Etta James

The angels are singing "At Last" as their Etta James enters the Kingdom.  May her memory be eternal. 
Perhaps I'm a bit partial to Ms James.  This was the first dance for my husband and me.  No doubt some of you had the pleasure of this being your first song as well.  Let's explore Etta James and link her to Blessed John Paul.

If you're letting this video play while reading the blog, you are realizing that Etta James is more of a jazz singer than strictly a pop or R&B singer.

Reckoning #1, Bloodline and an underworld

Etta's mother, Dorothy Hawkins, was 14 in 1938 when she gave birth to Jamesetta (Etta took her first and last stage name from this original name).  Though she never really knew who her father was, she speculated it was Minnesota Fats, the famous pool player.  Fats never admitted his age, but he was probably born within the first 15 years of the 20th century.  That would make him about 20 years older than Dorothy when Etta was conceived.  Do you see a resemblance? 

Here's Minnesota Fats talking smack and shootin' pool, what he did best.  I remember him on TV in the 70s.  My parents got such a kick out of his smack talk and amazing pool shots. 

Both Etta and Minnesota had movies made about them.  Etta was played by third degree, Beyonce Knowles.  Her possible father, Minnesota Fats, was played by Jackie Gleason in the 1961 movie, "The Hustler."  Gleason won an Academy Award for that role.  In the 60s, he made this campaign ad for Richard Nixon.  We have a bad connotation with Richard Nixon's name now, but, in light of the shenanigans our current government is getting up to with SuperPacs, insider trading in Congress, and swinging Republicans for family values, Nixon is looking more and more like a boy scout!

Nixon and Pope Paul VI

In 1957, before becoming president, Richard Nixon met Pope Pius XII.  Later, as president, he met Pope Paul VI from whom Blessed John Paul II got half of his name. 


Reckoning #2, The Artist

When Etta was 14 her life changed, she was taken under the wing of Johnny Otis, The Godfather of Rhythm and Blues.  Otis' and James' age difference mirrored that of Minnesota Fats and Dorothy Hawkings, but, instead of sexual exploitation, Otis mentored the young girl. 

Otis was born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes, the son of Greek working classimmigrants.  


Otis' older brother became a diplomat.  He was US Ambassedor to Jordan and then to Egypt, where he knew and worked with First Degree, Hosni Mubarak. 


Otis produced hundreds of albums and discovered scores of artists.  He produced the original version of the Lieber and Stoller tune, Hound Dog, a song later made famous by Elvis Presley.  Here is the original version by Big Mama Thornton.  Guess who met second degree, Richard Nixon?
To recap, Etta James is four degrees from Pope John Paul II.

• Etta to Beyonce to Zahi Hawas to George Bush to Pope John Paul II
• Etta to Johnny Otis to Ambassador Veliotis to Hosni Mubarak to Pope John Paul II

She is 5 degrees by these reckonings.

• Etta to Minnesota Fats to Jackie Gleason to Richard Nixon to Pope Pius XII and Paul VI
• Etta to Johnny Otis to Elvis Presley to Richard Nixon to Pius XII and Paul VI to Pope John Paul II

Anthony Griffith

4 Degrees

Fourth Degree, Anthony Griffith was on
Third Degree, Johnny Carson's show.  So was
Robert Kennedy who met
Pope Pius XII.
Pope John Paul II is 4 popes removed from Pius XII.

Jokes.com
Anthony Griffith - Baptist
comedians.comedycentral.com
Jokes Joke of the Day Funny Jokes

Anthony Griffith is not a Catholic, but his love and care for his daughter will touch your heart.  Listen to this ONLY IF you are in a place where you can cry.  Pray for those who have a child in the hospital.  May God bless the soul of Anthony Griffith's little girl.  God bless all the great fathers out there!

Anthony Griffith: Best Of Times, Worst Of Times by The Moth on Mixcloud

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

"Any girl can be glamorous, all you have to do is stand still and look stupid," said Hedy Lamarr, the beautiful scientist whose inventions make your cell phone possible!  

In 1942, Ms Lamarr, whose birth name was Hedwig Eva Maria Keisler, and her endocrinologist/composer friend, George Anthiel, patented a torpedo guidance system.  This new radio control system with alternating signal could be controlled by a plane overhead and not heard or intercepted by others.  This technology is what makes cell phone calls private and able to roam.

