October 28

312 - The Battle of the Milvian Bridge: Roman civil war.

1. Constantine the Great became the undisputed master of the Roman Empire by defeating Maxentius in this battle, ending the civil war.

2. This battle also marks the beginning of the Christian Era in Europe.

During this battle Constantine's army wore the Christian Cross after Constantine trusted a vision he had seen of the Cross, inscribed with the words "In this sign conquer"...As a result, Constantine converted to Christianity after emerging victorious in the battle, and became the first Roman emperor to embrace the Christian faith.

This act of faith (regardless of his reasoning) is every bit as important as Moses’ at the ‘burning bush’ (in real terms not religious ones), because it changed Rome, which changed the Western World, because Rome was the axis upon which the West revolved and evolved from.

1886 - The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Cleveland.

'Gift from the people of France' my ass…This is one of the great myths in American history, but it is definitely a myth.

The Statue was a gift from a few financiers who graciously gave it to the U.S. in the name of the French people...The French have never been our friends, even though they have often been our 'ally.'

In the 18th-19th Centuries they were often on 'our side,' but only did so to spite the Brits...In the 20th Century they were on 'our side' in WWI and WWII because they needed our help to save them from the Germans.

1919 - The Prohibition Enforcement Act (also known as the Volstead Act) became law. This act enforced the 18th Amendment to the Constitution - the prohibition of alcohol manufacture, sale and consumption.

Someday we’ll face a similar attack on personal freedom when the health-nuts try to ban cigarettes or food...While at the same time they fight to allow people to smoke pot, and kill fetuses. I just don’t get the logic.

1922 - Italian Blackshirt Fascists began a march on Rome which ended two days later with the formation of a government led by Benito Mussolini.

The Italians have always reached out for a strongman, and this they found in the 'Paperboy.'  Unfortunately, they were led down the road to Hell, and it took the destruction of much of Italy to escape the tyranny they so dearly wanted.

But at least Il Duce got the ‘trains to run on time.’

1940 - President Franklin Roosevelt complained "Republicans...after opposing rearmament for years, are now protesting that the United States is too weak":  WWII.

It’s interesting to note at this time in history the Republicans were the Chickens and the Democrats the Hawks...And FDR's comment could perfectly be flipped today.

Which is why people shouldn’t get tied to political parties, but to political ideals...When it comes to national defense, FDR Democrats should be modern-day Republicans, as should JFK Democrats.

1940 - Italy invaded Greece:  WWII.

Per normal, the Italians bungled this invasion, and required German help to get out of the mess.

Hitler was very fond of Mussolini, but he had to regret getting in bed with such incompetence…The Brits (the only ones fighting at this time) were happy, though, because Germany diverted many forces to Greece which could have been used elsewhere.

Most important, Germany having to save the Italians in Greece delayed the invasion of Russia, which pushed the calendar closer to winter...A fact which ultimately cost them the war.

1959 - Turkey and the United States signed an agreement for the deployment of fifteen nuclear-tipped Jupiter missiles in Turkey.

Most Americans don’t realize it, but Turkey is a NATO ally...Most also don’t know it, but the decision to put these missiles in Turkey was the Soviet’s excuse for trying to put theirs in Cuba.

1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis effectively ended when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announced its missiles would be dismantled and returned to the U.S.S.R. President Kennedy immediately replied that the U.S. would lift its blockade of Cuba.

The world wondered who would blink first, and it was Nikki...The world was lucky, too, because I’m pretty sure Kennedy was (rightly) going to the wall on this matter.

1988 - In London, the High Court ruled former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was immune from prosecution in British courts. The House of Lords later overturned the decision, saying Pinochet's arrest could stand.

Pinochet was a brutal dictator, and should have been sent back to Chile for a good ol' fashioned hangin.’