The Daily Briefing

WHILE WE’RE REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR…

Dave WielengaFri. December 07
 

Tom Hennessy frets in today’s Press-Telegram that too many people are forgetting to remember Pearl Harbor.  I appreciate his reminder — today is the 66th anniversary of Japan’s surprise aerial attack on U.S. warships as they floated like sitting ducks in Hawaii — but not so much his scolding tone. A lot has happened since Dec. 7, 1941. Perhaps most significantly, Japan has long ago become one of America’s strongest allies.

History is full of things we ought not to forget — that’s kind of its definition — and everybody’s got their favorite, usually selected for self-serving reasons. Typically, those include the fact that it happened during our lifetime. We all want to be remembered. Since we probably won’t, we often settle for the appreciation of our sacrifices in battle–thus, the demands that we “Remember the Alamo!” or “Remember the Maine!” or “Never Forget 9/11!” or even “Remember The Titans” … which I struggled to sit through, even though I like Denzel Washington.

In Hennessy’s case, however, the self-serving reasons for remembering Pearl Harbor include not forgetting to serve a key part of his market — the so-called Greatest Generation. Over the last 27 years Hennessy has made a good living remembering the people who died in World War II … although, significantly, he managed to avoid military service himself.

Per Hennessy’s instruction, however, I will take a few minutes today to Remember Pearl Harbor. And while I’m at it, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, too.  You aren’t forgetting the 62nd anniversary of the United States’ surprise aerial attack on those cities as hundreds of thousands of civilians went about their daily lives as … well … civilians, are you?

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COMMENTS

  1. 1

    If you want to remember the anniversary of the atomic attacks on Japan, you are about 4 months too late (Aug. 6th and Aug. 9th respectively). So why even bring it up on this date? Why remember those dates the day before & after Pearl Harbor day? Here’s a fact to add to your revisionist mindset: No Pearl Harbor, no Hiroshima & no Nagasaki! Period. End of story. Also, you said “…the United States’ surprise aerial attack on those cities as hundreds of thousands of civilians went about their daily lives…”. This is an incorrect statement based on historical FACTS. The Japanese were warned very vivdly weeks in advance by Truman to expect “a rain of ruin from the air the likes of which has never before been seen on this earth”. How’s THAT for a warning? Not enough you say, well OK… The Japanese were also warned DAILY by radio & almost daily by leaflets dropped from B-29’s encouraging the civillians to evacuate. “surprise aerial attack”? Hardly! Perhaps you should research the truth about WW-II in the Pacific before writing another piece like this one. Your article was based entirely on your OPINION with pure ignorance of the actual historical facts. If you feel so guilty about the poor Japanese victims of our barbaric unprovoked bombings, you should travel to Japan and pay your respects to the multiple Class-A war criminals that the Japanese still revere as national heros. I’m sure they will enjoy your complaining since they too have forgotten their crimes against humanity. If you would truly like to educate yourself on the evnts of WW-II I will be more than happy to recommend some historic reading materials. However, I’m sure that my comments will be ignored just as you are ignoring the history of your country. In closing, like it or not, those who died at Pearl Harbor did so to help protect your right to free expression. You owe them, and all WW-II Veteran’s, your appreciation and respect.

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    Posted By Bill on December 7th, 2007 at 12:00 pm

     

  2. 2

    bill
    please explain to me exactly how the guys who died at pearl harbor were protecting my right to free expression.

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    Posted By howardx on December 7th, 2007 at 12:59 pm

     

  3. 3

    I find it highly amusing that the one thing you took from my comments was that line. To answer your question, anyone who sacrifices their life in the U.S. military does so to keep our collective freedoms intact. Let me ask you this… Would you rather be speaking Japanese, or maybe German now?! Did anyone in your family serve in WW-II? What do they think of your attitude of disrespect towards them?

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    Posted By Bill on December 7th, 2007 at 2:38 pm

     

  4. 4

    so you cant do it, i thought as much. many members of my family served in ww2, my dad served in korea, my uncle served in vietnam and i myself served in the navy in the 80’s so keep that disrespect bs to yourself it aint flying with me. for the record NONE of them think they were fighting to defend anyone’s right to free speech. since you fancy yourself an expert on ww2 bill why dont you explain to me just how it could have happened that i would be speaking german or japanese right now.

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    Posted By howardx on December 7th, 2007 at 3:20 pm

     

  5. 5

    Yes, Bill, I would like you to recommend some historic reading materials.