In this article, learn how Ms Lamarr almost left acting to persue a career in inventing, how her first husband, an arms maker, (Jewish but made  Ehrenarier,) cavorted with the like of Hitler, and how her invention was shunned by the US military until the blockade of Cuba.  

5 Degrees

Fifth Degree: Hedy Lamarr

In this clip, we learn about German and Austrian people who fled to the United States in the 1930s.  Hedy Lamarr was among them.  This film is in French with English subtitles.  Very interesting.

Fourth Degree: Mel Brooks

Ms Lamarr was not thrilled with the character, Hedley Lamarr in the film, Blazing Saddles.  She sued the producers of the film and they settled out of court.  For an excellent podcast about Ms. Lamar that mentions the lawsuit, click here. 

  

Third  Degree: Johnny Carson

Mel Brooks appeared many times on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  This is one of those appearances.  

Second Degree: Red Skelton

As mentioned in a previous post, Red Skelton had Johnny Carson fill in for him on his show when Red was off in Europe meeting Pope Pius XII.  Red honored Johnny by inducting him into the Television Hall of Fame.

First Degree: Pope Pius XII

Cleopatra #1: Claudette Colbert

3 Degrees

Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra 1934
She had a distrust of Technicolor and preferred to be shot in black and white.
She insisted on being shot with her face's left side to the camera.

Third Degree: Claudette Colbert's career spanned from the time of silent pictures into the late 1980s.  When she died at the age of 93, she left no immediate family.  Here she is as Cleopatra.  Ooolala!

Second Degree: Gary Cooper
Claudette Colbert was friendly with Gary Cooper and attended parties with him and other Hollywood A-listers.

Charles Boyer, Claudette Colbert, and Gary Cooper
at a Hollywood party in the 1950s

Gary Cooper and his wife went to mass regularly for years before Gary converted to Catholicism.  His daughter remembers the event in her memoir, Gary Cooper Off Camera: A Daughter Remembers, Harry N. Abrams, Inc.: New York, NY (1999).  

Gary Cooper and his family meeting Pius XII

First Degree: Pope Pius XII

Pius XII has appeared many times in the blog.  From the Chairman Mao post to the post on Archbishop Fulton Sheen to the second post on King Tut, Pius' reach is long and lasting.  He stood up to Communists and Nazis, he opened his heart to Red Skelton, he was saintly.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

My mother was born on this date during the presidency of FDR.  I am therefore writing about Franklin Delano Roosevelt today.

2 Degrees

As detailed in the post on Chairman Mao, FDR exchanged letters with Pope Pius XII during World War II.  I don't have anything to add about the relationship between FDR and Pius XII, but here are some videos that might interest you.

Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.

I strongly urge you to visit the FDR presidential library in Hyde Park, New York if you get a chance.  He had 4 terms, there is loads of information to sift through and wonderful displays there.  Click here to visit their site.

Abraham Lincoln

Two reckonings of Abraham Lincoln, one through great African-Americans and one through the man who murdered him.  

Reckoning 1

7 Degrees

Seventh Degree: Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is a president that all Americans are proud of.  Republicans, Democrats, Tea Partiers, Lefties, Righties, Women, Men, Blacks, Whites, Browns, etc. all love Abraham Lincoln.  Here are two videos about Lincoln, one from the right-ish and one from the left-ish.

Watch the full episode. See more Bill Moyers.

Sixth Degree: Frederick Douglas and Booker T. Washington
It pains me to put these two great men on one degree.  They deserve their own degree.  But you see, their paths cross a few generations down the line with their great-great grand children.  To read Nettie Douglas' letter to her great grandfather, click here.  

Fifth Degree: Nettie Washington Douglas and her son, Kenneth B. Morris Jr. 
Mrs. Douglas presented 4th Degree, Joe DiMaggio with the first Booker T. Washington half-dollar in San Francisco in 1950.

"I let no man drag me down so low

as to make me hate him." - Booker T. Washington

American Slavery Still Exists!
Watch a video of Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Morris discussing modern slavery here.
To see a video with comments by Ashley Judd and other celebrities click here.
For a CBS morning show spot on human trafikking in the Us click here.  

Slavery is mentioned in the bible.  You may remember the section about "slaves, obey your masters."  It's a shocking phrase.  In this post I found a website that ranted against the Catholic Church for supporting slavery in its history.  I was actually a bit surprised that this site didn't dig up more.  To my eyes, a dozen phrases spoken or written in 2000 years of popes is not a lot of evidence.  

