Unfortunately, our civilian population is unable to recognize the importance of this war and the wickedness of who we are fighting.
In WWII, everyone down to the local paperboy (remember those?) and corner barber (remember those?) were either waiting in line to go 'Over There' or had already been 'Over There' and had lived to tell about it.
It was common for wives and mothers to get telegraphs of their son's demise on the battlefield - only to have them show up knocking at the front screen door 2 or 3 years later.
I don't know what it would take to cause Americans to come to the same resolve and unity today as Americans had when they would all sing "When Johnny comes marching home again Hoorah - Hoorah, when Johnny comes marching home agiain - Hoorah - Hoorah . .
Heck, let's go Happy...
I know what it would take...
Los Angeles would have to die. Only then, with a deathblow to Hollywood and all their dreamworld lifestyles shattered, would The Sheep be galvanized.
I think the answer lies somewhere in the fact that "Johnny" has been replaced by "Juan", "Kareem", "Gupta", "Ogue", "Petrak", "Chen", "Edgardo", "Nguyen", "Yuri", "Malihini", "Mfumbe", Mukchong and "Khus-khus". That old American unity seems to have been displaced by a bit too much diversity.
Yup. Paramount Pictures (I think) was furious about Jimmy Stewart's decision to sign up an go fight!
Don't forget those that were DRAFTED! There was plenty of anti-war, pacifism, and neutrality seekers then. The idea that the US was galvanized for war against evil is not accurate. Never has been that way. Hopefully we'll never need to be 100% 'for' going to war. That said, it still stinks for the troops. I've watch at least three rotations go home and feel good watching them grow more and more excited as they get short.