Pearl Harbor Day

Our greatest generation

Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day, a day for remembrance of the Japanese attack that killed thousands of Americans and was the catalyst that began a very difficult war for the United States.

My father-in-law was a soldier in World War II, volunteering for the U.S. Army immediately after high school. I salute his courage, and I understand his "Greatest Generation." They chose to fight a terrible war overseas to prevent fighting a terrible war at home.

When the last of the enemy aircraft returned to their ships on that day, it was clear this was a Japanese victory. Four mighty U.S. battleships were sunk, including the USS Arizona. 2,403 Americans were killed and more than 1,100 were wounded. The Empire of Japan apparently wanted an all-out war with the U.S.

FDR responded on December 8th with a memorable speech to a joint session of Congress, calling 7 December 1941 "a date which will live in infamy." Congress declared war. It took awhile to build a suitable fighting force for the Pacific theater, while at the same time taking on the German and Italian Axis forces in Europe and Africa.

How did we fight the Japanese? U.S. Marines, supported by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Air Force, embarked on a difficult, bloody campaign of "island hopping." Our leathernecks took over New Guinea, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Luzon, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, etc. More than 86,000 Marines were killed in action during this campaign.

Once we got a foothold on nearby islands such as Tinian, our Army Air Force began to bombard the Japanese where they lived. We set fire to Tokyo and Kobe. We nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan's dead numbered 3 million from four years of fighting. These actions forced the Japanese people to a humiliating surrender and established a certain credibility for the United States.

Clearly, today's political and military leaders could learn something from our actions in WW II. We have lost much of our hard-won credibility over the past 35 years. Our own press, referred to today as the mainstream media, is a virtual fifth column in every war we fight. The list of conflicts from which the U.S. has "cut and run" is growing long: Vietnam, Lebanon, Iraq in 1991, and Somalia. Current and future enemies of our great Nation see this not as compassion to be rewarded, but as a weakness to be exploited.

I believe I speak for all who fight for our freedoms when I say we need to persevere in every military action until we are victorious. Prematurely leaving these conflicts sends a message to every future Tojo, Hitler, and Bin Laden that we are weak. Even worse, it invalidates and insults the sacrifice of those who fought in these wars.

My Humble message to our current leaders, and the Iraq Study Group, is that victory in our War on Terror is absolutely vital for the prevention of future wars. The mere thought of a "dialogue" with Iran and Syria is ridiculous. They are a big part of the problem! Ahmadinejad and al-Assad are rubbing their hands with glee with the mere thought of sitting at the bargaining table with us.

During WW II the citizens of our great Nation cringed at the thought of losing to the Axis powers, which would subjugate future generations to the will of Tojo or Hitler. Today's citizens need to see the threat of Islamofacism for what it is, and knock off the hand wringing and defeatist talk. One thing you can depend on: your Humble Patriot will not submit.