We all know that some popes are more holy than others.  By the grace of the Holy Spirit, the church has survived some dark years.  What's really amazing is how consistent the teachings of the church are in spite of its 2 millenia of history peppered with a few unholy popes.  The United States is not even 250 years old and its history is liberally peppered with poor presidencies.  What we agree on is that the United States is a great country and she is worth fighting for.  As Catholics, we know that our church is that of Jesus Christ and worth fighting for.  We fight with ideas, we fight with our bodies, we fight with our resources, but ultimately, we fight with love.  

For the official Catholic word on slavery, click here.  

Degree: John Wilkes Booth, assassin of President Lincoln

6 degrees

Descendants of  Fifth Degree, John Wilkes Booth are maintaining that Booth lived for 40 years after the assassination.  Here is a link for an episode of "Decoders" from The History Channel.  I hope you enjoy the video.

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd
"His name is Mudd," the probable
origin of that idiom.

Fourth Degree: Dr. Samuel A. Mudd

Weather you believe that Booth died in a barn just after the shooting, or that he lived in obscurity for decades thereafter, there are elements of the shooting that are beyond doubt.  A jump from the presidential box or a fall from his get-away horse caused Booth to break his leg the day of the shooting.  His injuries were too severe for him to dismount on the way to medical attention.  

The couch on which Booth was treated by Dr. Mudd

As Booth wound his way from Ford's Theater with his co-conspirators, he sought remedy for his painfully broken leg.  In the wee hours of the morning, he came to the house of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.  Mudd, a southerner who was raised on a tobacco plantation, set the leg, cared for the wound and sent Booth on his way.

Dr. Mudd's aid and comfort to the assassin is the origin of the term, "Your name is mudd."

Third Degree: Roger Mudd
Decades later, in February of 1928, a distant relative of Dr. Mudd, Roger Mudd was born in The District of Columbia.  This Mudd grew up to be a journalist on the order of Walter Cronkite.  Here he is in his most famous interview, with
Second Degree, Senator Ted Kennedy.

First Degree: Pope Pius XII
Young Ted Kennedy received his first communion from Pope Pius XII.  It appears from her veil and white dress, that his sister did as well.

The Kennedy family were very wealthy, but devoted to public service.  Living out their Catholic faith has been inconsistent in their family, as it is in most Catholic families.  The virtue of marital fidelity is hard to come by in the Kennedy men, but modesty was common among the women.  All Kennedys seem to have a deep sense of public service and need to sacrifice for their countrymen.  Indeed, one would be hard pressed to find a family who has lost more of its members to assassination than the Kennedys.   

Eunice Kennedy at the center of a candid photo from Jack and Jackie's
wedding day.  

The most saintly Kennedy in my opinion is the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver.  She lived a beautiful life, never bowing to popular will, but only to the will of God.  She is most popularly known as the founder of Special Olympics.  This alone is accomplishment for a lifetime, but she did much more than that.  For a list of her awards and honors is here.  

George Washington

George Washington in bucolic scene with chattel etc.

7 Degrees

Seventh Degree: George Washington freed his slaves upon his death as part of a pact with the Marquis de Lafayette.
Oney Judge, a slave on Washington's Mount Vernon Plantation, was not owned by George, but by his wife, Martha.  She kept most of her slaves and bequeethed Oney Judge to her granddaughter, Eliza Custis.  Oney was not excited about the prospect of being owned by yet another person (and perhaps Ms Custis wasn't a nice lady either.)  Oney Judge escaped!
Full story and interview here.

Sixth Degree: John Langdon
Oney made her way to New Hampshire where she was given sanctuary by Senator John Langdon (future Governor of New Hampshire).  Mr. Langdon was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.   click here for a full list of delegates.  


Fifth Degree: Gabriel Duvall of Maryland (Named because it was the colony for Papists, those devoted to "Mary", it was their "land") was also a delegate to that convention.  After the United States of America was created, Mr. Duvall became Justice Duvall.  He served in the US Supreme Court for over 20 years with Chief Justice John Marshall .


Fourth Degree: John  Marshall
Just a few branches down the family tree of John Marshall, we come to
Third Degree: General George Marshall (of The Marshall Plan fame).

