This Day in History — Nixon Expands Social Security and Medicare Benefits for Seniors

On October 30, 1969 Richard Nixon signed landmark social security and Medicare legislation increasing much needed benefits to widowed seniors who now receive 100 percent of their deceased spouses Social Security benefits, and extended medical coverage to 1.5 million beneficiaries. The following is Nixon’s radio address broadcast the same day the legislation was passed: Good [...]

This Day in History — The Supreme Court Orders School Integration

On October 29, 1969, The United States Supreme Court ordered that all school segregation must be done at once, overturning the enforcing doctrine established in 1954 of conducting the order in “all deliberate speed.” Before this issue came before the court in Alexander vs. Holmes Board County of Education, President Nixon had ordered a delay [...]

This Day in History — Rev. Billy Graham Launches Ministry

On October 15, 1949, American icon and evangelist Billy Graham was improbably launched onto the national stage after what began as a quiet crusade in Los Angeles for his Youth for Christ Movement became a shared national experience that lasted eight weeks through Autumn of that same year. Thrust by the hand of infamous newspaper [...]

This Day in History — Arafat, Rabin, and Peres receive Nobel Peace Prize

On October 14, 1994 Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and PLO leader Yasser Arafat received the Nobel Peace Prize after a series of negotiations that led to the 1993 Oslo Accords. Mediated by President Bill Clinton, the negotiated settlement granted self-rule to Palestinians in parts of the West Bank and the [...]

This Day in History — France Forms 4th Republic

On October 13, 1946 France adopted its 4th Constitution following the destabilizing episodes that daunted the country during World War II. While attempts were made to hedge the volatility of parliamentary coalitions and decrease cabinet turnover, France fell victim to 26 government changes during the 12 years of the 4th Republic. During this period of unstable [...]

This Day in History — Chamberlain, Dadalier Appease Hitler at Munich.

On October 10, 1938 the Munich Agreement whose signatories included Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy finally ceded to Hiter’s demands possession of the ethnically German Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. In exchange Hitler made a commitment to non-aggression and dropped his petitions for additional territories. When the agreement was first decided, Chamberlain stood outside 10 Downing [...]

This Day in History — Khmer Republic Takes Power in Cambodia

On October 9, 1970, the Khmer Republic (1970-1975) was established as an emergency government by Prime Minister Lon Nol following the abdication of then Prince Sinhaouk. The Sinhaouk government, legally neutral yet very corrupt, became very unstable and fell prey to internal political factions. The Khmer Rouge and Lon Nol’s army both attempted coups against [...]

This Day in History — 40th Anniversary of Che Guevara Capture

40 years ago today, October 8, 1967, communist revolutionary cult figure and Fidel Castro confidant Ernesto “Che” Guevara, was captured and killed the next day by the Bolivian Army after attempts to ignite leftist revolutions in developing countries. Che’s cult personality can perhaps best be attributed to his participation in the Cuban Revolution against the [...]

This Day in History — Nixon Lays-Out 5 Point Plan for Indochine Peace.

On October 7, 1970, President Richard Nixon spoke to the nation to report his new plan for a peaceful and honorable extrication from Vietnam. Politically divided by a de-moralized war, Nixon knew that the America needed to end the War but reaffirm it’s geopolitical strength in the terms of troop withdrawal. The following is his [...]

This Day in History — Anwar Sadat Murdered by Muslim Radicals

On October 6, 1981 Egyptian President Anwar Al-Sadat was assassinated during a victory parade by religous radicals within his own army. Sadat maddened Islamic extremists for his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and his recognition of Israel in return for the economically vital Sinai Peninsula. Sadat was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in [...]