Take a moment to thank our greatest generation

Published 12:38 am Thursday, December 7, 2006

By Staff
Sixty five years ago today – Dec. 7, 1941 – a group of American boys and girls very quickly became men and women, and in the years that followed, they quite literally saved the world.
It was not who they were that made this generation great – it was what they did. These men and women, who sluffed off the hardships of the Great Depression, rose from the ashes of Pearl Harbor and met this challenge to our nation and freedom itself, beating back the forces of tyranny.
Few people likely realize just how close we came to a world dominated by totalitarianism, with the lives of every person on the planet being dictated from Hitler's "World Capitol" or from Tokyo. If it wasn't for the sacrifices of our greatest generation, we would not be able to take our victory in World War II for granted.
In some ways, our victory was imperfect. The outcome of the wars in Europe and the Pacific Ocean did usher in the Cold War, but the steely resolve that generation gained fed the proceeding generations, and their grandchildren eventually saw the Berlin Wall come crashing down.
Many members of this generation did not live to see the results of their heroism, and a few of them – those who died on the Day of Infamy – were likely not even aware of why they were under attack.
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were in many ways worse. Those attacks were against civilian targets and more people were killed. But the resolve we inherited from our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who fought for our freedom strengthened us as we responded to our second Day of Infamy.
Our world is, on balance, better due to efforts and sacrifices made in the past, but some trouble spots still remain. The rise of Islamic militancy in the Middle East and the resurgence of communism in Latin America demonstrates the need for us to draw on the strength and resolve handed down to us to answer the challenges we continue to face.
Tragically, our greatest generation is leaving us by about 1,000 per day. Soon, we will only have the memory of their Herculean task to guide us. Before that day comes along, we all need to take a moment to personally thank all those who gave their all to keep us free.