Posted on 11/06/2015 12:27:56 AM PST by pboyington
They were called Bob, Harry, Red, Leo, Dick and Mary. They trudged through the jungle on Guadalcanal, waded through mounds of volcanic ash on Iwo Jima, shivered miserably at a place called the Bulge and gave a dying GI life-saving plasma at a hospital in Italy. Some worked in the factories that churned out tanks and planes and fuel barrels 24/7, while others waged war with slide rules and chemistry beakers.
They never complained because they knew the task at hand was so important that the future of the world rested in their hands. As Winston Churchill so eloquently put it, “If we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Churchill knew that with victory, “All Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.â€
They knew to live in a world run by a Hitler or Tojo or Mussolini was not an option. They would do whatever they had to do, even if it meant some of them had to die. For them there was no substitute for victory.
They had a look in their eyes and an aura that symbolized the greatness and goodness they represented. This country had never seen a generation like them before and may very well never see one like them ever again.
They were our mothers and fathers, our grandparents. Since they first retired and then began to pass away, the country has never been the same.
Every generation America produced has done many great things. But, without a doubt, the generation that won World War II, saved the world and secured the most prosperous peace in history is in a class by itself.
We need to study their lives and actions in detail; from the way they paid for goods to the way they waged war and conducted foreign policy.
The Greatest Generation can still teach us many things: hard work, respect for the rule of law, a selfless can do attitude, an enviable sense of patriotism and above all, standing up in the storm and doing what is right.
The Greatest Generation believed in the almighty, everlasting power of the United States of America. To them every other country on earth was either a “has been†or an up and coming punk on the corner. There was no questioning of our greatness. There was no denying our wealth. There was no hiding from American exceptionialism. To them we were the guardians of goodness on the planet and anyone who denied that could go straight to Hades.
While this patriotism may appear from time to time on the surface today, I believe many Americans wonder if we are indeed on our way out, and ready to land on the ash heap of history with other defunct formally great powers like the Romans or the British.
As of now, American is in retreat, at home and across the world. Our foreign policy is in shambles. The Russians continue to outwit us in a carnival shell game of obfuscation and aggression. ISIS runs rampant across Syria and Iraq, committing mass murder and conquering new territory. The Chinese smile at us and talk trade and then attempt to scare us out of the South China Sea.
Americans have become self-centered, pleasure seeking, and too worried about mundane and trite nonsense on social media. We have become the masters at wasting time. As a nation we are too focused on feeling insulted and demanding someone apologize for the most ludicrous of reasons. And, if no apology is forthcoming then that person is ostracized into digital oblivion.
Can you imagine a GI from the 1st Infantry Division riding in a Higgins boat, ready to land on Omaha Beach and wondering how many “Likes†he has on Facebook or another GI taking a selfie with the Normandy cliffs in the background?
We need to get back to basics and spend more time solving our problems than complaining. We need to reinvigorate that can do, common sense attitude that used to be as American as apple pie.
While respect for the military is at an all-time high, the public must understand that patriotism entails more than “supporting the troops†by standing at attention during the national anthem at a football game. Freedom is not free. It never has been. It never will be.
In 1964, on the 20th anniversary of D-Day, CBS newsman Walter Cronkite – who as a young UPI reporter had landed behind enemy lines that night in a troop-carrying glider – interviewed Eisenhower on Omaha Beach. Gazing at the coastline, the former allied commander and retired president recalled why that mammoth invasion was different from famous battles in ancient history: “It’s a wonderful thing what those fellows were fighting for and sacrificing for, what they did to preserve our way of life. Not to conquer any territory, not for ambitions of our own. But to make sure that Hitler could not destroy freedom in the world. I think it’s just overwhelming; to think of the lives that were given for that principle, paying a terrible price on this beach alone. But they did it so the world could be free. It just shows what free men will do rather than be slaves.â€
To paraphrase President Kennedy, a World War II veteran himself, “We need to ask once again, what we can do for our country.â€
Is this the generation that allowed the leftist plague? The generation of abortion? The generation Free Sex and godless leftism? They voted for LBJ, HST, JFK, LBJ and any other SOB that promised something for nothing,they are not the greatest generation That distinction belongs to those who fought in the revolution
better pick their brains before they leave us for good...
Yes. I always like to remind people that the radical leaders in the 60’s were from our greatest generation.
The second two titles you give this give us the first. It’s mentioned in the piece as a theme. Pleasure seeking.
It stems from that gives way to it. It is the cultural acceptance of the use of birth control
But even David Horowitz said once this democrat party is not the same as that of HST. a lot goes right to LBJ. As ignored as the 49 state winning Reagan is, so is the destruction that this man brought not to mention his successive dem presidents
But it goes back to birth control. I always say it. People can believe it or not. But history WILL show it. In the years to follow perhaps we will prevail. No reason why not despite the obstacles, future generations will look back in horror at our killing innocent babies for the sake of recreational sex Breaking up the family. Disrespecting the sanctity of the family for the sake of pleasure seeking the enemy has made more tempting with the use of birth control.
How dare you insult these brave MEN that gambled everything they had so that even a worthless little worm like you could grow up in a free country.
You would be speaking German or Japanese if it were not for these soldiers who fought against all odds and spilled their guts for your freedom.
A generation includes the whole bell curve. Look at it this way, they took up the cause and won through sacrifice after surviving the depression. They knew what it was like to have nothing. They also refused to allow their kids, boomers?, to sacrifice. I think it was the boomers, not the depression era generation. There really is nothing wrong with not getting what you want when you are a kid. You just have to realize that to get it, you should have to earn it. The Santa philosophy has failed because we have no sense of true reward it has become coveting instead.