Second Degree: FDR
George Marshall served under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  For The History Channel's history of George Marshall, click here.  "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," The Marshall Plan embodies this phrase and is something that Americans are proud of.  Like all people, George Marshall was flawed, but he was great.



First Degree: Pope Pius XII
FDR wrote many letters to Pope Pius XII.  Myron Taylor, ambassedor to the Vatican, presented the letter to Pius XII in person.

A Word About Pius XII
Hated by Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin, Pope Pius XII stood up for the faith and was hailed as a brave hero by Jews and Christians alike.  Communist propaganda painted him as an enemy and and anti-Semite in the 1950s and 1960s.  This image persists today. Go to one of the Holocaust museums around the world, read newspaper stories and encyclicals from the wartime, read the recent NY Daily News story defending the Pius XII.  Don't believe the hype!  Go to the source.

In December 2008 there was a symposium on the papacy of Pius XII.  This symposium was part of an ongoing effort by The Vatican and Jewish leaders to maintain healthy and truthful interfaith dialogue.  Click on the name of a participant to see their video of reaction to the symposium.

• Journalist Michael Hesemann
• Law Professor, Writer, Jurist, Political Commentator Ronald Rychlak
• Rabbi Abie Ingber

Red Skelton

2 Degrees

Red Skelton and his family met Pope Pius XII.  Pius is pope #261, John Paul II is #265.  I am not sure if Red Skelton officially converted to Catholicism, but his heart is definitely one that Jesus identified as His own.  Below are three heart-warming stories.  The first is Red's "Plight before Christmas," from his variety show.   Then "Littlest Christmas Tree," a radio broadcast, shown here with pictures found on the web.  The last is the story of Red Skelton's own son who was diagnosed with Leukemia, the family visit to Rome, the audience with the pope, and eventual death of his child.  Have tissues on hand when you read that story.  

“Life is eternal because of God. So if life is taken away from one person in a family they are never separated because the family will always live together in eternal life with God.”

Some of you are facing a Christmas without a loved one who made past Christmases beautiful.  Read Pius XII's words of comfort to the Skelton family.  Also, know that you are in my prayers tonight and always.  May God bless and keep you at Christmas and forever.

The following article is from The American Catholic, an online Catholic newspaper on culture and politics, and was written by Donald R. McClarey.  Click here for the original article's site. 

In 1957 comedian Red Skelton was on top of the world.  His weekly comedy show on CBS was doing well.  He had  curtailed the drinking which had almost derailed his career.  Not too shabby for a man who had started out as a circus and rodeo clown and who was now often called the clown prince of American comedy.  He and his wife Georgia had two beautiful kids:  Richard and Valentina Maria.  Then the worst thing in the world for any parent entered into the lives of Red and Georgia Skelton:  Richard was diagnosed with leukemia.  


Unlike today, a diagnosis of leukemia in a child in 1957 was tantamount to saying that Richard was going to die soon.  Red immediately took a leave of absence from his show.  CBS was very understanding and a series of guest hosts, including a very young Johnny Carson, filled in for Skelton during the 1957-1958 season.

Red and his wife made two decisions.  First, they decided not to reveal to their son how ill he was;  if  worse came to worst they wanted him to enjoy the time he had left.  The boy’s leukemia was temporarily in remission and outwardly he appeared healthy.    

Richard's imagination was captured by movie,
"The Last Days of Pompeii"

When the boy saw “The Last Days of Pompeii” on TV and was fascinated by it, his mom and dad made their second decision.  They were going to take him and his sister to Europe so the boy could see Pompeii and other parts of Europe and the world, and to allow the parents to consult with foreign physicians and also to conduct a pilgrimage for their son.


The Skeltons were Protestants, indeed, Red was an active Mason, but they had chosen to educate their kids at a Catholic school and Richard was very religious, his room filled with religious pictures and statues.  Like many Christians of whatever denomination, in their hour of utmost need the Skeltons decided to seek aid of the Catholic Church.

The entertainment press was just as aggressive then as it is now.  Skelton informed the press why his family was going on an around the world trip, but asked their assistance in helping keep from his son that he was afflicted with a mortal illness.  Amazingly enough, the Americanpress agreed to help him.  The American ink-stained wretches of the Fourth Estate behaving quite honorably in this instance.

