Little Rock Crisis: Who used National Guard and who intervened?

• A. Orval Faubus used the National Guard; Eisenhower ordered federal troops to stand guard
• B. Eisenhower used the National Guard; Faubus supported desegregation
• C. Faubus used federal troops to block entry
• D. Federal courts immediately forced integration with no troops

Answer: (A)

The key point is how federal authority overrides state resistance to desegregation. In 1957 at Little Rock, Governor Orval Faubus used the state National Guard to block nine Black students from entering Central High, attempting to keep segregation in place. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by federalizing the Arkansas National Guard and sending in federal troops to protect the students and enforce their right to attend, effectively standing guard to ensure compliance with the desegregation order. That combination—state guards blocking entry, federal troops enforcing entry—fits what happened.

The other statements don’t match the events: the National Guard wasn’t used by Eisenhower in this moment, Faubus didn’t support desegregation, and federal courts did not immediately force integration without troops—the situation required federal intervention to enforce the court order.