Christianity is defined by this same view. Instead of taking up the cross, all is a gift and few teach that every promise comes with a condition.
Marines have the greatest sense of unity because their training is hard and it takes all to earn that Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. Therefore it is more valuable. Making things easier is like mass production of Chinese dollar store junk. Hand crafted goods are much more valuable.
Just rambling from my point of view. There were many influences on our culture from Dr Spock, Kinsey baby abuser, unions, and electronics. There was no spiritual revival. Suffering and sacrifice was evil unless you were a communist willing to take up the cause. Eternity no longer existed when the live for the moment philosophy took over.
I hold similar beliefs as you do.
When the going got rough, the rough got going, they survived the depression and war, they won, they were brave, they saved the country and most of the world.
Unfortunately after it was all over they allowed the cultural revolution of the 60’s.
I recall one such person, had kids in college and professed he wanted it to be better for his kids, vowed to keep them in college until Vietnam was over. His kids grew up to be lefties. This guy himself was a FDR fan.
Not all of the greatest generation were like this. But enough of them were around to influence the others that let the cultural revolution continue so it could evolve to what it is today.
Had they known how it would have turned out, I think many of them would have put a stop to that radical crap going on in California way back then. McCarthyism would have been alive and well, even to this day.
Hollywood would still have decency standards and not promoting homosexual agendas and leftist propaganda. Our education system would be turning out well educated kids with great futures instead of lazy lefties. The media would actually be reporting the truth. The States would have rights and the Feds would be minimal, such as protecting borders and maintaining a strong defense. Anyone caught butchering a baby would be sentenced to life in prison or the chair.
Just think, had the Cultural Revolution of the 60’s been stopped dead in it’s tracks, just how good it would be today.
No disrespect intended to anyone from that era, but I've always felt that the whole "Greatest Generation" thing was a farce. For all their accomplishments, it's also true that a lot of social/political pathologies that have infected this nation can be traced to that generation, too.
pretty rough crowd,,,
The same generation that allowed a bunch of Spoiled Brat Baby Boomers to grow up and seize power here with the goals of:
1) Disarming the military and civilians
2) Flooding the country with Illegals (albeit with GOP help)
3) Run up a $20T debt
4) Destroy Education
5) Create a virtual race war
What, exactly, did they do to “save this country”, again?
“Yes. I always like to remind people that the radical leaders in the 60’s were from our greatest generation.”
You’re correct. I’ve thought about this often as an early member of the Baby Boom generation (born Dec 31st, 1946). But, because of what the Greatest Generaiin endured, Great Depression in their early youth followed by WWII as young adults, perhaps they can be forgiven for some of their misguided policies as after their return they took over the reins of governance, leadership in corporate Ameria, community leadership, etc. A few that come to mind are the Great Society, Medicare/Medicaid, overly generous welfare benefits. And because of their experience of the horror of war, their creation of numerous draft exemptions so to shield “their” children from having to serve in Vietnam. As a Vietnam vet this one really grates on me.....
I’d also suggest that for all this country’s success in World War II, the U.S. efforts both at home and abroad in that era were the ultimate manifestation of nanny-state, big-government globalism. I think you’d have a hard time finding much in common between those Americans and the ones of our founding generations.
My dad was in Army Infantry in N. Africa, Italy, & Germany, a hardened combat veteran - on his way to Japan when
President Truman ordered the atom bomb be dropped on Japan.
President Roosevelt had been his Commander-in-Chief all
during the war. My parents loved FDR. To them, he had
rescued them from the Depression. (Momma’s family had almost
starved during that Depression.) Of course, Daddy respected
Truman as well. However, he DID vote for Reagan after the
Carter debacle. - The Clintons pulled the wool over his
eyes later. - He passed away in 2002. Momma in 1999.
When he got out of the Army, he had lost his hearing from
the constant shelling and noise of war. - On many fronts,
the trauma of war had affected his judgment. He was shell
shocked all to hell.
The truth of the matter is that NO human political party
will ever be able to govern the mess man has made of this
world. That is why Christ will return to this earth to
rule. I say, MARANATHA!
No, it was my generation, the kids of the Greatest Generation that screwed us with the baby boomers!!
My generation , probably the smallest in history, a generation without a name, are now dying off at a rapid rate and will be gone soon.
Hmmmmmm.....
At their youngest they are 90. They are not going to do us much good.
No. The greatest generation were the warriors of the 40's. They stood as one nation, undivided, sacrificing themselves for the greater good. They had enemies, not the least of whom was their president, Roosevelt, a communist sympathizer who brought Marxism into government. By the mid 50's the infiltration had become firmly entrenched. We have seen communism's influence grow inexorably since that time to the present. Today the executive branch of our national government is openly and aggressively Marxist in all its actions.
Perhaps I’m missing something then. As I understood it, the “Greatest Generation” were those that fought in WW2. They had kids when they got home (late 40s to mid 50s), and those kids grew up to be hippies and are now running and destroying this country.
Is this the generation that came back from the war alcoholic, evaded their problems, cheated on their wives, ignored their kids and help pass and liberal gibs me dat legislation?
This was not the greatest generation. They had one significant accomplishment and thats it.
I’ve been doing some interviews with old Veterans for our local newspaper’s upcoming Nov 11th edition.
The last piece was about a P-51 ace with 6 confirmed kills. His wife worked for the American Red Cross in the Philippines.
Both are in their 90s.
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