dagblog - Comments for "The Lesson of D-Day"

Oleeb, I should add that

JohnW1141 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:04:36 +0000

Oleeb,

I should add that although the Vietnam war was divisive, apart from the demonstrators, both sides didn't make it personal the way it is today. Though the debate often got heated I don't remember the ad hominum attacks the way you see them today.

oleeb, in a word; No. A

JohnW1141 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:01:21 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

oleeb,

in a word; No.

A caveat; I'm only a high school grad with a trade school degree attained after the war so this may be somewhat superficial.

The immediate years after the war were good, 1945 to 50, but then we got involved in Korea. God, it seemed like we just got out of one war and we're back in another for reasons that were not convincing.

Still, a viable middle class was being born and it expanded until Reagan. Think about the Levittowns being built. Unions were strong, all boats seemed to rise. We seemed to be on a certain road, prosperity for all. Reagan took us off that road. War and greed became acceptable and the country started to become divided into camps, and as conservative talk radio took off, the divisivness grew.

Until Reagan there were unwritten laws governing workers and management, such as no replacement workers when your workers went on strike, no stealing people's pensions. Reagan put the sharks in the water and they have been growing in numbers ever since. Today they permeate our buusiness community, ala ENRON, etc. and it shows.

Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Iraq. Measured by the reasons for WWII which one was justified? What was the justification for the invasion of Panama?

Overthrowing democratically elected governments, which started with Iran back in the 50s, but became strandard practice as time went on.

Between 1946 and 1950 you could travel anywhere in the world and people would greet you with big smiles and admiring words. Being an "American" meant something grand all over the world.
Consider how I was greeted in the cities and towns we liberated in France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, just as others were treated in other places in Europe; we were greeted as friends and liberators, we had nothing to fear from the inhabitants; look at how our troops have been greeted since.

When I look around today at what's happened I'm saddened. Dick Durbin had it right when he said in the Senate "The banks own this place." Where were the opposition party and the so called "Journalists" during the eight years of the Bush/Cheney reign?

Madeleine Albright said to Colin Powell; What's the use of having this powerful military if we don't use it?" (paraphrase) Christ, save me from Madeleine.

When I look at our country today, its foreign and domestic condition, what we have become, I think to myself;

Today's America is not what I signed up for.

Sorry for the rant, I seem to be all over the place.

Though the post is not on the

oleeb — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:54:29 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

Though the post is not on the recent list or anything any longer, I would like to ask your opinion on something John. Given your experience, what you experienced in the war, and in your long life, has this country been worthy of the sacrifices made by people like yourself and of all those who didn't make it home? Have we become a better nation in the intervening years? Have we done what we ought to have done since the nd of WWII to make the kind of world we wanted to see? I'd be most interested in any thoughts you'd care to offer.

As always John... thank you!

oleeb — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:46:18 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

As always John... thank you!

Thank you for your comments

oleeb — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:41:56 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

Thank you for your comments Dondi!

John, What New10 said. Two

Don Key — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:32:11 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

John,
What New10 said. Two of the most generous, gentle and common-sense people I have known suffered silently from memories of the war throughout their lives. They did what they had to do and never complained about it but also thought as someone says here that they were fighting so that their sons wouldn't have to. Yours is an amazing story and gives a sense of the horror of combat. Thanks for your service.

new10, thanks for the kind

JohnW1141 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:19:46 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

new10,

thanks for the kind comment.

By the way, I forgot to mention that if you go to that C-SPAN site, move the control button next to the on off switch to the 45.18 time mark, this is where I come on; John from Philadelphia.

John, thank you for your

new10 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:43:16 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

John, thank you for your courage and service. I had a blood uncle, an in-law uncle, and a father-in-law, all deceased now, from that same "greatest generation". There were three common characteristics about these men which I couldn't help notice, even when I was a kid. They didn't much complain, they were generous, and they were "anchors" - emotionally stabilizing elements - within each of their extended families. I dearly miss them.

If anyone is interested. On

JohnW1141 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:25:06 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

If anyone is interested.

On D-Day I jumped into Normandy with the 82nd Airborne. Below is my call to C-SPAN's Washington Journal commenting on some of my experiences.

http://c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/06/06/WJE/A/19524/John+McManus+Author+The+Americans+at+DDay+The+Americans+at+Normandy.aspx

Thanks Sara. Great reading

fpie — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:17:09 +0000

In reply to The Lesson of D-Day

Thanks Sara. Great reading your impressions of those letters.
Maybe you should concider publishing them online or in a book. Your neighbor it seems was in a unique position to observe and comment on the events both in the place/time and his personal views and talents.