Remembering, So We Never Forget

There Was A Time When We Cared

Two years ago on a visit to France we toured the Normandy Beaches.  Slightly inland from Omaha Beach near Sainte Marie du Mont and situated beside a cornfield is this memorial to the American troops who landed at Omaha and Utah Beaches.  The American liberation is celebrated in all of the small towns throughout the area.  Driving through the small villages around Normandy we saw pictures of the American Troops enlarged and mounted on walls and homes.  This is a statue of Major Dick Winters one of the leaders chronicled in “Band of Brothers”.

I know it is difficult these days to remember a time when as a country we cared about what happened in the rest of the world.  Eighty years ago when Hitler kidnapped the German people in an idealistic stranglehold and started to march across Europe the United States came to the aid of our European Allies.

I’m the first to admit there was a motive of self-interest: 1) A German Europe would have not have been in the best interest of North America.  2) The United Kingdom, France and Western Europe had been identified as our allies since World War I.  3) We have a common heritage as a people tracing our family trees back to Europe.   When it looked like England was failing, we stepped up to support the international effort with men and materials. 

What we see in hindsight is that this entrance onto the world stage was good for the United States.  Through this new interaction with the rest of the world, we became a more tolerant, educated, enlightened and compassionate people. 

Peace and growth are also good for our economy and while the rest of the world prospered from the end of war, so did we.

The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial dedicated to the Americans who liberated northern Italy.  To stand at the foot of the cemetery and look across the field of crosses where 4,401 American soldiers are resting made me feel sad.  Most of these young men were between 18 and 20 years old, with family, friends, and lives ahead of them.  These soldiers gave the most they had to give so that our freedoms and liberty could survive.  I think about their sacrifice and what we have done with it.  For their sakes we should be doing better. 

By taking the time and the effort to travel we learn about other people and the issues in their lives.  We see new ways of approaching common problems and different methods of developing solutions.

We discover that even though there are differences in language, culture, approach and attitude, the problems facing people around the world are very similar to ours.  The same needs and the desires of people everywhere are safety, security, peace and opportunity.

As we look beyond the differences, we see that in many ways we are the same.

Thank you for reading the blog.  Please leave me a comment or send an email.  Thank you again….Rob 

Walking along London’s North Bank of the Thames we came across this World War II monument dedicated to the Royal Tank Regiment located at Whitehall Place SW1.  The bronze sculpture faces the building where the first tank was designed.  Europe has been plagued by wars and battles for nearly 6,000 years.  Conquering armies have marched and fought in every European country.  The destruction and devastation to families and communities which follows wars are a poignant mindfulness to all citizens and is a factor behind nearly all national decisions.