The British press was quite another matter.  While the Skeltons were in England during their trip, the British tabloids, always in a contest to see which paper can be the most vicious and cruel, denounced the trip as a cheap publicity stunt by Red Skelton.  Richard learned of his grave illness by reading one of these disgusting rants.  Only nine years old, however, the boy was a fighter.  “Everybody says I’m going to die but that means everybody but me.”, was his brave reaction to the news.

On July 22, 1957  the Skeltons had a private audience with Pius XII.  There was nothing unusual about this.  Pius considered it as part of his duties to meet with anyone who wished to see him:  rich or poor, Catholic or non-Catholic.   These audiences often had a large impact on the people who saw the Pope.  For instance, while Rome was occupied by Germany during World War II, German troops, Protestant and Catholic alike, flocked to see the Pope, until such visits were forbidden by the Nazis, fearful of the impact of the Pope’s words regarding mercy and Christian charity on the troops.

Pius XII on the cover of a magazine
with a boy, not Richard Skelton

The Pope spent a great deal of time talking to the Skeltons.  He blessed Richard and the other members of the family and gave them religious medals.  Red would later describe this visit as the high point of his son’s life.  The Pope gave them these words of comfort, which really are the only words of comfort for members of a family when one of them is nearing death.  “Life is eternal because of God. So if life is taken away from one person in a family they are never separated because the family will always live together in eternal life with God.”

The family saw Pompeii which greatly interested Richard.  Arriving in Paris he said, upon being asked by a reporter, that he wanted to see the Eiffel Tower.  When asked as a follow up what else he wanted to see, he showed that perhaps he shared his father’s comedic talent.  “What else is there?”

The family had a great deal of fun, but the European physicians could offer no hope.  In August the Skeltons went to Lourdes.  “God alone can save my boy’s life as science has done all it can.”, was Red Skelton’s comment at the time.

After they returned to the States, the leukemia came out of remission and took its dreadful course.  Richard underwent treatment at the UCLA medical center.  His parents were constant visitors to see him.  Both father and son, as detailed here, did their best to keep up the spirits of the other children undergoing treatment by telling jokes.  On one occasion Red Skelton sat up most of the night with a young girl who was undergoing surgery and kept reassuring her that everything was going to be all right, as it turned out to be in her case.

“The doctor was as gentle as he could be when he told me there was a good chance I had something that would mean amputating my leg. I remember crying for hours that night. The night before surgery I was very scared. My mother was at home with three small children and I had a difficult time falling asleep. When I finally gave in and allowed sleep to take over, it wasn’t for long. I awoke to find my friend Richard’s father asleep in the chair next to my bed. He woke up soon after I did, and in a very gentle voice kept telling me it was going to be ok. I just had to believe. There he stayed for most of the night. I would sleep and waken, and he would sometimes be asleep, other times he’d smile and comfort me.


Surgery went well, and my leg wasn’t amputated, but I was in and out of surgeries, casts, and the hospital for the next two years. Richard passed away from leukemia the second year, but has lived on in my heart and memory. His father became my hero as I watched him on television, then and in later years. For during the time I knew Mr. Skelton and his son Richard, I only saw their courage, compassion, and tender hearts. I saw a man who was “in character” to make the children laugh and forget their illnesses, but I also saw a very gentle man who was not “in character”, as he sat by the bed of a fatherless 11 year old. Setting aside his own fears, or sadness, Red Skelton, the clown who entertained millions during the early days of television, made sure I was able to face a scary situation with the hope it was going to be ok.”

I find this remarkable.  Dealing with the approaching death of his own son, Red Skelton found it within himself to keep up the spirits of other children.  I guess he really meant it when he said, “God’s children and their happiness are my reasons for being”. In the years to come Skelton would become a major donor for charities for sick kids, and would also assist children through his establishment of the Red Skelton Foundation in his hometown of Vincennes, Indiana.

Throughout his treatment at UCLA Richard kept a bag packed near his bed at home just in case the leukemia would go into remission again and his family could go on another trip together.  Heartbreakingly, that was not to be the case.  As his tenth birthday neared, his father brought a catalog to his son so he could pick out what he wanted.  He did so and also picked out a surprise gift for his mother for mother’s day.

The end came for Richard on May 10, 1958, a week before his 10th birthday.  As he lay dying he asked his father to remember to get his mother the red blanket he had picked out since he didn’t think they’d let him out of the hospital so that he could buy it himself.  An hour later his gallant struggle against leukemia ended.  His mother and father wept quietly by his bedside for half an hour.

