” I wonder how many realize today that in those 36 days we lost twice as many men as we have in the entire Iraq war, including over 90% of some units.”
My dad is a Normandy vet, Navy Medic, so he knows what really happened. He never talked much about that day, but during a discussion with our kids,where they brought up Saving Private Ryan , he told them that he saw the movie, and it shows the horror of war, but leaves out one key point.
It took 10+ assault waves until the beachhead was in a state that the troops could progress. The bodies in the water prevented the landing craft from making headway.
Flash forward to today, and the instant media.
Here’s what we would probably here in a live play by play.
Too many casualties, pull out now, not worth the price....
Fortunately those brave 20 year olds keep moving on.
My kids have never forgotten that discussion, and I’m proud to know that they understand what the “cost of freedom” is all about.
That's true of so many recent war movies. The implication is clear; that there is only loss in war and never gain. The destruction of the Nazi regime or Imperial Japan just doesn't measure up to such noble efforts as saving a tree or reducing one's carbon footprint.
The only potential benefit of their unjustified pacifism is that, if it ever came to blows with the rest of us, we can count on them rolling over at the first shot.