#OTD20 | September 25, 1919
Woodrow Wilson's Debilitating Stroke: A Secret Crisis in American Governance
September 25, 1919: President Woodrow Wilson collapses while in Colorado, rallying public support for the League of Nations.
The president is rushed back to Washington. One week later he suffers a crippling stroke that leaves him incapacitated for weeks. For a time, Wilson hovers between life and death, visited only by close family and a few advisors. The country faces an unprecedented governance crisis, as there is no clear constitutional provision for declaring a president unable to perform duties.
President Wilson's stroke creates a power vacuum just as the U.S. Senate is debating the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations. Led by Henry Cabot Lodge, the Senate effectively ends Wilson's dream by refusing to ratify the treaty without reservations.
Although Wilson eventually regains control of his faculties, he never fully recovers, highlighting the risks of a single point of failure in the U.S. governance system.
Viewing Options
The Woodrow Wilson administration and his career-ending health crises are chronicled in our classroom-focused World War I film collection.
Additional Resources
Access more information from Media Rich Learning and curated off-site sources.
#OTD20
Step back in time to experience the significant events that happened on this day in the 20th century.
November 2, 1948: Truman Defeats Dewey
#OTD20 — November 2, 1948: President Harry Truman defeats Thomas Dewey of New York in one of history’s most shocking political upsets.
Read More
October 31, 1956: Suez Crisis Escalates as UK and France Launch Operation Musketeer
#OTD20 — October 31, 1956: The Suez Crisis escalates as the UK and France launch Operation Musketeer to recapture control of the Suez Canal.
Read More
October 30, 1941: Roosevelt Approves $1 Billion Lend-Lease Aid to Britain
#OTD20 — October 30, 1941: President Roosevelt makes approves $1 billion in Lend-Lease aid to Britain, demonstrating U.S. support for the Allies during WWII.
Read More
October 26, 1955: Ngo Dinh Diem Proclaims Republic of Vietnam
#OTD20 — October 26, 1955: Ngo Dinh Diem proclaims the establishment of the Republic of Vietnam, appointing himself as its inaugural president.
Read More
1956 Hungarian Uprising: The Battle for Freedom October 23 | #OTD20
#OTD20 — October 23, 1956: The Hungarian Uprising begins when mass demonstrations escalate to open revolt and Soviet occupation.
Read More
October 22, 1962: JFK Address Nation on Missiles in Cuba
#OTD20 — October 22, 1962: JFK addresses the nation on the Soviet missile buildup in Cuba, leading to the gravest moment in the Cold War.
Read More
The HUAC Hearings: The Red Scare Comes to Hollywood | #OTD20
#OTD20 — October 20, 1947: The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) begins its controversial hearings into alleged Communist infiltration of Hollywood.
Read More
October 17, 1973: OPEC Oil Embargo – America’s Energy Wake-Up Call
The 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo triggers gasoline shortages and rationing in the U.S., prompting a reevaluation of the nation’s energy policies.
Read More
October 16, 1973: Kissinger and Tho Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
#OTD20 — October 14, 1946: Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho receive the Nobel Peace Prize for their diplomatic efforts in the Paris peace accord.
Read More
October 15, 1945: The Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam – A Day of Nationwide Protests
#OTD20 — October 15, 1969: Hundreds of thousands across the U.S. unite in a massive protest against the Vietnam War.
Read More
October 14, 1946: Truman Lifts Price Controls on Meat
#OTD20 — October 10, 1986: President Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev meet in Reykjavik to discuss arms control. Despite high hopes, they leave without no major agreements.
Read MoreRemarkably social