Memorial Day - Please Take A Moment

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As I look through the glass, darkly I see,
I have fought under many names,
And many guises,
But always me.

- General George S. Patton, Jr.

For those Americans on this website, please take a moment to remember those who have died that our nation would live. For as Abraham Lincoln once said, "It is for us, the living, rather, that we take increased devotion to that cause for which they who fought here have given the last full measure of devotion. That we highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation experience a new birth of freedom. And that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

I have served. I have fought. But I'm no hero. Those who have died are the heroes. Please join me in cherishing their memories.

Longshanks

I've decided to join you Americans in taking a moment as well.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seMc_UaE3FQ[/youtube]

Dear Mick, You have so much class.

Sylkat

Not getting pics here today for some reason. Both my grandfathers served in Korea and both made sgt. 1 in the Army, the other in the Marines. Both died at 65 in 1996 within a month of each other, of heart disease. They were part of what they call the Silent Generation

*moment of silence*

Oh yeah, my birthday is on Memorial Day.

I'm lucky enough to be in Washington, DC these few days, touring the monuments and memorials. Even though I'm not American and have no one country I feel especially attached to, I take my time to acknowledge the soldiers who died for America and all of its ideals. It is a noble thing to do.

May you have the happiest of birthdays. May God bless and cherish you. Thank you for your sentiments.

Longshanks

Thank you.

Yes, let us remember a bunch of people [in a positive light] who picked up weapons and killed another bunch of people who did the same to them, both of which didn't personally know each other nor have any personal grievances against.

Ain't humanity grand?

Really? Tell me, would you rather be speaking German and giving alms to the Fueher? If it wasn't for guys like us, that's exactly what you'd be doing right now.

Ain't humanity grand?

Longshanks

I was under the impression the U.S was more focused on Japan than the Nazis...so I don't know the U.S should take all the credit for that one. Without the other allies the Nazis would have probably won and we'd still be speaking German. Also though it is possible over time Nazism would have been rebelled against as it would have been far to extreme for most Americans in general and they would have revolted if put under such a system. It is impossible to say what would have been or what will be in the future however.

English and German sounds about the same thing to me.

They're both just as dirty as the other.

I have a friend twice my age pretty much, so I imagine he'll be first to go...and he's done that except was never killed himself so uh, I may have a hard time remembering him in a negative light.

Most people sleep through history class, so this is a common misperception. FDR himself listed the Nazis as a priority. To begin with, our war effort was more focused on the Germans the first part of the war for several reasons. First, Hitler was close to conquering Britain, which was to be our springboard on to the European continent and was a major industrial power in its own right. The last thing we needed was more industry to support Hitler's war machine. Second, the Nazis were very close to building the atomic bomb - much closer than us, which is why a joint British-US and Norwegian underground operation destroyed the German Heavy Water Facility in Norway. Third, Germany had an industrial might that rivaled the Americans. In fact, Charles Lindberg, who had toured Germany, recommended the US not go to war with Germany for that very reason. Fourth, their army and air force were much more technologically advanced than the Japanese and thus a greater threat. It was known that the Germans were developing rockets that were capable of not only reaching Britain, like the V-2, but eventually the hitting the United States. Fifth, because of the large amount of land that Hitler had taken, he had access to vast amounts of raw materials and manpower to feed his war machine. Lastly, more nations were subjugated (spelling?) to Hitler's regime than the Japanese. This gave Hitler a massive pool of manpower. Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians, Finns, Poles, Czechs, Norwegians, Dutch, and yes, even Russians wound up being drafted into Hitler's military. The United States, according to Reichmarschall Herman Goering, Hitler's Chief of the Luftwaffe, was the next target once Russia and Britain were beaten - and they were much closer to that than most people realize.
Japan, in contrast, according to Admiral Isuroku Yamamoto, C-in-C, Combined Fleet, only had enough resources to go on the offensive against the Americans for only a year. The US knew this. The US, prior to WWII, was Japan's prime source of raw materials. When we cut that off in an embargo against Japan for their invasion of Manchuria, Japan decided to go to war. But both Yamamoto and the Japanese War Ministry knew that their only chance against America was a combined surprise attack at Pearl Harbor followed up by a series of quick strikes with the goal of destroying the US Pacific Fleet and the occupation of Hawaii by January 1943. They had counted on the fact that Roosevelt and his left leaning government would be more pacifistic and sue for peace. Japan had not the resources to invade the US. This was the most Japan could hope for. But by capturing the Phillipines for oil, Burma for rubber and wood, and China for metals, they could secure rescources for raw materials. While Roosevelt, a Democrat, was not all that bright, he wasn't stupid. Seeing what was going on, a number of changes were made. The Secretaries of War and the Navy were fired and replaced by Republicans (Stimson & Knox). The various Chiefs of Staff were also replaced by conservative generals and admirals with the exception of Adm. Henry Stark, who was a Roosevelt appointee that was fired when he failed to warn the commanders of Pearl Harbor of the upcomming attack. Roosevelt then followed the proper advice. The rest is history.

One of the benefits of a military education.

Longshanks

Memorial Day 2017.

Barber's Agnus Dei, one of the greatest works of catharsis in the Western world.
(Turn the volume up, set other things aside.)



Agnus Dei, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.