Decisions That Shook the World

Completion Date: 7/1/09

This History Channel documentary series provided an interesting look at three crucial presidential decisions that changed the course of American history.

LBJ signed into motion several key civil rights laws that progressed our society on a national front. Kennedy is remembered as the Civil Rights president because he had planned to enact these laws prior to his assassination. LBJ made the crucial decision to proceed with Kennedy's plans, even though his record indicated that he would generally not support them. Unfortunately, LBJ's legacy is overshadowed by our entrance into Vietnam and the aftermath. However, even months before his death, LBJ continued to work for civil rights.

Reagan's support of the Star Wars program, however underfunded, was a decisive offensive stance toward foreign policy. Even though the program is remembered as a failure, it did provide other countries the opinion that the US would attack if provoked. The program also intimates that the Star Wars program was key in the fall of communism and the breakup of the USSR.

Finally, the program discussed FDR's decision to arm England prior to the US's entry into World War II. Doing this outright was illegal, so he found ways, such as bartering, to provide support to England. Even with the loopholes he found, much of what he did was borderline illegal, and thus he did not notify the American public until after he did them. His ultimate goal was to support another nation to delay the US's entrance into the war as long as possible. He knew that if England fell, the US would have no other choice but to enter the war. Once Pearl Harbor happened, the American public did not have a problem in general declaring war on Japan, but still had issues declaring war on Germany. FDR did his best to protect the interests of the US, and to protect the US's position in the world.

This, like many other History Channel productions, was very well produced. It helped remind me about moments in our country's history that are sometimes forgotten because they are overshadowed by other events taking place around the same time.

10 words or less: Well-produced and educational.