Sunday, December 07, 2008

67 years ago today

Just before morning Colors(8 AM) the Japanese navy launched a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor Naval base.
Four years and tens of thousands of casualties later, the United States ended it in an unanswerable way, saving thousands on both sides from further loss.

In the aftermath, the United States showed our usual compassion mixed with self interest and changed Japans leadership and thought processes. Unlike some revisionists would like us to remember- we were there as an occupational force for decades...ensuring that democracy stuck.

This was a successful outcome to a bad start. We should all remember that no matter who's in charge, that it's not over until we've accomplished what we came there for. Not getting out for political points so we have to go in and do it again.
...But I won't get into the Treaty of Versailles, although we have several turning points in this era to think about.

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