A Few Thoughts On VE Day
60 years ago the war in the European Theater ended.
I spoke earlier to a good friend from the UK and he told me about how he watched the ceremonies all day on the television. Here, in the US there were celebrations but the news coverage was, simply put, pathetic and lackluster. A five minute human interest piece on one station, a vague reference to the President’s trip overseas to attend the celebrations there, a distant shot of Bob Dole leaving a wreath at the World War II Memorial followed by a five second sound clip…
It is no wonder why the kids in our schools have no clue about what happened during World War II, much less who the combatant nations were or the tremendous cost in human lives?
It saddens me to no end. It also makes me wonder if the hard lessons learned from those dark days are in danger of being forgotten. This nation as a whole sacrificed so much to help free the world from a tyranny worse than any other in history yet just six decades later all of this is worthy of less airtime than the sports report?
Last night I was chatting with my good friend Tait about how many families I have come across in my research who lost more than one member while they were serving in the Armed Forces. In many cases if it weren’t for their surviving family most would only be remembered as names on headstones or, if they are lucky, on monuments that took much to long to be built. Am I wrong in thinking that is a little less than what they deserve? Should I just accept that this is how it is? Should I quit deluding myself that there are people out there who really give a damn about all of this?
Folks, this is our heritage I am writing about here. That is no exaggeration. The war was not won simply by the men and women who set their young lives aside to go and fight, it was won by every American who was alive at that time. Everyone did what they could to make sure that the tools necessary for winning a war against those evil regimes could be made and shipped to those who needed them. Why are we so ready and willing to just push that aside to broadcast some overpaid actress is pregnant or some aging baseball player will have to sit out several games because of an injury?
I can only hope that, when the 60th. Anniversary of the end of the war comes around someone will find a way to better show our appreciation.
I ask you tonight to take the time to thank those who paved the way for us to live as we do. Let them know their sacrifices were not in vain. Let them go to their just rewards assured that the benefits of what they did will continue on long after they are no more than names on stones or monuments. We all owe them at least that much.
Don't forget, we're taking reserve orders now, just e-mail us for more information!
-S-
BACK TO FIGHTIN' 79TH.
I spoke earlier to a good friend from the UK and he told me about how he watched the ceremonies all day on the television. Here, in the US there were celebrations but the news coverage was, simply put, pathetic and lackluster. A five minute human interest piece on one station, a vague reference to the President’s trip overseas to attend the celebrations there, a distant shot of Bob Dole leaving a wreath at the World War II Memorial followed by a five second sound clip…
It is no wonder why the kids in our schools have no clue about what happened during World War II, much less who the combatant nations were or the tremendous cost in human lives?
It saddens me to no end. It also makes me wonder if the hard lessons learned from those dark days are in danger of being forgotten. This nation as a whole sacrificed so much to help free the world from a tyranny worse than any other in history yet just six decades later all of this is worthy of less airtime than the sports report?
Last night I was chatting with my good friend Tait about how many families I have come across in my research who lost more than one member while they were serving in the Armed Forces. In many cases if it weren’t for their surviving family most would only be remembered as names on headstones or, if they are lucky, on monuments that took much to long to be built. Am I wrong in thinking that is a little less than what they deserve? Should I just accept that this is how it is? Should I quit deluding myself that there are people out there who really give a damn about all of this?
Folks, this is our heritage I am writing about here. That is no exaggeration. The war was not won simply by the men and women who set their young lives aside to go and fight, it was won by every American who was alive at that time. Everyone did what they could to make sure that the tools necessary for winning a war against those evil regimes could be made and shipped to those who needed them. Why are we so ready and willing to just push that aside to broadcast some overpaid actress is pregnant or some aging baseball player will have to sit out several games because of an injury?
I can only hope that, when the 60th. Anniversary of the end of the war comes around someone will find a way to better show our appreciation.
I ask you tonight to take the time to thank those who paved the way for us to live as we do. Let them know their sacrifices were not in vain. Let them go to their just rewards assured that the benefits of what they did will continue on long after they are no more than names on stones or monuments. We all owe them at least that much.
Don't forget, we're taking reserve orders now, just e-mail us for more information!
-S-BACK TO FIGHTIN' 79TH.
posted by Syd Edwards at 1:21 AM
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