History According to Alexander

Alexander Grelier 5/23/19 Semester II Final PART A 1. Before doing any research, I predict the three most highly ranked presidents in US history will be Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Teddy Roosevelt, and the worst might be Herbert Hoover or Richard Nixon. 2. According to the C-SPAN Presidential Historians Survey, four presidents that have consistently been in the top four are Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt. There have been no presidents that have fluctuated between the 4th and 5th ranking, because Theodore Roosevelt has been placed 4th all three times the survey has been conducted. 3. One observation that I have about the list is that some presidents such as Woodrow Wilson and John Adams have had their rankings go down each time the survey took place, while presidents such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan have had their rankings go up each time the survey took place. This shows how important it is t...

Alexander Grelier 5/14/19 In-Class Write 1.         In the film Thirteen Days , the viewer is taken behind the scenes at the White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. A person watching this movie can learn lots about the time period, and what happened during the crisis. For example, in the movie, you get to see how the US was able to obtain pictures of the missiles, through photos taken by a U-2 reconnaissance plane. This is important because the plane was shot down, and caused the only casualty in the Cold War. If the plane hadn't flown over Cuba, the US would have never known that there was Soviet missiles in Cuba just 90 miles from US shores, and if the plane hadn't been shot down, different action would have been taken by the US that would have changed the course of the Cold War.        Another thing that is seen in the film Thirteen Days  is the disagreements within leaders in the White House. For example, in ...

Alexander Grelier 5/13/19 Exhibit Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, The Curious Story of a Cuban Missile Crisis Artifact This is a U-2 photograph taken on October 14, 1962 that identified Soviet missiles in Cuba and will be at my party. Reuters, Relics of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Deactivated Soviet Missile  This deactivated Soviet Missile from the Cold War will be at my party. Reuters, Relics of the Cuban Missile Crisis, U-2 Wing  I have the wing of a U.S Air Force spy plane, piloted by Rudolf Anderson, that was shot down by Soviets in Cuba in 1962. Khrushchev letter to President Kennedy  This is a letter written by the leader of the USSR sent to President Kennedy regarding the quarantine of Cuba on display at the dinner. Fidel Castro's Letter  This is a translated letter that Fidel Castro sent Khrushchev in 1962. I was not allowed to photograph and publish the real letter, but it will be on display at the party. Br...

Alexander Grelier 5/12/19 Menu Cuban Sandwich  Popular sandwich that originated with Cuban workers eating them in Key West, Florida. Roast Beef - Cold Cut Style  Because the altercation between the US and Soviet Union was "cold" or there was no actual battles Vegetable Soup  Fidel Castro's all-time favorite food. This might be needed to keep Castro calm at the table. Baikal  This drink is the Soviet counterpart of Coca-Cola which started production in the 1960's, which shows how the rivalry between the US and USSR even expanded to beverages. Baked Beans  President Kennedy's favorite side dish Jello Fruit Cake  Jell-O encased desserts were very prevalent in the 1960's

Alexander Grelier 5/12/19 Invitation Time and date: Kennedy's announcement of the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis Theme: Cuban Missile Crisis was a "spook" and ended near Halloween John F. Kennedy - I feel that President Kennedy is needed at the dinner to be a centerpiece and leader of conversation. Kennedy was portrayed as courageous and charismatic in the movie, according to critics he was played very accurately, and I think that he might try to either defend or accuse the movie's writer for his mistakes. David Self - I would invite David Self to the dinner because I feel that many of the important figures in the movie would love to speak to him. For example, Kenny O'Donnell was very prevalent and influential in decision making in the movie, and many people believe that his importance was extremely exaggerated, such as Michael Nelson, a political science professor at Rhodes College. Kevin Costner - Kevin Costner is the actor that played Pre...

Alexander Grelier 5/13/19 Annotated Sources Thirteen Days History.com, "Cuban Missile Crisis"  This site is where I learned basic background information before watching the movie History Matters - Thirteen Days doesn't add up by Michael Nelson  The critical analysis I used for fact checking of Thirteen Days Oregon Live, The real Jackie Kennedy  Facts on Jackie Kennedy America's History, 9th Edition, Chapter 24, "Cold War America, 1945-1963," p. 755, 758, 774-776  Background information of Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis IB Times, This is what Fidel Castro, Cuba's iconic leader, loved to eat  Information on food preferences of Cuba's leader in the 1960's