LAD #37: Brown v. Board of Education

Linda Brown being escorted out of the "white" elementary school.

In Kansas, in the 1950s, schools were racially segregated, with white schools often being much better than black ones. The father of Linda Brown, a black third grader, tried to enroll her in a white elementary school, which was much closer to her home than the black one, but the principal refused to let her attend. The NAACP tried to help and requested an injuction. At court, the NAACP argued that segregating schools led to a feeling of inferiority among black children, while the Board argued that since other facilities were segregated, it would prepare them for being segregated later in life. The court felt compelled to rule in favor of the Board, but the NAACP appealed to the Supreme Court, which struck down the "separate but equal" idea of Plessy v. Ferguson, taking a huge step in desegregation of schools.

LAD #36: Truman Doctrine

President Truman addressing Congress with the Truman Doctrine.

Truman asks for Congress's approval to aid Greece, as it had been ravaged by invasions and war and he believed Greece was close to being taken over by communist revolutionaries and would lose its self-determination of America didn't step in to help. Greece also wanted America to send administrators that would help them use their resources effectively to improve their government. Truman also supports sending aid to Turkey, which, although not as badly damaged as Greece, deserved it because it played an important role in keeping peace in the Middle East. Truman believed aiding them would help preserve democracy in those two countries as well as the ones around them. He believed America was the only nation in a position to help their struggling governments after World War II.

LAD #35: FDR's Executive Order #9066

Japanese-Americans preparing for the move into internment camps, authorized by Executive Order #9066

In the Order, FDR authorized military commanders to set up "military areas" (internment camps) in which they could be restricted, and to provide transportation to and food / water / shelter for those areas. They could also take steps as they deemed necessary to enforce Japanese compliance. He directed the other Federal Agencies to aid them in setting up and enforcing the restrictions.

LAD #34: FDR's Declaration of War

FDR signing the declaration of war.

The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR addressed the nation saying that Japan deliberately attacked America even though they had previously agreed upon peace, and Japan had delivered a message to the Secretary of State that mentioned no hint of a future attack. Since Hawaii was so far away from Japan, it was clear that the attack was planned, possibly weeks in advance. Japan had been deliberately tried to lie to America. Japanese forces also attacked many other places in the Pacific area. He then asserts his certainty that America will pull through, no matter how long it would take. America would not only defend itself, but make sure that an incident like this would never happen again. With God's help, they would triumph over the danger. He asks that Congress declare war on Japan.

LAD #33: FDR's First Inaugural Address

FDR giving his first inaugural address.

FDR opens the speech with his most famous line - "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He hopes that people will support him in the hard times America is facing. The difficulties, thankfully, only consist of material things, like money. Though loss of trade and unemployment are big problems, they still had a lot to be thankful for. Much of the problem was caused by money changers, whose thoughts were outdated, and it was time to restore the nation back to being based on social values rather than monetary profit. Also, happiness is not achieved through making money but through achievement, and people shouldn't try to get into high positions just for power and profit.

Restoration calls for action as well; the problem of unemployment could be solved by putting people to work on government projects and at the same time organizing the nation's natural resources efficiently. Talking about it won't help; they must act. In addition, practices such as speculation with other peoples' money and corrupt banking needed to stop.

The nation now realizes its interdependence, that they must act together in order to make any progress. Discipline was the key to getting the nation back on track.

LAD #32: Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact

French statesman signing the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

The pact stated that the signers - United States, Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain, India, Japan, Poland, and the Czechoslovakian Republic - would no longer turn to war as a national instrument and resolved that peace would be maintained between these countries. They were to condemn war and have all settlements of conflict be carried out peacefully. The pact would also be open to other countries to join, and it would be the duty of America's government to provide joining countries with a copy of the treaty and any necessary instruments they would need to ratify or adhere to it.

LAD #31: President Wilson's 14 Points

Wilson presenting Congress with his Fourteen Points

Wilson's Fourteen Points were proposed as a way to keep peace after World War I. In the opening, he discusses the conditions of countries like Germany and Russia. At Brest-Litovsk,  Germany was not interested in keeping peace, so Wilson proposed the 14 points in an attempt to make the world safe to live in. The points are summarized as follows:

1. Open covenants of peace

2. Freedom of the seas

3. Removal of economic barriers and establishment of equality of trade

4. Reduction of national armaments to the bare minimum necessary

5. Open-minded adjustment of colonial claims

6. Evacuation and lenient treatment of Russia

7. Evacuation and restoration of Belgium

8. Evacuation and restoration of French territory

9. Adjustment of Italy's borders

10. Allowing Austria-Hungary to self-govern

11. Evacuation and restoration of Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro

12. Secure sovereignty of Turkey and free passage through the Dardanelles

13. Creation of an independent Polish state

14. Establishment of the League of Nations