The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, was a wakeup call that led to the greatest military buildup in world history and a national commitment to fight until victory was achieved.
A look back in history reveals that Americans paid a heavy price in finances and blood while the Communists in Russia and China received the spoils. Since World War II, American wars in Korea and Vietnam have been fought in defense of free people threatened by Communist aggressors. American politicians have denied victory to the armed forces in each instance.
The only Americans alive today who have lived through invasion and occupation of their homeland and abuses by totalitarian governments, experienced it elsewhere. They are horrified at what they see happening to the United States from within, while most native Americans are complacent and virtually oblivious to the pending dangers ahead as the government in Washington, DC continues to assume more and more power and ignore the values that made our republic the beacon of freedom in the world.
Americans are slowly awakening from their slumber and becoming alarmed at the realities we are facing as a New Year dawns on the horizon in just three weeks. The question remaining is whether or not it is too late for public opinion to change the destructive direction that our government is taking, or will there be unavoidable violence and bloodshed when those in denial finally realize they have been deceived and betrayed and are becoming slaves to a powerful and ruthless ruling class void of ethical or moral standards.
During the first decade following World War II, I worked with dozens of German civilians in the port city of Bremerhaven on the Weser River where it flows into the North Sea. Bremerhaven was in the British Occupation Zone and there were only a few Americans stationed there. Working together daily and families attending social functions together provided a wonderful opportunity to get to know the German people. I was frequently asking my German employees and other friends how a well-educated, intelligent nation of people could allow themselves to become the subjects of a “madman” like Adolph Hitler.
The responses of the older people were identical. They were so encouraged by a charismatic leader that promised to make Germany great again. By the time they realized they were being led to their destruction, it was too late to do anything.
The younger Germans who had grown up in the Hitler Youth organizations continued to be virtually under the spell of Nazi leaders. They were idealistic and were to be the master race that was destined to rule the world.
I clearly recall thinking: “This could never happen in the United States. We are too well-informed and we will never allow our leaders to misinform or mislead us. The Germans must have a character flaw that allowed them to be deceived so easily. We have learned from their mistakes. We are free Americans – it can never happen to us.”
As the administration in Washington takes control of the automotive industry, banks, and is seeking to control medical care, promoting the insane idea that man can control climate and that wind and solar panels can replace petroleum and the internal combustion engine if ordered by a dictatorial government, there are encouraging indications that the Tea Party movement and a lot of other “regular folks” are beginning to become aware that the direction of the new administration is not in the best interest of the majority of Americans.
It was encouraging to see a large group of Black Americans on the Glenn Beck program who are fed up with large numbers of black people being used and abused by white liberals and crooked politicians.
Locally, a large group of justifiably concerned citizens attended the Greenville County Council meeting last week to deliver a petition and a message to certain Council members they believe have been doing the bidding of special interests rather than protecting the interests of their constituents.
We need to Remember Pearl Harbor, if for no other reason, to avoid having to repeat the painful lessons of history.