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a conflict between The United States and Cuba when President John F. Kennedy ordered a blockade of Cuba due to the discovery that Soviet Nuclear Missiles were being constructed on the island. This conflict could have played a huge role in today’s everyday life had the situation not been handled cautiously. Had there been conflicting views and no reached agreements by the two parties, nuclear war was destined to occur. [1]

President Kennedy was first informed of the construction of Soviet Missiles in Cuba on October 16,1962. Speaking on the topic of missiles being constructed in Cuba; Kennedy administration officials have said that the Soviet leader acted for “global strategic reasons” and Khrushchev himself claimed that he was “primarily motivated by the desire to defend the Cuban revolution, and his ally Fidel Castro, from aggression by the United States.” [2] Then finding out about the construction of missiles, Kennedy decided to take action and place a naval blockade around Cuba. The main purpose of this blockade was to prevent the Soviets from bringing in more military supplies to Cuba. [3]

It had seemed that a satisfactory resolution for both Kennedy and Khrushchev in this crisis was becoming more and more farfetched. Khrushchev sent a letter to Kennedy demanding that the United States agree to remove its Jupiter missiles from Turkey in exchange for a Soviet removal of missiles from Cuba. Kennedy then made a bargain with Khrushchev, sending a letter assuring Khrushchev that the United States would speedily take out its missiles from Turkey, but only on the basis of a secret understanding, not as an open agreement that would appear to the public, and to NATO allies, as a concession to blackmail. [4] Many details involving the agreement to take the U.S. missiles out of Turkey remain in question to this day.

Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, met in his office at the Justice Department with Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin to settle the discrepancy once and for all. The agreement between the two sides have raised many questions and confusion over the years. U.S. officials have mandated that neither John nor Robert Kennedy promised to withdraw the Jupiters in exchange for the removal of Soviet missiles in Cuba, but that Robert Kennedy informed Dobrynin that he had planned to remove the American missiles in any event. However, many scholars of the Cuban Missile Crisis throughout the years have strongly suspected that Robert F. Kennedy relayed a pledge from his brother to take out the Jupiters from Turkey in exchange for the Soviet removal of nuclear missiles from Cuba, so long as Moscow kept the swap secret. [4]

- Troy S. and Luke M.




[1] “JFK announces a blockade of Cuba,” The History Channel website, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jfk-announces-a-blockade-of-cuba (accessed Nov 1, 2013).
[2] Dobbs, Michael. "Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)." The New York Times, . http://www.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/cuban_missile_crisis/index.html (accessed November 1, 2013).
[3] For thirteen days in October 1962 the world waited—seemingly on the brink of nuclear war—and hoped for a peaceful resolution to the Cuban Missile Crisis.. working paper., John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Mueseum. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Cuban-Missile-Crisis.aspx
[4] Hershberg, Jim. Anatomy of a Controversy . working paper., The George Washington University, 1995. The National Security Archive http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/moment.htm.

October 31, 1968 - President Johnson Ends Operation Rolling Thunder

On this day in history in the year 1968 President Johnson announced a halt to Operation Rolling Thunder, a bombing operation against the North Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The end of Operation Rolling Thunder was an attempt at peace, to hopefully stop the war between the Viet Cong and the United States. In Operation Rolling Thunder, U.S. military aircraft attacked targets throughout North Vietnam from March 1965 to October 1968. Operation Rolling Thunder lasted three years before the dissection off the halt be for it came to an end in 1968. Part of the reason for the bombing mission was to destroy North Vietnam's transportation system, industrial base, air defenses, and to cease the flow of men and materiel into South Vietnam. The U.S. didn’t want to risk thousands of troops by sending them in to fight one-on-one.

Johnson wanted to stop the bombing and the war. These were his intentions when he considered the halt. Johnson didn’t do it right a way he looked in to it to make sure no one would be affected by this. That’s why Johnson was playing it safe. He didn’t want to show that his guard was down and because we could get surprised attacked. There was no knowledge on what will happen if Johnson stopped Operation Rolling Thunder. Many people kept telling him that nothing major couldn’t happen since the Viet Cong didn’t have a big air force unit, so they wasn’t able to attack us through air support. The bombing halt of Operation Rolling Thunder made President Johnson reputation bad with the U.S citizens. Johnson already know that if he ran for president again no one would vote for him because of the bombing. Not that many were pleased of the decision he has made on the bombing halt. Johnson made a good decision because it did bring peace.

October 29, 1940 - First Peacetime Military Draft Enacted

Draft registration line at Jefferson Streetcar Barn
in Seattle on October 16, 1940

When looking at the world today, it is quite different than it was just a short time ago in 1940. Americans today are spoiled; we are currently living in one of the most peaceful times in world history. Democracy across the global has fostered a world in which many disputes can be solved with words rather than weapons. Today men and women willingly volunteer to proudly serve their country. Contrary to today, 1940 was a scary time to be a young American man, due to tensions surrounding World War II.

Prior to America’s entrance in the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 into law [i]. This act required all men between the ages 21 and 35 to register for the draft. Originally the service time was twelve months. In 1941, the term was expanded to encompass a longer term of duty and a larger population of men that could be conscripted. In total, 10,110,104 men were drafted for the war. On October 29th, 1940, the first lottery for the draft was held, officially bringing the first men into the military for World War II through conscription.[ii] 

Controversy casted a shadow over the draft during this time; this was very prevalent in minority communities. The African-American and Japanese populations were affected more harshly than any other groups. During this time over 100,000 Japanese-Americans, many of whom had little to no connection with Japan other than ancestry, were sent and imprisoned in internment camps. The other group, African-Americans, was still battling for basic rights that we all share today. Abroad, these men were fighting for freedom for their country. In their country, they were fighting for freedom for themselves. Throughout the time, most were forced to serve in segregated regiments. Of the ten million men that served in the military for WWII, over one million of them were African-Americans. Despite this blatant racial segregation and lack of equality, these two groups were asked to do the same things that whites were doing while at the same time fighting battles of their own. The draft and World War II took a serious toll on Americans of all walks of life because of the duel front that was created both by weapons abroad and hypocritical rhetoric at home.

- Nick M. and Matthew G.




[i] Andrew Glass. Politico "Congress enacts first peacetime draft law: Sept. 14, 1940." Accessed October 24, 2013. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5792.html.

[ii] David Wilma. "First peacetime draft in U.S. history takes effect on October 16, 1940.." Accessed October 24, 2013. http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=5572.