James Madison and the War of 1812 (2:20)
James Madison is considered to be the "Father of the Constitution," but it was the War of 1812 that ultimately defined his presidency.
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James Madison and the War of 1812
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James Madison is considered to be the "Father of the Constitution," but it was the War of 1812 that ultimately defined his presidency.
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Andrew Jackson Defends New Orleans in War of 1812
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Americans and British Face Off in War of 1812
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Shortly after gaining its independence, the United States goes to war with England over its seizure of U.S. ships and sailors.
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Dolley Madison Saves Washington's Portrait
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Hear the tale of how first lady Dolley Madison risked her life to save George Washington's portrait from a fiery fate as British troops approached the White House.
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The Confederate Capital Falls
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In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital of Richmond falls after nine months under siege. General Lee and President Jefferson Davis flee the city as Union forces advance to reclaim Virginia.
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Today he is known as one of the greatest American presidents, but at the time of his election no one would have predicted Lincoln's success.
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Military service helped build character for Presidents George Bush and Henry Ford.
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After the Emancipation
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Four million slaves were formally freed when the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863, but with the Civil War still raging, their future was far from certain.
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Marine Karl Marlantes left behind a Rhodes scholarship to volunteer for service in Vietnam.
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J. Edgar Hoover on War Preparedness
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In a September 1940 address to the American Legion, J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the FBI, warns of the growing threat of subversive forces in the United States.
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Bush on Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait
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In a live report from the Oval Office, President George H.W. Bush announces the deployment of U.S. armed forces to Saudi Arabia. Troops were sent to the Arab nation to deter further Iraqi aggression after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990.
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Reagan Speaks on 40th Anniversary of D-Day
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On June 6, 1984, in Normandy, France, President Ronald Reagan honors the heroes of D-Day, a pivotal moment during World War II.
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Franklin Roosevelt Returns From Yalta
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In February 1945, "Big Three" leaders, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin, met at Yalta to discuss the reorganization of post-war Europe. In an address to Congress on March 1, 1945, President Roosevelt reports the achievements of the gathering.
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Nixon Orders Invasion of Cambodia
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On April 30, 1970, President Richard Nixon asks the American people to support his decision to send troops into Cambodia in response to North Vietnam’s invasion of the country.
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Truman Announces Japan's Surrender
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On September 1, 1945, in a radio address to the American people, President Harry Truman announces the unconditional surrender of Japan, formalized aboard the U.S.S. Missouri.
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Eisenhower Broadcasts D-Day Invasion Order
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On June 5, 1944, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower orders the massive Allied Expeditionary Force into action.
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Eisenhower on the Suez Canal Crisis
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In October 1956, Britain and France entered into a coalition with Israel, and the three nations launched a military attack against Egyptian forces in the Suez Canal. On October 31, in a speech to the nation, President Eisenhower expresses the United States' opposition to the military action.
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Reaction to North Korean Surprise Attack
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On July 10, 1950, at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Ambassador Warren R. Austin reports on North Korea's refusal to retreat from its armed invasion of the Republic of Korea. By the end of the session, the U.N. officially supported sending U.S. forces into Korea.
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FDR Asks Congress to Declare War on Japan
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On the day after the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt tells a joint session of Congress that the United States must take up arms in response.
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