It's easy to act calloused when you're not the one shoveling up the atomically cremated corpses of men, women and children who posed no threat. I challenge anyone to look at just one picture of a baby killed in the crossfire of any given war and maintain their superior attitude.
Yeah, maybe. Until you've seen the aftermath, and had to write the letters home, of the actions of a mother, with a baby, which she carried wrapped in a blanket, along with a hand grenade. Killed her, the baby, three American soldiers, and wounded nine others.
**** winning hearts and minds, the only way to stop that mentality is just like you do with cockroaches ... or not be there in the first place.
It's easy to act calloused when you're not the one shoveling up the atomically cremated corpses of men, women and children who posed no threat. I challenge anyone to look at just one picture of a baby killed in the crossfire of any given war and maintain their superior attitude.
Suppose we didn't use the two Atomic bombs and had to invade the Japanese Home Islands? Have you read the estimated casualties, both civilian and military from such an invasion? It has nothing to do with maintaining a superior attitude....it has nothing to do with emotions at all....it was 100,000 casualties vs millions. Using the bombs was a no-brainer.It's easy to act calloused when you're not the one shoveling up the atomically cremated corpses of men, women and children who posed no threat. I challenge anyone to look at just one picture of a baby killed in the crossfire of any given war and maintain their superior attitude.
Specifically in the Washington Dulles Airport.Actually, the Enola Gay resides in the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
My father was on and Island tour in the Pacific back in WWII. Towards the end he was an Intell officer and involved in the planning of the Invasion into Japn. Their estimates were up to 1 Million US lives lost. This is course was back in the days when we planned on winning the war(s) and we were going to kick the chit out of the bad guys until they folded their cards and begged to surrender. We have not won a war since...Based on what I've read it probably saved millions of lives and there were far fewer civilian deaths - by an order magnitude.
I can only imagine living through WWII. Tens of millions of people killed in combat, diseases, starvation, etc. The entire world at war. Everyone was bombing each other's civilians plus you had the holocaust - nasty total war for all the marbles.
I think the context matters. I'm sure it was a difficult decision but it may have been the most humane option given all of the circumstances.
If I did not I would have it as an avatar...yes I do! I have received various kudos over my life time, few have much meaning to them and most are long forgotten. The one thing I am the most proud of my CIB. I did not have go to Vietnam, I had a draft deferment due to my job, but I told the boss NO, if my country calls I must go, told him I would not enlist, but if they drafted me then so be it. When I got to Cam Rah Bay Vietnam I got peeled off and offered a good position, desk job, AC office, I said no, I came to fight that is where I want to be. I spent over 13 of the next 14 months in the bush...Cowboy....Do you have the Combat Infantry Badge like shown in your avatar?
Flash
If I did not, I would not have it as an avatar...yes I do!
When I see the Medal of Honor, it chokes me up. There are some things that words alone can not justify in tribute.
What the CIB says is simple: You were on the killing fields and in the bloody arena, that to me is everything. I am not alone in those thoughts:You have my respect, sir and thank you for your service! I wasn't being nosy. I have profound respect for the CIB.
(Regarding Avatars, however, some of the members have pretty women as Avatars. That doesn't make them Female.....snicker.)
The CIB is something I few people understand and it's a damned shame. That you have one, says a lot about you. When I see the Medal of Honor, it chokes me up. There are some things that words alone can not justify in tribute.
Flash
No I don't, they taught the course to our entire Bn, but all of us with a CIB were not allowed to attend the course, said we did not need it????Ole Cowboy you have the EIB too? I met a drill sergeant who wore that instead of his CIB. Said it was harder to get for him but I understand how the CIB could mean more to a guy as well.
I served under his son when he commanded the 2nd AD, I stayed in touch with him until he passed away back around '06 IIRC. He retired to a small town outside Boston and raised Blueberries."Son, your Granddaddy rode with the Great Third Army and a Son-of-a-G-dda-ned-Bitch named Georgie Patton!"
My Father was there and spent the entire war directly behind the front lines as a Captain/surgeon in the Medical corps. He was bombed, strafed and was under fire for the entire campaign. A German kid threw a grenade into his Jeep. It killed two soldiers and wounded Dad.
He helped to free several Concentration camps and returned from the war a mental mess. He wasn't much as a Dad but I always respected his WW2 service.
Flash