American history through my eyes

[VanC]

Don't know if this will interest anyone else, but I'm gonna post it anyway. I've always loved history and especially American history. With tomorrow being the 5 year anniversary of 9/11, I got to thinking about some of the history that I've witnessed with my own eyes. This is my list of events that I'm old enough to remember and that are significant to me. I will keep my politics out of it, and if you choose to comment, I trust you to do the same.

Nov. 22, 1963- President Kennedy assassinated. Anyone my age or older surely will agree with this one.

July 20, 1969- "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Aug. 9, 1974- President Nixon resigns. Only time in American history that a president resigned for any reason.

Jan. 28, 1986- Space Shuttle Challenger explodes during takeoff. Amazing how we had come to take something so difficult and so dangerous for granted.

Aug. 2, 1990- Irag invades Kuwait, setting into motion events that led to the Gulf War.

Dec. 19, 1998- President Clinton impeached. Only second time in American history a president was impeached, the other being Andrew Johnson in 1868.

Election 2000- Exposed some of the worst behavior in American politicians, courts and media (IMHO). If I remember right, it was only the third time in American history a candidate for president lost the popular vote but one the election.

Sept. 11, 2001- If I remember right, this was the first time the American homeland was attacked since the War of 1812.

March 19, 2003- Beginning of the Iraq War. It will be interesting to see how this is viewed many years from now.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Don't know if this will interest anyone else, but I'm gonna post it anyway. I've always loved history and especially American history. With tomorrow being the 5 year anniversary of 9/11, I got to thinking about some of the history that I've witnessed with my own eyes. This is my list of events that I'm old enough to remember and that are significant to me. I will keep my politics out of it, and if you choose to comment, I trust you to do the same.

Nov. 22, 1963- President Kennedy assassinated. Anyone my age or older surely will agree with this one.

July 20, 1969- "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Aug. 9, 1974- President Nixon resigns. Only time in American history that a president resigned for any reason.

Jan. 28, 1986- Space Shuttle Challenger explodes during takeoff. Amazing how we had come to take something so difficult and so dangerous for granted.

Aug. 2, 1990- Irag invades Kuwait, setting into motion events that led to the Gulf War.

Dec. 19, 1998- President Clinton impeached. Only second time in American history a president was impeached, the other being Andrew Johnson in 1868.

Election 2000- Exposed some of the worst behavior in American politicians, courts and media (IMHO). If I remember right, it was only the third time in American history a candidate for president lost the popular vote but one the election.

Sept. 11, 2001- If I remember right, this was the first time the American homeland was attacked since the War of 1812.

March 19, 2003- Beginning of the Iraq War. It will be interesting to see how this is viewed many years from now.

First one I disagree with worst president in American history backed by the mob, womanizer and Father of todays welfare system.

Pearl Harbor was American Soil the Philipines were American Soil and so was the Aluethian(sp) Island's were American soil all invaded or attacked by the Japs.

 

[VanC]

First one I disagree with worst president in American history backed by the mob, womanizer and Father of todays welfare system.

Pearl Harbor was American Soil the Philipines were American Soil and so was the Aluethian(sp) Island's were American soil all invaded or attacked by the Japs.

As far as Kennedy goes, I wasn't stating whether he was a good president or not. I was stating that the assassination of an American president is a pretty significant event in American history. At least it was to me.

As far as 9/11 goes, I was considering American soil to be within a state. If you include territories and possessions then you are right.

 

[dun]

CB, I had expected you to throw in the Wrights boys at Kittyhawk

dun

 

[Jogeephus]

I agree, these are pretty big memorable events. World Trade Center got hit twice though. Most people forget - or overlook - the first bombing. Thats what makes the second bombing so crazy to me. We knew they wanted to take it out.

Also, Japan bombed the West coast a few times. This was played down to prevent any panic in country. Of course their bombing was not very effective it was only meant to cause panic and at this it was ineffective.

