The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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On April 4, 1949, a pivotal moment in international relations was marked by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C. Twelve nations came together to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance that has played a crucial role in ensuring collective security and fostering cooperation among member countries. This historic agreement laid the foundation for a partnership that has endured for over seven decades, adapting to the changing geopolitical...
On April 9, 1867. a deeply divided U.S. Senate passed the Alaska purchase by a single vote. The Senate ratified the treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska. The Alaska Purchase: A Landmark Deal in American History The Alaska Purchase, also known as "Seward's Folly," is a significant event in American history that saw the United States acquire a vast territory from Russia. This transaction, which occurred in 1867, dramatically reshaped the geographical and political landscape of North...
On April 10, 1821, a momentous and tragic event unfolded in Constantinople that would reverberate through the annals of history. Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople was hanged by the Ottoman government from the main gate of the Patriarchate, marking a significant turn in the Greek War of Independence. Background and Political Tensions The Greeks have a cultural identity that stretches back over 3400 years. The Apostle Paul brought Christianity to Greece and Anatolia (now Turkey). By the fourth...
The Easter Bunny is a much celebrated character in American Easter celebrations. On Easter Sunday, children look for hidden special treats, often chocolate Easter eggs, that the Easter Bunny might have left behind. Folklorist Tok Thompson, a professor of anthropology and communications at USC, writes for The Conversation on the origins of the long and interesting journey this mythical figure has taken from European prehistory to today. Religious role of the hare Easter is a celebration of...
On April 11, 1951, during the Korean War President Harry S. Truman (D) dismissal General Douglas MacArthur as the head of U.S. forces in Korea, Introduction The Korean War, which erupted on June 25, 1950, was a significant conflict in the early years of the Cold War. It pitted North Korean forces, supported by China and the Soviet Union, against South Korean and United Nations forces, primarily composed of U.S. military personnel. One of the most dramatic events during this war was President...
Key Event in the American Civil War On April 13, 1861, a significant event in American history unfolded as Fort Sumter, a federal fort located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, surrendered to Confederate forces. This event marked one of the first major conflicts of the American Civil War, which would last until 1865 and profoundly shape the nation's future. Background Fort Sumter was strategically important due to its location at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. The fort was controlled by...
On April 14, 70 A.D.: the future Roman Emperor Titus leading four Roman legions surrounded the city of Jerusalem to begin the siege of Jerusalem Titus and the Roman Legions Encircle the Jewish Capital In the annals of history, few events have been as transformative and harrowing as the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This pivotal moment marked the culmination of the First Jewish-Roman War, an epoch characterized by intense conflict and profound upheaval. Led by Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian,...
April 15, 1865, marks a somber day in the history of the United States. On this day, President Abraham Lincoln succumbed to the fatal wounds inflicted upon him by an assassin's bullet. Lincoln's death came at a crucial moment, just days after the end of the Civil War, a conflict that had torn the nation apart for four long years. His passing left the country in shock and mourning, and the reverberations of his loss were felt far and wide. The Assassination The tragic event unfolded on the...
Scholars believe that on April 16, 1457 the Battle of Megiddo was fought. The Battle of Megiddo stands as one of the most significant military engagements of the ancient world. This battle, led by Thutmose III of Egypt against a formidable Canaanite coalition under the King of Kadesh, is renowned for being the earliest recorded battle in history with details accepted as relatively reliable. Background Egyptian Expansion In the mid-15th century BC, Egypt was an empire in the ascendant,...
March 25, 1306: A Pivotal Day in Scottish History On the 25th of March, 1306, Robert the Bruce ascended the throne of Scotland, marking a significant turning point in the nation's history. The coronation took place in the midst of turbulent times, as Scotland grappled with political instability and the ongoing struggle for independence from English rule. To understand the magnitude of this event, it is essential to delve into the context leading up to Bruce's coronation, his rise to power, and...
March 23, 1503 the Union of the Crowns: James VI of Scotland Becomes James I of England. The move was a pivotal moment in British History The year 1603 marks a significant turning point in the history of the British Isles, as it witnessed the unification of the Scottish and English crowns. This momentous event came to pass when James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I, thus beginning a new chapter of governance and cultural integration that would shape the future of Britain....
On March 22, 1865, Union General James H. Wilson launched his raid on the industrial and railroad infrastructure of Alabama and Georgia to bring the South to its knees. In the final year of the American Civil War, a significant military campaign known as Wilson's Raid took place, shaping the course of the conflict and leaving a lasting impact on the Southern states of Alabama and Georgia. The raid, led by Union General James H. Wilson, involved a formidable force of 13,480 cavalry troops. By...