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    Posted By Dave Wielenga on December 7th, 2007 at 3:21 pm

     

  6. 6

    howardx,

    First, I very much thank YOU and ALL of your relatives that have served our country. My respect for your service is truly great and nothing said in this forum can diminish that fact. You may not have thought that you were defending freedom and maybe you weren’t, but I believe that you all were. I appologize if any of my comments sounded like anything other than respect for the past. I certainly DO NOT consider myself an expert on WW-II. I do however posses a basic working knowledge of WW-II history and a deep sense of pride in what was sacrificed so that my family & I may live free. And I am not all all sorry for that.

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    Posted By Bill on December 7th, 2007 at 5:18 pm

     

  7. 7

    Dave Wielenga,

    Thank you for your reply. I sincerely hope that it was not sarcastic. If you are indeed serious, I highly suggest the following books:

    Flyboys - by James Bradley
    War’s End - by Maj. Gen. Charles Sweeney
    The Fall of Japan - by William Craig

    I again appologize if my prior remarks were “stinging”. I am just sick & tired of revisionist historical thought.

    Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

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    Posted By Bill on December 7th, 2007 at 5:41 pm

     

  8. 8

    go check out ‘man in the high castle’ by philip k dick

    also uss arizona BB-39 much respect

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    Posted By Chris Ziegler on December 7th, 2007 at 7:07 pm

     

  9. 9

    It is sad fact that our country was the first to use an atomic weapon. This is especially true given that it was dropped on “soft” non-military civilian targets.
    It was immoral and wrong. The flip side though is that American veterans of the Pacific war alost universally supported the dropping of the atomic bombs. This includes Jesus’ father who had gone through training in Ft. Ord in Monterey and was on a troop ship on his way as an 18 year old infantry replacement to the invasion of the Japanese home islands. The Joint Chiefs of Staff contemplated that there would be 1 million american casualties in this campaign and 3 to 5 million japanese civilian casualties. Jesus’ dad would frequently say “if it wasn’t for Truman I’d be dead and you wouldn’t be hear son”.

    The problem with this historical debate is niether side gives the whole picture. Military targets should have been selected. It was manifestly immoral to bomb civilians either conventionally or with a nuclear weapon. However, the Japanese were engaging in major and wide spread atrocities against American and British POW’s and civilians. For instance on the Island of Chi Chi Jima they would customarily execute and then cook and eat (yes eat) downed American pilots. There are many other examples. Also the Japanese had demonstrated on Iwo Jima and Okinawa they would not only fight to the death but also encourage civilians to kill themselves and their children to avoid capture.

    Trumans decision was also heavily influenced by the fact the U.S. was quickly running out of money and political support to continue the war. The truth is that the Japanese were the initial agressor. None of the above excuses targeting civilians. It was and is today immoral and inconsistent with a civilized society.

    However on this date over 60 years ago many young men and women in the prime of their youth died over the tyranical ambition of a few. They along with the other young service men and women who rest in places like the Punch Bowl military cemetary in Hawaii, the American Military Cemetary behind Omaha Beach in Nowmandy and the American Military Cemetary just outside of Florence in Italy all died for freedom and to literally save the world from tyranny, facism and repression. Views to the contrary smack of cynicism, ignorance and hatred for all things American. So Howardx Jesus wishes to say to you respectfully, lovingly and divinely - go fuck yourself.

    Jesus believes it’s ok to remember Pearl Harbor with out a footnote regarding Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I also believe the opposite is true. Out of deep respect for my shipmates who served on BB-39 (yes Jesus did serve in the Navy) I choose remember those young kids who still lie just off Ford Island in the places where they fell on BB-39 that terrible morning over 60 years ago. Jesus remembers them and weeps and mourns for what might have been. Jesus also mourns all the Japanese young men who died that day. Jesus also mourns all the civilians who lost their lives in that entire conflagration. All Americans should grieve and remember Pearl Harbor. Concurrently Jesus believes all people of good will should struggle for one goal - Peace.

    Jesus out.

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    Posted By jesus on December 8th, 2007 at 12:00 am

     

  10. 10

    “go fuck yourself”

    must be the republican jesus.

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    Posted By howardx on December 8th, 2007 at 8:22 am

     

  11. 11

    You’re confusing Jesus with Dick Cheney. He’s the Republican Jesus.

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    Posted By jesus on December 8th, 2007 at 6:44 pm

     

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