JUNE 6, 1944.
Sixty-five years ago this Saturday was D-Day. On this day the liberation of Europe began in earnest with the landings of thousands of American GI's on French soil. On this day, and because of this action Europe was liberated in one year, but at the expense of over 400,000 American lives in the European and Pacific theaters of operation.
What did we ask in return? Did the United States liberate Europe in order to expand our boundaries? No. Did the United States liberate Europe in order to force our way of life upon it's citizens? No The United States and her allies liberated Europe from the clenches of a madman who in the end was responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of innocent people who did not fit his definition of a "Master Race".
For all of her sacrifices, what did America ask for? All we asked was for a place to bury those who gave their last full measure of devotion.
In the post war years, the United States of America contributed greatly in re-building war torn Europe. The Marshall Plan was implemented, and western Europe, the free nations, became new and progressive countries. Western Europe and her people of various nations flourished because, and only because, the United States of America gave her sons and daughters to liberate them from tyranny. Western Europe flourished because, and only because, the United States of America committed untold dollars, supplies and manpower to re-build western Europe including Germany. At the same time, eastern Europe, under control of the Soviets failed to grow and or prosper. Socialism it seems does not quite work as well as freedom and democracy.
This Saturday, June 6, 2009, take a moment to remember those who gave everything on the beaches of France as the liberation of Europe started to become a reality.
And the next time you hear the President of the United States of America apologize to the world for what we did, just remember that those who gave their lives in defense of this country preserved his right to say stupid and un-American things. Freedom is an expensive thing to preserve, and it is never free. Our founding fathers knew that, and certainly the "Greatest Generation" knew that also. No American citizen should ever forget that.
What did we ask in return? Did the United States liberate Europe in order to expand our boundaries? No. Did the United States liberate Europe in order to force our way of life upon it's citizens? No The United States and her allies liberated Europe from the clenches of a madman who in the end was responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of innocent people who did not fit his definition of a "Master Race".
For all of her sacrifices, what did America ask for? All we asked was for a place to bury those who gave their last full measure of devotion.
In the post war years, the United States of America contributed greatly in re-building war torn Europe. The Marshall Plan was implemented, and western Europe, the free nations, became new and progressive countries. Western Europe and her people of various nations flourished because, and only because, the United States of America gave her sons and daughters to liberate them from tyranny. Western Europe flourished because, and only because, the United States of America committed untold dollars, supplies and manpower to re-build western Europe including Germany. At the same time, eastern Europe, under control of the Soviets failed to grow and or prosper. Socialism it seems does not quite work as well as freedom and democracy.
This Saturday, June 6, 2009, take a moment to remember those who gave everything on the beaches of France as the liberation of Europe started to become a reality.
And the next time you hear the President of the United States of America apologize to the world for what we did, just remember that those who gave their lives in defense of this country preserved his right to say stupid and un-American things. Freedom is an expensive thing to preserve, and it is never free. Our founding fathers knew that, and certainly the "Greatest Generation" knew that also. No American citizen should ever forget that.
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