Remember Pearl Harbor

Let's not forget today. Many brave men died 60 years ago. If you are of the inclination to believe in God, then remember them in your prayers today.

Was 12/7/41 the most important/influencial day of the 20th Century?


The short-term effects of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor are obvious. America declared war on the Empire of Japan the next day. By the end of the month, an emboldened Adolf Hitler declared war against the United States and we were embroiled in a two-front global war which would last another 3 1/2 years.


But the long-term impact of 12/7/41 seem even more dramatic. Ever since the attack at Pearl Harbor, the American political leadership, military, and population have been unified under a common philosophy- NEVER be unprepared for war again.


Following World War I, the United States demilitarized completely as had been customary following wars. When World War II broke out in 1939, our military strength was pathetic compared to Germany, Japan, or even our allies. I've even seen late 1930's army training films in which soldiers practice firing "machine guns" which are made of either wood or cardboard and shoot flour (or something similar). They wouldn't even train with live ammunition simply because it was too expensive. The military budget was miniscule during times of peace prior to 12/7/41.


But the attacks of 12/7/41 seem to have had a devastating impact on the American psyche. Never Again! Never again will America be caught unprepared for war. It dominated our military strategy during the Cold War. The nation was unwilling to allow the Soviet Union to hold any advantage over the United States. In fact, even a small U.S. advantage didn't seem satisfactory. I think the extraordinary peacetime military build-ups of the 1960s and 1980s have their roots in a philosophy created by the Pearl Harbor attacks.


Even sixty years later, our worldwide military strategy is based on having the capability of fighting two wars in two completely different theatres simultaneiously. We aren't even willing to be unprepared to fight a war in one part of the world because our forces are engaged elsewhere.


Despite the enormous financial cost (it must be a staggering $ total), I think this "Never Again" approach has been of enormous value to both the United States and the World. I think America's capability and willingness to fight the Soviet Union is what kept Stalin, Kruschev, and Brezhnev from expanding their communist empire through naked military aggression. The threat of war with the United States, especially a nuclear war, contained the Soviet Union and prevented a direct confrontation between the Super Powers. Of course we got "surrogate" wars in places like Vietnam and Afghanistan in which both sides lost tens of thounsands of young men.


Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, America's military preparedness serves to inhibit the "dreams of conquest" of any dictator who wants to establish an empire of his own. Saddam Hussein is probably just the first with many more to come.


And, today, it allows us to hunt down the Al Qaeda network.

great post!

Great Post


I would add, that our high priority for military preparedness has been the root cause of our great advances in technology.


Was sputnik a great scientic achievment or a potential military threat? Result: the space program.


12/7/41 was the trigger for it all!

Read "Day of Deceit--the truth about FDR and Pearl Harbor" by Robert B. Stinnett if you want a clearer picture of the "surprise" attack on 12/7/41. Or just type "Day of Deceit" into any search engine and follow the links...


Very interesting reading.