August 24 is the anniversary of the Communist Control Act of 1954. By a strange coincidence, thiis also marks the date that US president Franklin Roosevelt ordered the secret police to investigate communists. Of course both of these actions follow the Espionage and Sedition Acts from earlier in the century.
The 1st amendment that the US loves to crow about so much has this to say:
Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Yet all this was done with pretty much unanimous support from representatives of the totalitarian regime. Suppression of the left’s political agency was clearly the desired outcome. And it worked.
In 1912, The Socialist Party of America, held 12% of votes. There were actual socialists in government. In 2023, there are two right wing parties. They differ in some cultural aspects, but one thing that they can certainly agree upon is that Socialism should be condemned. This is as intended. A century of brainwashing will absolutely bring about this result.
Honourable mentions to:
The Treaty of St. Louis in 1804. Five men from local tribes came to St. Louis to seek the release of their friend from captivity. The US forced them to sign away most of their land for pittance in order to free their friend. They had no authority to do so, and it’s unlikely that they knew what they were signing. The US laid claim to the land anyway.
The Coup Cable in 1963, which set in motion a coup in Vietnam to replace the previous American puppet with a new one.