Thread: Never forget,Dec,7th

And oddly also is,It is the only War we have won since

There's a legion of what-ifs when it comes to history and if chance had taken another path the current world might be very different than it is now. We just need to deal with what we have now but at the same time remember and learn from history because it seems we never do and folks keep going down the same old path towards destruction.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

And oddly also is,It is the only War we have won since

I'm not so sure about that. We won the Gulf War handily. We invaded Panama with minimal losses. We've not lost the war is still on in Afghanistan and the war is winding down in Iraq, and it is not because we are losing. The war in Korea was a stalemate, but we did what we set out to do and that was to keep the North from taking control of the South.

Vietnam was a different issue and I'm sure it would be opening a hornet's nest to discuss why. But the U.S. has otherwise been very successful in its military campaigns. We kept the Soviets at bay in Europe until that government collapsed.

I think the U.S. military and the military of her allies who have been by her side has done quite well since WWII.

markdfhr,

What you're saying is very true, and as you say most American's don't remember September 1st, and I also believe that many Europeans don't remember December 7th, which I agree is a date just as important to remember as, like you said, it "dragged" USA into the war, and if this hadn't happened the war would most likely have gotten a total different end than it did, and we would have had a very different Europe (and World for that sake) than we know today.

Originally Posted by markdfhr

I'm not so sure about that. We won the Gulf War handily. We invaded Panama with minimal losses. We've not lost the war is still on in Afghanistan and the war is winding down in Iraq, and it is not because we are losing. The war in Korea was a stalemate, but we did what we set out to do and that was to keep the North from taking control of the South.

Vietnam was a different issue and I'm sure it would be opening a hornet's nest to discuss why. But the U.S. has otherwise been very successful in its military campaigns. We kept the Soviets at bay in Europe until that government collapsed.

I think the U.S. military and the military of her allies who have been by her side has done quite well since WWII.

We have not had a declared war since 1946,the debacles that have occured since were never won as the enemys had never surrenderd,at any rate,thanks to all that have served,god bless America.

Originally Posted by Zephyr

markdfhr,

What you're saying is very true, and as you say most American's don't remember September 1st, and I also believe that many Europeans don't remember December 7th, which I agree is a date just as important to remember as, like you said, it "dragged" USA into the war, and if this hadn't happened the war would most likely have gotten a total different end than it did, and we would have had a very different Europe (and World for that sake) than we know today.

No disrespect intended, but we would also have to remember the day the Russians got involved in the fray, as well as several other days of equal importance. There are too many dates to remember them all, if we include WW1, and the other dates of national importance (in my case, for Belgium).
The fact that I didn't know was not out of willful ignorance, but simply because there are so many dates to remember.

The most important date here regarding the war is the 11th of November.
That is the day we pay homage to the heroes of WW1 and WW2. It became a national holiday after WW1 of course. After WW2, it became a shared celebration. To pay homage.

I took my daughters to the local monument on the 11th of November, and they decorated it with daisies they had plucked from our garden. On our way there I tried to explain to them why we were doing that and why I thought it was important to remember. It was not easy, trying to explain to a 4 year old and a 6 year old the concept of global war, and concentration camps, and the sacrifices of my grandparents, while trying not to cry.

As a result of our entering the war following Pearl Harbor our total combat deaths were 291,557. Our total dead and wounded were 1,076,245 with 30,314 MIA. We don't discount the many casualties suffered by our allies in that war, both military and civilian, but we remember and honor our own. There are many USA servicemen who lay under white crosses across Europe. December 7th 1941, for Americans, is indeed a day that should "live in infamy" forever. Add September 11, 2001 and for me November 22, 1963.

Originally Posted by Bruno

The most important date here regarding the war is the 11th of November.

In the US, that is Veterans Day, honoring war veterans and active duty. It was originally called Armistice Day, I think. Dec. 7 is another important day of remembrance for a lot of us in the US, and maybe it is more personal - it is often cited as the first and last major attack on US soil by a foreign power since 1812

Bruno,

11 November is Veterans' day here in the United States. I'm not sure how many people here realize this was the day WWI, the war to end all wars ended. There are too many dates in history for everyone to remember them all. After all, history isn't just dates and names; but what we do need to remember is that all this history affected real people, like your grandparents. Let's hope that your 4 and 6 year old children will grow up and be thankful for the sacrifices of those who came before without having to truly understand by experience any of these horrors for themselves.

As long as we make the effort to remember, our chances of having to relearn lessons is reduced.

Cheers.

-Mark

Originally Posted by Bruno

No disrespect intended, but we would also have to remember the day the Russians got involved in the fray, as well as several other days of equal importance. There are too many dates to remember them all, if we include WW1, and the other dates of national importance (in my case, for Belgium).
The fact that I didn't know was not out of willful ignorance, but simply because there are so many dates to remember.

The most important date here regarding the war is the 11th of November.

It was by no means directed to you, and I fully agree with you, I probably wouldn't have remembered it myself if I didn't read about it not long ago (I have always been interested in WWII history, but I usually suck at remembering dates and names), my point was only that both are dates it is worth remembering as they both had great global significance to WWII.
But there are of course many more dates that's not of less importance i.e here in Norway we got April 9th 1940, the day the Germans innvaded Norway, and May 8th 1945, our liberation day, these are dates most Norwegian knows, but probably not many outside the Norwegian border.