V-E DAY REMEMBERED

Coach is Right ^ | 4/12/15 | Suzanne Eovaldi

[Oldpuppymax]

As we approach the seventieth anniversary of the German surrender to the Allies on May 7, 1945, it’s time we take a few moments to reflect on the superhuman efforts our great American military force expended to assure that victory. General of the Army and Supreme Allied Commander Dwight David Eisenhower brought about the cooperation of quarrelsome and oppositional Allies who gained reputations for fighting among themselves, America’s Joint Chief of Staff, George Marshall and Eisenhower himself nearly as much as they did the enemy!

When Eisenhower cabled Marshall that Germany had surrendered at 0241, local time, May 7th, 1945, Marshall responded with this message, directed to Eisenhower at his Reims headquarters: “You have completed your mission with the greatest victory in the history of warfare. You have commanded, with outstanding success, the most powerful military force that has even (sic) been assembled. . .You have made history, great history for the good of all mankind, and you have stood for all we hope for and admire in an officer of the United States Army. ” (1 pg. 358)

American troops took horrific casualties during Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion of June 6th, 1944. “In spite of the enormous casualties suffered by the Americans in the first two landing waves at Omaha, the beach was finally secured…” “The eventual Omaha victor was a classic example of tenacious small unit action.” Author Perry said that “it was only through the courage of American privates, corporals, and sergeants that the Germans were finally routed from [their] defensive positions.” (Pg. 303).

But why are American school children never taught about this and other extraordinary feats accomplished by our soldiers during WWII? Why are the attitudes of the American media so corrosive that its members fail—indeed refuse–to give our military the praise...

[AU72]

President Obama won’t be recognizing VE Day has it happened before he was born.

[buckalfa]

The greatest achievement (along with VJ day) of the greatest generation. Special thanks to Freeper Homer J. Simpson for his living history newspaper threads about the war.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

I was standing in a park yesterday and looking at an old Sherman Tank that is one display there. I was marvelling at how small it is and the fact I couldn't imagine the men who lived and fought in those machines. Those were MEN, those were AMERICANS; I thank God for the last great generation.