I have not been watching the new Ken Burns production about the Second World War in its entirety. I have read and watched World War Two histories and documentaries before I was even a teenager; I doubt that there is anything too startlingly new even in this major series. Still, I have stopped to watch parts of it during breaks in other programs. So far I am right.
The portions I did see from the episode entitled “A Necessary War” caused me to reflect once more on the miraculous accomplishment of American forces in this war. I continue to be amazed at the results of the American military even when they faced a better equipped, better experienced, and numerically superior enemy. On both the European and Pacific Theaters, the German and the Japanese military were the most developed “fighting machines” in their day. The German Army slashed across the Polish and European frontiers with hardly a pause. The Japanese forces were victorious against Russia, China, and the Pacific forces of Great Britain and France. They had been actively engaged in military action for years. None of them believed that Americans had any willpower or resolve necessary to mount a major threat against them.
Yet, engage them we did. Undermanned, undersupplied, and undertrained, American military forces stood up to the best that the world could muster in the 1940s, and we beat them. We beat them with essentially civilian soldiers, not professional military forces. We beat them soundly. How?
First, our military forces and civilians on the home front knew we were right. We knew who was on the side of liberty and who was on the side of tyranny. Lest anyone be confused, I clarify: Allied forces (America, Great Britain, France, and some others) were fighting for liberty and freedom; Axis forces (Germany, Italy, and Japan) were fighting for tyranny. There was no significant debate about this.
Second, our forces were allowed to prosecute the war to its successful conclusion. No armies of silly lawyers and liberals running around whining about whose rights had been violated. The portion of “A Necessary War” episode I saw featured the Rangers in the Pacific. These elite members of the Army were sent into enemy occupied areas to harass them. The Rangers lived off the land and killed Japanese. They did not shout “Throw down your weapons!” before attacking. They did not take prisoners. They were there for one reason: kill the enemy.
War is war. In some ways, militants can conduct the war as civilly and humanely as possible, but if ethical behavior is really the main issue, then do not go to war. Accept defeat and take whatever comes – which will be immoral behavior, by the way. Our military personnel today are engaged in war just like the Rangers and other World War Two forces. But today, liberals condemn our military men and women for killing the enemy. At the same time, liberals try to convince me that they honor the legacy of our Armed Forces from World War Two. Puh-lease. As I wrote in my last post, liberals would no more support our military men and women in World War Two any more than they do today. Liberals are either pathetically ignorant of the historical reality of warfare or they are attempting to be cunningly deceptive in order to convince some that they exhibit any American patriotism. Take your pick. This is certain: no rational human being can claim to support our victorious military forces of World War Two and, at the same time, protest the conduct of war today. They do not mix.
The portions I did see from the episode entitled “A Necessary War” caused me to reflect once more on the miraculous accomplishment of American forces in this war. I continue to be amazed at the results of the American military even when they faced a better equipped, better experienced, and numerically superior enemy. On both the European and Pacific Theaters, the German and the Japanese military were the most developed “fighting machines” in their day. The German Army slashed across the Polish and European frontiers with hardly a pause. The Japanese forces were victorious against Russia, China, and the Pacific forces of Great Britain and France. They had been actively engaged in military action for years. None of them believed that Americans had any willpower or resolve necessary to mount a major threat against them.
Yet, engage them we did. Undermanned, undersupplied, and undertrained, American military forces stood up to the best that the world could muster in the 1940s, and we beat them. We beat them with essentially civilian soldiers, not professional military forces. We beat them soundly. How?
First, our military forces and civilians on the home front knew we were right. We knew who was on the side of liberty and who was on the side of tyranny. Lest anyone be confused, I clarify: Allied forces (America, Great Britain, France, and some others) were fighting for liberty and freedom; Axis forces (Germany, Italy, and Japan) were fighting for tyranny. There was no significant debate about this.
Second, our forces were allowed to prosecute the war to its successful conclusion. No armies of silly lawyers and liberals running around whining about whose rights had been violated. The portion of “A Necessary War” episode I saw featured the Rangers in the Pacific. These elite members of the Army were sent into enemy occupied areas to harass them. The Rangers lived off the land and killed Japanese. They did not shout “Throw down your weapons!” before attacking. They did not take prisoners. They were there for one reason: kill the enemy.
War is war. In some ways, militants can conduct the war as civilly and humanely as possible, but if ethical behavior is really the main issue, then do not go to war. Accept defeat and take whatever comes – which will be immoral behavior, by the way. Our military personnel today are engaged in war just like the Rangers and other World War Two forces. But today, liberals condemn our military men and women for killing the enemy. At the same time, liberals try to convince me that they honor the legacy of our Armed Forces from World War Two. Puh-lease. As I wrote in my last post, liberals would no more support our military men and women in World War Two any more than they do today. Liberals are either pathetically ignorant of the historical reality of warfare or they are attempting to be cunningly deceptive in order to convince some that they exhibit any American patriotism. Take your pick. This is certain: no rational human being can claim to support our victorious military forces of World War Two and, at the same time, protest the conduct of war today. They do not mix.
War is war.
(Photo: an American G.I. using a flamethrower in WWII)
2 comments:
What irritates me to no end is that the "educated elite" can't see the logic of what you just said so plainly. Even the Bible says "there is a time for war". Running from a bully back in grade school never fixed the problem it only delayed the conquest. I think too many Americans have lost the love of Freedom and replaced it with a love of "couch potato ethics". Don't stand up and fight the evil just try to negotiate with them, and hope they will leave you alone. I'll quote the words from Rev Martin Niemoller, a German pastor who uring WWII fell out of favor with hitler, was arrested for treason, and spent time in concentrations camps:
"first the came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
"Then they came for me. May that never be said because of our failure to standup, speak out, and extend a hand of elp to the oppressed." (taken from Israle My Glory, July/August 2007)
I completely agree. Americans are not looking for wars, but when clearly attacked - and continuing to be attacked - we should pursue warfare to its ultimate conclusion and defeat the enemy. How can it be any other way?
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