June 6, 1944 was the beginning of the end, or perhaps the end of the beginning of Hitler’s dreams of domination and activation of The Aryan Race theory of ethnic ideology. According to historical records, the countries invaded and occupied by Nazi forces between 1939 and 1944 were Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, France, British Channel Islands, Soviet Union (USSR) and Italy. The outcome of Hitler’s efforts should have been a warning to other despots regarding the foolishness of igniting a war that subjugates populations of sovereign nations.
Speaking to his military commanders on August 22, 1939, Hitler said the object of war is to physically destroy the enemy; kill without pity or mercy all men, women and children of Polish descent or language. Contrast that gruesome remark with the relentless pursuit of peace and serenity by military commanders and citizen soldiers of countries that treasure freedom and liberty.
Our axis enemies of Germany and Japan have been friends since their surrenders in May and September 1945, and have become important trading partners. It is no coincidence that our occupation forces, the Marshall Plan and the Japanese occupation and demilitarization activities led by the United States and Britain made a difference. Our ally Russia during WWII has had mostly contentious relationships with the U.S. since WWII.
The Korean War wound up when a ‘cease-fire’ armistice was declared on July 27, 1953. The two Koreas are technically still at war and sporadic hostilities continue to break out. Our military left the battlefield in Vietnam in August 1973; the two Vietnams were reunited in 1976 and the nation is now known as The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (population 94 million). Deaths of U.S. military numbered 58,000, and we still wonder why we were there.
The craving for ‘ending’ the Iraq war caused the U.S. to abandon the country that was unprepared to maintain stability. As we now know, terrorist groups were primed for guerilla attacks to kill people and destroy buildings and infrastructure and thus interfere and obstruct the political and government agenda.
Russia arrogantly annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has made several assaults into Ukraine. While the UN and other nations objected, Russia continues to dominate the Crimean area. Putin laughed at the objections of NATO as members turned a blind eye and a deaf ear.
Is there anything in the world worse than war?
“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself,” said John Stuart Mill, English economist & philosopher (1806 – 1873).
Times have changed in the 72 years since D-Day. Our intrepid military forces that stormed the beaches of France, Anzio and the numerous islands and atolls in the Pacific Theatre wore steel helmets for protection. Now 18 and 19-year-olds are afforded protection from verbal ‘micro-aggression’ that could be ‘offensive’ to others. Words that some liberal college officials have deemed unacceptable are ‘The United States is the land of opportunity.’ Completing military service following WWII, men and women were rewarded with financial support from the ‘GI Bill.’ Now teenagers simply apply for a college loan or grant from Uncle Sam.
The courageous men and women of the military who come home from wars piece together productive lives and families. Those who were killed in the prime of life are buried in cemeteries in Europe, Asia and all across the United States. Their remains lie in repose beneath manicured green grass with Christian Crosses and Stars of David neatly arranged in endless starched rows. On Memorial Day, Monday, May 30 we extolled the living, the dead and POW-MIA’s who bore the burden of military service in war and peace.
Will the memories and dreams of those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice be sullied by riots, criminal behavior, sanctuary cities and surrogate government by proxy?
Dick Baynton