[NYer]

Thank you for the personal testimony! The WWII generation was the greatest in the history of our young nation. These brave men served their country from a sense of duty, not career. Their valiant wives pitched in as well, helping to build military aircraft, tanks and vehicles. Across the US, Americans set up victory gardens, rationed butter, coffee, silk stockings ... whatever it would take to support their country and fighting men. Hats off to Turner Classic Movies which dedicates several days each year to running documentary films from that period.

This thread has strayed into some unpredictable and esoteric areas.

Most, if not all who read the article neglected to read it all the way through where it states:

A Song for Nagasaki tells the moving story of this extraordinary man, beginning with his boyhood and the heroic tales and stoic virtues of his family's Shinto religion. It reveals the inspiring story of Nagai's remarkable spiritual journey from Shintoism to atheism to Catholicism.

Thank you for your excellent post and ping!

[afraidfortherepublic]

I did read that. My comments were directed mostly to those who seemed to imply that most Americans (if not all) were war-mongering sadists who delighted in the suffering of women and children. I read the whole thread, but I thought that it diverged from reality. The theology of a just war are better discussed with one’s confessor, or minister. I thought that I’d profile some of the people that I have personally known.