LAD #37: Brown vs., Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas

Linda Brown was an elementary school girl who wished to be enrolled in a "white" school, which was only 7 blocks from her house. She was walking a mile everyday to go to her black elementary schools, so her parents presented the problem to the NAACP. This organization supported the Brown family and helped to present a case against the Board of Education to the District Court. The District Court used the Plessy vs. Ferguson case to rule that schools and public areas could be "separate but equal." They argued that just because African Americans had to attend different schools, does not mean they are at a disadvantage to become successful. The Brown family appealed their case to the United States Supreme Court. They also combined their case with other similar public school segregation problems occurring in different states. This historic Supreme Court ruling reversed the district ruling and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case ruling. The Supreme Court allowed for integration of public schools. Additionally, the court ruled that all other public areas would remain segregated until later. This historic court decision would lead to the desegregation of public areas.

LAD #36: Truman Doctrine

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union began to have disagreements in government policy: democracy versus communism. This will ultimately lead to the Cold War. The first American policy that spoke out against Communist expansionism in the East was the Truman Doctrine. Greece was the first country that it began to spread to, and American soldiers were sent there to rid them of German influence and control. Truman supplied military goods, arms, men, food, and other supplies to Greece in order for them to resist the oncoming USSR. After Truman saw Greece as "safe" from Communism, he used this same tactic and policy towards Turkey. Turkey was also needing helping in creating a Democratic form of government safe from the Communism that was spreading through eastern Europe. Overall, President Harry S. Truman request over 750 billion dollars from Congress to supply to Greece and Turkey to resist Communism. The United States created this new role of "protector of the free world" and helped to combat the Communist fears by establishing this policy.

LAD #35: FDR's Executive Order #9066

FDR delivered his Executive Order #9066 to the Secretary of War. This granted him the ability to create military sectors of the country "from which any or all persons may be excluded". These sectors, locations, etc. were not designed for any specific reason at the time. Later on, these would be used as Japanese Internment Camps. The areas were designated for use as "foreign enemy ancestry" detainment locations during the war. Roosevelt cited and quotes many other executive orders and states that these did not invalidate this one by any means. 

LAD #34: FDR's Declaration of War

In his Declaration of War, FDR explains that the Japanese had been deceiving the United States government and its people. They have done this by acting like they had hopes of peace in the Pacific that the United States did as well. He goes on to discuss the attack of Pearl Harbor the day before, stating that Japan had no hint or slight indication in the prior weeks of any sort of attack or war. FDR continues to talk about the attacks Japan had launched in the past 24 hours, which include: Malaya, Guam, Philippenes, Midway Island, and Wake Island. He finishes his statement by telling the American people that he will protect them from further attacks as he asks Congress to declare war on the Empire of Japan. 

LAD #33: FDR's First Inaugural Address

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inaugural address outlined, in broad terms, how he hoped to govern. FDR reminded Americans that the nation's "common difficulties" concerned "only material things." The speech was almost entirely composed of the issues of the economy at the time: The Great Depression. He outline his plan to fix the economy, which included putting as many people to work as possible. FDR stated that international trade would not be a priority anymore because the country needed to fix the emergency at home first. He addresses the issue of the depression as if it were a war. He expresses his hope for Congress to accept the laws he proposed quickly. He states that he "shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis-broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe." This statement foreshadows the extreme power FDR would exercise during his time as president through the attempted stacking of the Supreme Court and other measures.

LAD #32: Kellogg Briand Peace Pact

The Kellogg Briand Peace Pact was signed by 11 nations right away. France, Poland, Belgium, Japan, and even more nations signed within a year. The pact rejected war as a form of foreign policy. It established that any nation that went to war for only a personal benefit would not be given those benefits in any treaty. The nations who signed hoped that those who did not sign would eventually follow the example of the signed powers and reject war themselves. The United States was responsible for making and holding the treaty and adding more nations to the pact. A year after the treaty was created, over 40 nations had joined the pact. The treaty was created by Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg. It was signed by President Calvin Coolidge. The treaty was later reaffirmed by President Hoover and and his Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson.

LAD #31: Wilson's 14 Points

President Woodrow Wilson played a major role in negotiations and peace keeping both during and after the Great War. The United States emerged as the greatest world power and Wilson put out his 14 points plan. This plan helped to prevent further conflict and not destroy defeated countries. The points are summarized below.

1. Open covenants of peace
2. Provide freedom of navigation in the seas
3. Remove economic barriers and establish equality of trade
4. Reduce national armies
5. Adjust colonial claims
6. Evacuate Russian Territory to promote growth
7. Evacuate and restore Belgium
8. All French territory freed and restored
9. Readjustment of Italy's borders
10. Free opportunities to people of Austria-Hungary
11. Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro evacuated and restored
12. Protection for minorities in Turkey and free passage of ships in Dardanelles
13. Independence for Poland 
14. Form a League of Nations to avoid further conflict