Hello, world! This blog began on September 28, 2007, and so far nobody has come looking for me with tar and feathers.
On my honor, I will do my best not to bore you. All comments are welcome as long as your discourse is civil and your language is not blue.
Happy reading, and come back often!
And whether my cup is half full or half empty, fill my cup, Lord.
Sir RWP, thank you for reminding us younger folk. I never realized it took 8 months from Pearl Harbour for the US to retaliate. I am not a student of history.
Carol, I don't understand your comment about 8 months. The bombing of Pearl Harbor did not occur in December 1944, it occurred in December 1941, three years and eight months (not 8 months) before the atomic bombs were dropped ont Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war in Europe lasted from September 1939 until May 1945. The war in the Pacific lasted from December 7, 1941, until the Japanese formally surrendered on the deck of the the battleship U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Harbor on September 2, 1945.
Of course, the lead story on the evening news will probably be about baseball players suing because they don't think they should be suspended for taking drugs.
I would be interested to hear how it is remembered in Japan. To this day the Japanese people have been kept very much in the dark as to a lot of things that went on in WWII.
Isn't it the essence of "The American Dream" that if you want something badly enough you can achieve it? ...Even a mushroom cloud rising above a devastated Japanese city. Not RWP but RIP.
Yorkshire Lad, I cannot speak for others, but I posted the photograph as a reminder of the devastation, not because I was pleased with our accomplishment. I am pleased that the war ended, but at such terrible cost on both sides.
"either that or how many new jobs the Obama administration created last month. "
I won, at least on NBC. By the way, I'm glad we got our financial crisis solved. Earlier this year, the news was filled with stories about how the country will soon be in such depth that we won't even have a hope of paying it off. Now, they never mention that, so I guess everything was taken care of. I love the news.
Funny how pretty those explosions are. It's morning here but afternoon where you are. "Sunday Baroque" just went off the University of Oregon radio station, and "With Heart and Voice" is now on. The latter is church music, and I enjoy most of it, partly because it makes me think of you. For years, the music was selected and played by a British fellow who was a member of a bomber crew during WWII. He has since died, and I miss him. I also wonder how he felt, all those years later, about what he did during WWII. I've read two books by men who flew on the bombers that bombed Germany who later regretted it, but I suspect that most couldn't allow themselves to regret it because the remorse might be consuming. There is surely a point at which, in defending what's right, one becomes a part of what's wrong.
Sir RWP, thank you for reminding us younger folk. I never realized it took 8 months from Pearl Harbour for the US to retaliate. I am not a student of history.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I don't understand your comment about 8 months. The bombing of Pearl Harbor did not occur in December 1944, it occurred in December 1941, three years and eight months (not 8 months) before the atomic bombs were dropped ont Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war in Europe lasted from September 1939 until May 1945. The war in the Pacific lasted from December 7, 1941, until the Japanese formally surrendered on the deck of the the battleship U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Harbor on September 2, 1945.
ReplyDeleteHere is a list of all the battles in World War II, and there were many.
And here are many, many details about the surrender of Japan.
Thanks RWP for correcting me on that year (1941, not 1944)
ReplyDeleteOf course, the lead story on the evening news will probably be about baseball players suing because they don't think they should be suspended for taking drugs.
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush, either that or how many new jobs the Obama administration created last month.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested to hear how it is remembered in Japan. To this day the Japanese people have been kept very much in the dark as to a lot of things that went on in WWII.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it the essence of "The American Dream" that if you want something badly enough you can achieve it? ...Even a mushroom cloud rising above a devastated Japanese city. Not RWP but RIP.
ReplyDeleteHelsie, I would say not only the Japanese. People in the U.S. sometimes seem to be unaware of anyone's sacrifices but our own.
ReplyDeleteHere is a short summary of of Australia's participation in the Second World War.
Yorkshire Lad, I cannot speak for others, but I posted the photograph as a reminder of the devastation, not because I was pleased with our accomplishment. I am pleased that the war ended, but at such terrible cost on both sides.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very powerful image indeed and so it should be. It makes my heart heavy to see it, but it's so important to remember as you say.
ReplyDelete"either that or how many new jobs the Obama administration created last month. "
ReplyDeleteI won, at least on NBC. By the way, I'm glad we got our financial crisis solved. Earlier this year, the news was filled with stories about how the country will soon be in such depth that we won't even have a hope of paying it off. Now, they never mention that, so I guess everything was taken care of. I love the news.
Funny how pretty those explosions are. It's morning here but afternoon where you are. "Sunday Baroque" just went off the University of Oregon radio station, and "With Heart and Voice" is now on. The latter is church music, and I enjoy most of it, partly because it makes me think of you. For years, the music was selected and played by a British fellow who was a member of a bomber crew during WWII. He has since died, and I miss him. I also wonder how he felt, all those years later, about what he did during WWII. I've read two books by men who flew on the bombers that bombed Germany who later regretted it, but I suspect that most couldn't allow themselves to regret it because the remorse might be consuming. There is surely a point at which, in defending what's right, one becomes a part of what's wrong.
ReplyDelete