D-Day, 75th anniversary

[Sailor]

I am not sure we have the evidence to say that.
The nation our grandparents lived in had literally been attacked, bombed, and torpedoed by armed forces of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. Those two nations pre-emptiveily declared war on us, and our nation's well-being and perhaps survival were at stake. Everyone in 1941 knew that Japan was bent on dominating Asia, and that Nazi Germany had the ways and means to subjugate Eurasia with direct consequences for the well being on people in North America.

Those are profound and existential reasons for people to be motivated and prepared to fight.

Sending a kid to kill some Vietnamese in a jungle in southeast Asia in a civil war that is no significant threat to our country - or sending American kids on false pretenses to invade an Arabic country that poses no substantial threat to us are not exactly the types of existential threats that make people feel morally obligated and motivated to fight for.

If our generation of kids every had to face the kind of threat that Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan represented to the welfare and safety of the citizens of our nation, we simply cannot speculate how they would respond. They might well respond in ways that are just as admirable as the "greatest" generation.

We really can. Take a look around. It is not getting better. I respect your opinion though and applaud your optimism.

 

[Mason Michaels]

The trickery and misdirection by the Allied armies to fool the Germans were a work of art.

Still, if the Red Army had not already killed/maimed millions of German soldiers and tied down millions more in the Eastern Front meat grinder, I do not believe that the Atlantic Wall would have been penetrable by any Anglo-American amphibious invasion force.

I agree!I think Russia had the most casualties,by millions!

 

[Mason Michaels]

I am not sure we have the evidence to say that.
The nation our grandparents lived in had literally been attacked, bombed, and torpedoed by armed forces of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. Those two nations were great powers that pre-emptiveily declared war on us, and our nation's well-being and perhaps survival were at stake. Everyone in 1941 knew that Japan was bent on dominating Asia and the Pacific, and that Nazi Germany had intention as well as the ways and means to subjugate Eurasia with direct consequences for the welfare of people in North America and around the planet.

Those are profound and existential reasons for people to be motivated and prepared to fight.

Sending a kid to kill Vietnamese in a jungle in southeast Asia in a civil war that is no significant threat to our country - or sending American kids on false pretenses to invade an Arabic country that poses no substantial threat to us are not exactly the types of existential threats that make people feel morally obligated and motivated to fight for.

If our generation of kids ever had to face the kind of threat that Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan represented to the welfare and safety of the citizens of our nation, we cannot say what would happen - it would be speculation....we simply cannot speculate how they would respond. They might well respond in ways that are just as admirable as the "greatest" generation.

The Greatest Generation,that had way more casulities,then the WW2 generation was the Civil War generation,who fought Americans.

 

[signalmankenneth]

Let's never forget the deeds and courage of the greatest generation! 16 million men and women served during World War Two, of those that are still alive, is just under 497,000. I was the son of a World War Two veteran, and I was proud to serve in our nation's military too! I hope I live long enough to see the 100 Anniversary D-Day invasion, I will be 92! I got a 50th Anniversary D-Day Zippo lighter and I use it too!

 

[Cypress]

I agree!I think Russia had the most casualties,by millions!

Something like ten million Soviet soldiers killed in combat, not to mention 1.5 million more soldiers dead of starvation and abuse in Nazi POW camps.

As much as D-Day should be remembered, by the standards of the Eastern Front, D-Day was basically a large tactical operation. Which takes nothing away from the bravery and fortitude of those involved. But WW2 in Europe was really won on the Eastern Front, and the Wehrmact was utterly broken at Stalingrad and Kursk well before an American or British soldier set foot in France.

But as an American, D-Day can and should be honored as a testament to how the citizens of liberal western democracy prevailed against the rightwing forces of fascism and white aryan nationalism.

 

[Mason Michaels]

Something like ten million Soviet soldiers killed in combat, not to mention 1.5 million more soldiers dead of starvation and abuse in Nazi POW camps.

As much as D-Day should be remembered, by the standards of the Eastern Front, D-Day was basically a large tactical operation. Which takes nothing away from the bravery and fortitude of those involved. But WW2 in Europe was really won on the Eastern Front, and the Wehrmact was utterly broken at Stalingrad and Kursk well before an American or British soldier set foot in France.

But as an American, D-Day can and should be honored as a testament to how the citizens of liberal western democracy prevailed against the rightwing forces of fascism and white aryan nationalism.

I think if you add in civilian casualties,the Russian figure is 20 million.

 

[Cypress]

I think if you add in civilian casualties,the Russian figure is 20 million.

An unbelievable sacrifice. The people of Lenningrad held out against starvation, disease, and daily shelling for three years of siege without ever surrendering.

The French let the Nazis walk into Paris almost on a whim, and Copenhagen and Vienna gave up without firing a shot.

Yep, World War Two was basically won on the Eastern Front, though D-Day and the western allies did hasten the demise of the Nazi regime.