On March 15, 44 B. C. the Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar was stabbed to death on the floor of the Senate by Brutus, Cassius, and several other Senators. Julius Caesar was one of the most consequential people who ever lived, and his assassination led to momentous changes for the Roman world that literally changed the course of human history. Rome had been a republic for centuries but the civil war between 83 and 82 B.C. changed Rome (already a slave state where violence and assassinati...
On March 29, 1865, during the American Civil War, Union General Ulysses S. Grant launched his final campaign in Virginia, marking the beginning of the end for the Confederate forces. This critical campaign, known as the Appomattox Campaign, was a series of strategic battles that ultimately led to the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The events that unfolded during this campaign were pivotal in shaping the outcome of the war and the future of the United...
On this date - April 2 - in 1917 President Woodrow Wilson addressed the United States Congress, asking for a declaration of war against Germany. This request marked a significant turn in World War I and the role of the United States on the global stage. Background and Context By 1917, World War I had been raging for nearly three years, engulfing much of Europe in a devastating conflict. The United States had maintained a stance of neutrality, although it had provided economic and material...
On this day, April 3rd, we commemorate the powerful and prophetic speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. Known as "I've Been to the Mountaintop," this speech stands as one of the most poignant and inspiring addresses in American history, reflecting King's unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the struggle for civil rights. Historical Context In the final year of his life, Martin Luther King Jr. faced numerous challenges and growing opposition. Th...
The National WW2 Museum offers a compelling blend of sweeping narrative and poignant personal detail. It features immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences and an expansive collection of artifacts and first-person oral histories taking visitors inside the story of the war that changed the world. Beyond the galleries, the Museum's online collections, virtual field trips, webinars, educational travel programs and renowned International Conference on World War II offer patrons new ways to connect...
The spring of 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of a sad event in American history: The fall of Saigon, and the failure of the United States to honor its commitment to save South Vietnam from Communist aggression. Not that our military failed. At a colloquium years later between American and North Vietnamese to discuss the war, an American officer said, “You never defeated us on the battlefield. A North Vietnamese officer replied, “That is true. It is also irrelevant.” He meant that the Commu...
This Sunday leaders from throughout Alabama and the entire country will commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March and the infamous Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It was a momentous occasion and needs memorializing. Make no mistake about it, this event led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which gave the vote to Black Americans throughout the country and primarily in the South. It is probably the most important event in the Civil Rights movement....
On this day in 1965, in Selma, all white Alabama State Troopers, acting on the orders of Gov. George Wallace (D), aided by local law enforcement and citizen volunteers, used tear gas, clubs and brute force to prevent peaceful voting rights marchers from crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The march had been organized by Rev. Joseph Lowery, future Congressman John Lewis and local leaders who had planned a Selma to Montgomery march to protest the state of Alabama's systemic disenfranchisement of...
Officially designated National Rosie The Riveter Day by the U.S. Congress in 2017, March 21st this year falls on a Friday. And the American Rosie The Riveter Association, which was founded by Dr. Fran Carter, a longtime resident of Birmingham, Alabama, is encouraging everyone to visit a Rosie the Riveter and take her to lunch, plan a restaurant outing with Rosies, veterans, and family members, and plan a brief program for schoolchildren and residents at a senior center to recognize all Rosie...
On March 10, 1945, an estimated 100,000 Japanese died in Tokyo after 334 US B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers attack Tokyo with 120,000 fire bombs. In the 1930s, Army Air Corps planners studying at the Air Corps Tactical School at Montgomery's Maxwell Field developed the principle of high-altitude daytime precision bombing. While the British abandoned precision daylight bombing for nighttime fire-bombing in 1942, the U.S. Army Air Corps targeted individual factories, railyards, refineries, ports,...
On this day - March 9 - in1933 the U.S. Congress was called into a special session by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), beginning its "100 days" during which it passes 77 new laws. These laws were the start of what Roosevelt would term the "New Deal" and was his answer to the Great Depression. The start of the New Deal was comparatively so late because back then March was when new administrations were sworn in. A situation that so annoyed President Roosevelt that he changed it to the January...
On this date - March 8 - in 1948, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in the case of McCollum v. Board of Education, a ruling that would profoundly impact the interpretation of the First Amendment and the principle of the separation of church and state. The Court declared that religious instruction in public schools was unconstitutional, setting a crucial precedent for future cases involving the relationship between religion and public education. Background The case...
On this date March 5, in the year 363 AD, the Roman Emperor Julian embarked on an ambitious military campaign against the Sassanid Empire, a formidable adversary in the East. This bold endeavor would ultimately lead to Julian's death and mark a significant turning point in the history of the Roman Empire. The Prelude: Julian's Rise to Power Julian, known as Julian the Apostate, ascended to the throne in 361 AD following the death of his cousin, Constantius II. Julian was a philosopher and a man...