Shortly after the boy’s death, a package arrived from the Vatican.  It contained a crucifix bless by Pope Pius XII.  Just before his death the boy had requested the crucifix, and the Pope had immediately sent it.  Richard doubtless realized the great truth that the crucifix is the symbol of Christ’s victory over death, and our victory also.   

Pius XII sent a crucifix to Richard.
Richard was buried holding it.
(This picture is not a copy of that crucifix.)

The mortal remains of Richard Skelton were buried with the crucifix in his hands.  I have absolutely no doubt that the soul of the brave young boy who loved God so much immediately enjoyed the Beatific Vision after his period of travail on Earth.  As Red Skelton said after the death of his son, “I want the thousands of people who have written us that they prayed for Richard during his illness to have faith that God will answer their prayers.

Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer

St. Susanna the
Deaconess Martyr

It's my name day!  St. Susanna the Deaconess was born into the Kingdom on December 15.  I'm giving myself a treat with this post.  I just love Rudolf and Burl Ives.  My father was very fond of these claymation specials from the 60s.  General Electric, the company my dad worked for for decades, was the sponsor of Rudolf.  I don't think the blatant electricity of his nose was an accident! 

4 Degrees

Fourth Degree: Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Third Degree: Burl Ives
Rudolf's film debut was with Burl Ives.  Burl played the snowman who narrates the Rudolf saga.  Part 1 of the first film is embedded above.  


Second Degree: Gary Cooper
Burl Ives appeared on "What's my line" August 7, 1955.  Gary Cooper was on the program October 18, 1959.  Here are the clips of their appearances.  






First Degree: Pope Pius XII
Gary Cooper converted to Catholicism well into adulthood.  For the story of his conversion and his encounter with Pope Pius XII, click here.  

Gary Cooper with Pope Pius XII (source: Janis, 79; photo credit: G. Felici)

Pius XII is on the road to sainthood.  He was made "venerable" by Benedict XVI.  For an article about his elevation to venerable, click here.  


1 Degree: Benedict (also) also elevated his predecessor, John Paul II.

Benedict at tomb of Pius XII
photo by Getty Images and AFP

Rudolf is all about light.  Children look to him for a light in the darkness of a winter's night.  We look to the saints for light when we are in darkness.  May you find the light you need to find your way this Christmas season.  


To read the origin of the Rudolf story, click here.  I warn you, you'll need tissues!

John Adams

This post was originally part of a series of presidents for the month of February, but it took a turn that made it appropriate for Pearl Harbor Day.  I strongly suggest you see all the videos from the BBC that begin with one toward the bottom of this post.  King Tut #3 is coming on the 8th.

John Adams

John Adams was President of the United States (POTUS) from 1797-1801.  Most think of him as the second president, but it depends on your reckoning.  He was the second president under the constitution of 1787, but #12 if you consider the country from the moment it became united.  This video is really interesting.

Fasten your seatbelt, this is a ride of 9 degrees that covers 5 presidents

and 2 Japanese emperors!

9th Degree: President John Adams (portrait above)

8th Degree: President John Quincy Adams,
author of The Monroe Doctrine

7th Degree: President James Monroe
The Monroe Doctrine stated that, while the United States will not interfere with nor
deny the legitimacy of any existing colonies of European nations in the Western Hemisphere,
it would see the formation of any new colonies or expansion of existing colonies as acts of
war against the United States and therefore require US retaliation.   

6th Degree: President Teddy Roosevelt
In 1905, Teddy Roosevelt modified the Monroe Doctrine.
In that same year he also encouraged Japan to expand onto the
Asian continent.  This was NOT his finest act.

5th Degree: Emperor Meiji Mutsuhito expanded Japan onto the Asian
continent, setting the course for WWII in Asia.

Fourth Degree: Emperor Showa Hirohito
invaded Manchuria in 1933, the first of his invasions that
lead to the Asian theater of WWII.

Third Degree: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)

Declares war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Second Degree: President Harry S. Truman and Emperor Showa Hirohito

After the European side of WWII ended, as concentration camps were being liberated and other atrocities were coming to light, the Asian war burned hot with no end in sight.  President Harry Truman decided to drop the first atomic bombs on Japan.  Here is audio of him discussing this decision.  

This video is the gateway to an excellent BBC documentary about the bomb. 

1st Degree: Pope Pius XII

Harry Truman and his predecessor, FDR, exchanged letters with Pius XII.