 

[Caustic Burno]

CB, I had expected you to throw in the Wrights boys at Kittyhawk

dun

I missed that one. Do remember as a kid gawking at airplanes just didn't see many. World ran at a slower pace.

 

[Wewild]

First one I disagree with worst president in American history backed by the mob, womanizer and Father of todays welfare system.

I always had FDR down as the father of the welfare system. He did a good job with it ... it just kinda got side ways in the last 70 or so years.

I agree with the assement of Clinton.

 

[Caustic Burno]

First one I disagree with worst president in American history backed by the mob, womanizer and Father of todays welfare system.

I always had FDR down as the father of the welfare system. He did a good job with it ... it just kinda got side ways in the last 70 years.

I agree with the assement of Clinton.

Under FDR you had to work for pay under the CCC program, not sit on the front porch with a beer waiting on the welfare check and food stamps.

 

[Wewild]

First one I disagree with worst president in American history backed by the mob, womanizer and Father of todays welfare system.

I always had FDR down as the father of the welfare system. He did a good job with it ... it just kinda got side ways in the last 70 years.

I agree with the assement of Clinton.

Under FDR you had to work for pay under the CCC program, not sit on the front porch with a beer waiting on the welfare check and food stamps.

I'm not sure that we are disagreeing on this point.

Grandmother said they weren't effected by the depression of the the 30's as they didn't have anything anyway except the abiltiy to grow their food. So her kids where feed.

 

[chrisy]

I remember all of those dates and things as well, it was about 7pm here and it came through on the 7:30pm NEWS that JFK had died from three gun shot wounds, I had just come home from swimming, and can remember it clearly.

When 9/11 happened I was watching a programme and it was interupted by the NEWS and I can remember just crying and saying Oh! My God those poor people, and the ones left behind. it made me sick.

I like history, any kind, unfortunatly I don't know much about American History, but I am learning. each post on the subject I look up and research when I can.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Good Friday, 1964, I was in Kenai, Alaska. Awful earthquake. Turnagain arm sank and we were stuck on the penninsula.

I remember Kennedy getting assisinated. I was on a horse, crossing railroad tracks, following cattle. Momma and my grandma pulled up and stopped Grandaddy and Daddy to tell them. I was too young to know much about the presidential office or anything else. I simply remember where I was and what we were doing.

 

[john250]

I don't know how you would put a date on it, but running all through the early part of this has to be Vietnam.

Also, political assasination didn't stop with JFK. RFK, MLK, George Wallace paralyzed, Ford fired on by a Manson disciple, Reagan. The Pope.

Very thoughtful list.

 

[VanC]

I don't know how you would put a date on it, but running all through the early part of this has to be Vietnam.

You're absolutely right. A huge oversight on my part. I don't remember the date, but the Tet offensive was huge. That's when the American public started to turn against the war. Also the final days of our pullout. I'll never forget the images of those people scrambling to get on those helicopters and being left behind.

1968 sure was a heckuva year. Assassinations of RFK and MLK, Vietnam, Chicago Democratic Convention. Country was in an uproar, but showed how resilient we are in the years that followed.

 

[aplusmnt]

I would probably throw in the Vietnam War in that time frame. Not only just the fact it was a war that our soldiers gave their lives for, but seemed to start some serious social issues that are still going strong to this day.

Also President Reagan being shot

Americans kidnapped in Iran

 

[dun]

The Tonkin Gulf resolution

dun

 

[msscamp]

I don't know how you would put a date on it, but running all through the early part of this has to be Vietnam.

You're absolutely right. A huge oversight on my part. I don't remember the date, but the Tet offensive was huge.

......August 7, 1964 Congress approves declaring war.

My mistake in interpreting what I was reading - although Congress approved military action in Vietnam, we never formally declared war on Vietnam. Thank you MPR for calling me on this, and I apologize to all for my error.

 

[Jogeephus]

Here is a good summary.