March 12

1947 - The Truman Doctrine: In a speech to Congress, President Truman outlined what became known as the Truman Doctrine, calling for U.S. aid to countries threatened by Communist revolution - in this specific case Truman was talking about Greece and Turkey.

The Truman Doctrine was the dominant American foreign policy ideal for the next 45-years - the official U.S. policy of containing the Soviet Union.

It was "the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." - Truman

As such, it was one of the first shots in the Cold War.

Unfortunately, since the fall of the Soviet Union, American foreign policy has floundered because it hasn't had such a simple, precise goal...Instead it has been all over the board.  Maybe the answer is to not go looking for boogie men - and instead focus on 'Making American Great Agagin' domestically.

1848 - The Second French Republic was established.

At this time they are on #5...The U.S. has had one system of government in the same time frame.

Don’t forget to remind your Liberal friends of this the next time they try to expound on the brilliance of French politics.

1933 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the first of his radio 'fireside chats,' telling Americans what was being done to deal with the nation's economic crisis.

Exactly what was Roosevelt doing to deal with the crisis? Well, he created all kinds of government programs, with good intentions, which were bastardized into the creation of our current socialist welfare system...I don’t blame FDR for this eventuality, but if he really wanted to end the Depression he should gotten out of the 'Big Government' business - which likely 'helped' the Depression to last almost a decade.

1938 - The 'Anschluss': German troops entered Austria, completing what Adolf Hitler described as his mission to restore his homeland to the Third Reich.

Of all the ‘peaceful’ conquests Hitler made (otherwise known as British and French appeasement), this one made the most historic and national sense...Austria and the German states had many cultural and political links, including customs, religion, language and the Holy Roman Empire.

Plus, how could the Austrian Corporal claim to be a legitimate German leader unless he claimed Austria to be part of Germany Proper?

1940 - Finland and the Soviet Union concluded an armistice:  WWII.

The Ruskies were humiliated in the Winter War, with the inability to overwhelm a nation of far less might...Stalin attempted a land-grab and looked like a complete fool, and also created a German ally in Finland with this war.

That said, the little bit of Finnish real estate the Soviets captured gave them some extra breathing space when the Germans and Finns came calling in 1941.

1957 – East Germany agreed to a garrison of 22 Russian divisions.

As if they had an option to disagree...If the Krauts didn't agree to 'garrisoning' these divisions, these divisions would have simply 'occupied' East Germany - or worse.

Those who don’t understand the importance of this event: The U.S. never had no more than four divisions in Iraq at any time in the recent war (usually closer to 1.5)...The Soviets more or less held East Germany hostage through its constant show of force with its troops.

1989 - Some 2,500 veterans and supporters marched at the Art Institute of Chicago to demand officials remove an American Flag placed on the floor as part of a student's exhibit.

Isn’t it amazing 'The Flag' can be trampled or a picture of the Virgin Mary pissed on in the name of free speech, but Liberal commissars find depictions of the Ten Commandments and other objects of decency to be offensive and unconstitutional?

2000 - In an unprecedented moment in the history of the Roman Church, Pope John Paul II asked God's forgiveness for the sins of Roman Catholics through the ages, including wrongs inflicted on Jews, women and minorities.

The Church isn’t perfect, and has much to be embarrassed about.

That said, it has done at least an equal amount of good compared to its misdeeds - especially in the last century or so...We should all have such a favorable good-to-bad ratio.