Posted in Honoring Vets by James W. Killen
December 14, 2016--On December 7, 1941, a foreign force launched a surprise
attack that killed 2,403 American Service members
America has hundreds of epic and hard fought battles in the
history books, but battles like Belleau Wood, Arnhem, Inchon, Hue and the too
many others to list are not widely known, despite having profound and
significant impact on the United States military and the study of warfare.
So why, with so many significant battles, do we all know about
the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Ask any adult about the Battle of Inchon and you’re likely to
get a blank stare, but ask any fourth grader about Pearl Harbor and you’re
likely to get a history lesson about the attack that thrust America into World
War II.
On December 7, 1941, a foreign force launched a surprise
attack that killed 2,403 American Servicemembers. The event effectively etched
into the American psyche because it was not only an attack on Pearl Harbor, it
was an attack on the decency and on the soul of the American people.
Americans were stunned by the attack, and suddenly all
opposition to our active involvement in World War II was ended. Americans
resolved to avenge what the Tokyo Trials would eventually call a war crime.
Seventy-four years later we still remember the event with the
moniker “We Will Never Forget.”
Four generations after the attack, school
children gather in remembrance, news outlets run feature stories on the
survivors who are still with us, Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airmen don
dress uniforms and attend ceremonies from Pearl Harbor to Washington D.C., and
the world takes just a moment to commemorate “the date which will live in
infamy.”
Following the attack, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto feared
it awakened a sleeping giant, referring to the resolve of the American people.
We may have our differences, our conflicts with one another, and our opinions
on the direction of the country, but when attacked by an outsider we pull
together as one powerful and steadfast opponent.
We remember Pearl Harbor because it was an attack on our
heart; it was an assault on our national soul.
We remember because to forget is to dishonor the memory of
those who gave their lives that day and those who would eventually give their
lives in the defense of liberty and freedom.
We remember because our unity stands as a staunch reminder to
potential foes that an attack on the American people will be avenged. That our
resolve is our strength.
