Have we forgot Pearl Harbor?

[400grains]

My dad turned 16 that day. Not to long after he turned 17, his parents signed for him to enlist in the Marine Corps.
Semper Fi

 

[Mark37082]

I started watching the Netflix documentary on WWII last night. This documentary uses footage from actual events from the war. It should be mandatory viewing for people today. We live in a time where many believe climate change is the biggest threat we face. These people seem to have no clue of the recent history of the world's greatest threats.

 

[Muddyboots]

I was in Normandy on business during the 50 year anniversary of D-Day in June 1995. I stood on beaches still seeing military equipment in water, caissons, pill boxes on cliffs. Stood in pill boxes overlooking beaches. Heart wrenching realizing how many soldiers died in front of this position. Numbing. I toured the cemetery of rows of white crosses. Sat on same bench in Saving Private Ryan movie. Cried my eyes out along with fellow Americans there. The experience, the immensity of the horror our soldiers went through was felt to the core of your soul. Almost 30 years later, I can still recall the horrible feelings standing in the pill boxes.

IMO, EVERY American should experience standing in the "shoes" of what our greatest generation went through. Feel the horror and overwhelming sadness of realizing the loss of life that occurred here to defend our freedom.

I feel sad that I believe our country can never be what it once was.

 

[Hugnot]

Beats me - how a massive armada of probably 4-5 aircraft carriers & supprting vessels, proceeded by dawn counterattack by USS Ward on Jap mini subs could be undetected & passed off prior to actual attack. The controversy will never die - did politicians allow this to occur to promote declaration of war with Japan? Montana rep, Rankin, a pacifist, was the only member of congress to oppose the declaration. Considering the brutal & savage treatment of American POWs in Bataan was there a choice? Been to Corregidor & Bataan & there abouts & seen blast & bullet pock marks into steel to appreciate how bad it was.

The sad, memorial hulk of the USS Arizona still leaks oil.

 

[Hydra6]

WW2 - hard to find a male American of that generation who did not serve. In turn, that generation came home and led the nation as CEOs and politicians. My dad (now deceased like most WW2 vets) was in US Army Infantry in Europe and received Purple Heart for wounds in Hurtgen Forest and he brought frostbitten toes too.

Fast forward, today less than 1% of Americans serve and US military cannot meet its recruiting goals (therefore transitioning the National Guard into a temp agency for Army and Air Force). Current leaders of corporate America have never served - and it shows in their morals. Current politicians typically have never served - such that now notable if a politician is a veteran - especially a combat veteran.

Hydra6 was my final "call sign" after 34 years' service in US Army and Army National Guard. Saw a lot of changes from 1981 (last of the Viet Nam generation) though 2015.

 

[xsn10s]

WW2 - hard to find a male American of that generation who did not serve. In turn, that generation came home and led the nation as CEOs and politicians. My dad (now deceased like most WW2 vets) was in US Army Infantry in Europe and received Purple Heart for wounds in Hurtgen Forest and he brought frostbitten toes too.

Fast forward, today less than 1% of Americans serve and US military cannot meet its recruiting goals (therefore transitioning the National Guard into a temp agency for Army and Air Force). Current leaders of corporate America have never served - and it shows in their morals. Current politicians typically have never served - such that now notable if a politician is a veteran - especially a combat veteran.

Hydra6 was my final "call sign" after 34 years' service in US Army and Army National Guard. Saw a lot of changes from 1981 (last of the Viet Nam generation) though 2015.

Only 6% of us that served in the US military now. Thank you for your service.

 

[TexasSportsman]

Not at all. As the years go by we tend to, hopefully, allow wounds to heal. Japan has become and important strategic trading and military partner. Keep in mind we have thousands of troops and equipment staged around mainland Japan and islands.

It does no good to rehash the behavior and events that occurred 82 years ago.

Likewise with Germany. They too have become an important trading and military partner and the largest economic engine of the EU.

Both countries have become embedded in the global society with security and economic ties. Making these two countries trading partners helps them understand that the economic prosperity they enjoy is a benefit of being good neighbors.

Russia was on its way to learning that lesson until Boris Yeltsin turned over the keys to a former KGB colonel named Putin who is determined to rebuild the old USSR.

So no, at some point we have keep our guard up but stop rehashing old events.

 

[Hydra6]

Not at all. As the years go by we tend to, hopefully, allow wounds to heal. Japan has become and important strategic trading and military partner. Keep in mind we have thousands of troops and equipment staged around mainland Japan and islands.

It does no good to rehash the behavior and events that occurred 82 years ago.

Likewise with Germany. They too have become an important trading and military partner and the largest economic engine of the EU.

Both countries have become embedded in the global society with security and economic ties. Making these two countries trading partners helps them understand that the economic prosperity they enjoy is a benefit of being good neighbors.

Russia was on its way to learning that lesson until Boris Yeltsin turned over the keys to a former KGB colonel named Putin who is determined to rebuild the old USSR.

So no, at some point we have keep our guard up but stop rehashing old events.

So, we should not recognize Pearl Harbor, D-Day, 4th of July, and so on that make up the core of our American history? What do you define as "old events"?

 

[Muddyboots]

I don't see this as bashing of Japan or Germany but a strong reminder how we once IGNORED the military buildup and threat to our National Security. History is the best teacher and is AGAIN being IGNORED today. Americans have become narcissistic and more concerned about next model of IPhone than our country's National Security or future of our country. Most can't spell the Constitution let alone where we get our freedom from.

 

[TexasSportsman]

As time goes on fewer and fewer will recognize Dec 7th or that day in 1939 when the nazis invaded Poland. For those who fought the wars they will have much commentary.

However those old American, Japanese and German soldiers who were bitter enemies have reconciled and become friends. Likewise with Vietnamese communist. There are enough videos out there that shows American soldiers meeting Japanese and Germans nearly all of them can barely walk, some in wheelchairs. They meet, cry, hug each other as those old harsh feelings needed somewhere to go.

I watch a video of an American soldier who fought in the island hopping campaign in the Pacific. He liberated a Japanese flag, photos and other mementos. Years later he wanted to give them back to the family of the dead Japanese soldier. There is an organization that helps this process. When the old soldier met the family to whom the flag and photos belong to they both began to weep. I too had a tear streaming down my face. Why? The pain and strong emotion the American carried with him from those days in the Pacific. He lost buddies as the the surviving Japanese soldiers.

Those reunions are necessary part of the healing process. Countries just happen to have ******* governments to take its people to war while they sit in relative comfort back home while the respective militaries make the sacrifices. They're no different an us. They want to raise families, live as comfortable lives as possible with little distraction along the way.







What we should eventually learn is to try to find common ground before wars break out. Before one shoots the other. My nephew made three tours total, Iraq and Afghanistan. He returned a broken man and still deals with things he saw that he wished he never did. You cannot unsee something ghastly any more than you can unring a bell.

Everyone will continue to recognize Pearl Harbor as we will remember 9/11, Gulf of Tonkin, USS Maine, and Fort Sumter in their own way. Not to rehash anger or hate but to peacefully reflect.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I think that we talk about our generation knowing the price of Peace and then this current generation not knowing anything about our history and how generations of hard working, God Fearing, Country loving people built this nation.
God, Family, Country!

This current generation may be in for a surprise with China, North Korea, Russia looking to take the world over and destroy the USA.
Will there be enough AMERICANS to stave off Despots?