Reflecting on the Strengths of 80 Years Ago

Americans reflected on the events of 80 years ago, and a morning which saw the blue skies over Pearl Harbor filled with acrid black smoke from the burning wreckage of our fleet and aircraft that were attacked shortly after 8 AM, Honolulu time. 

That morning found 2,400 sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen and civilians killed and another 1,200 wounded. At the time it was the worst attack ever suffered on American soil since the creation of our great nation. It propelled our nation into World War II, as we joined forces with our Allies against the Axis forces.

President Roosevelt described the attack as “a day that will live in infamy,” when he addressed a Joint Session of Congress and the American people. Most of us alive today can listen to his voice digitally, as itreassured and calmed the shocked citizens of our nation.

The attack on our soil galvanized the resolve within the American people to make whatever sacrifice was required to defend our nation and respond to the evil which had spread through both Europe and the Asian continent since 1938. 

Young men falsified their ages to join in the fight against an enemy, and brothers raced to induction stations to see who could be first to defend their country. I’m proud to say my dad was one of them, as well as his brother and two sisters. All served with honor. 

Yes, women joined in the effort. As did two of my dad’s sisters, one of whom rose to the rank of Sergeant Major. They assumed jobs on the production lines to produce the necessary products and equipment that kept our military moving forward while the war effort grinded on from 1941 to 1945.

Today, women proudly serve within all sectors of the military. There are 63 women who hold the distinction of admiral or general in the active-duty forces. 

America came together to make the necessary sacrifices and go the distance to eliminate this threat to democracy, while soundly vanquishing totalitarianism. Those who we defeated became the recipients of our guidance and humanity, and today, 80 years after our entry into the conflict, serve as some of our closest allies.

As we reflect on our past, we cannot help but compare the struggles faced by those patriots 80 years ago to the challenges we face today. September 11 is often referred to as the Pearl Harbor of our generation, as we once again found young men and women deployed throughout the world fighting an enemy seeking to destroy our culture and the freedom that was successfully defended over three quarters of a century ago.

That evil had crept out from the deepest and darkest corners of the world, which was once revered as the “cradle of civilization.” They sought to eliminate our nation’s Judeo-Christian foundations. They deal in fear and seek to subjugate the world population under a rule that is barbaric, murderous and inhumane.

While we as a nation and a society hold life in the highest of regard, a radical faction within that area of the world seeks to destroy the foundations of what we all hold dear. They continue to flaunt the barbarity of their actions in an attempt to drive fear into our hearts and have us capitulate to their demands due to our own weakness, while living in trepidation of their next acts of inhumanity.

Those that to do us harm should never forget the hard lessons visited upon those evil forces from the past. The America I know does not fear its enemies and it does not seek to bring harm to others and their beliefs, religions, and cultures. We are a nation of compassionate and caring people. We embrace diversity and a wide-ranging mix of religions and values. The America I know will not stand by while evil seeks to enslave, slaughter, or attempt to subjugate others.

The leadership of this nation must also understand that those seats they occupy, throughout our nation, are on loan from the people. Those positions of leadership do not belong to them or any individual political party. We must reflect on the greatness of our nation as we ponder our future and put political partisanship aside and remember that we are Americans first.

As a nation united, there is much we can do to continue the work of raising our citizens up and insuring social justice for all. For it is with the same resolve that was marshalled 80 years ago to defeat tyranny that will allow us to heal our divisions for the good of all. However, it will take the leadership and courage that was displayed by what proudly became known as the Greatest Generation.