Eighty years ago, the Japanese Navy attacked the American bases in Oahu, Hawaii, bringing the United States into what would be known as the Second World War.
In reality, the U.S. was sort of unofficially into the war on the other side of the world, carrying out "armed neutrality patrols" against German U-boats.
The "Hawaii Operation" had an effect on American defense thinking was as profound as was Operation Barbarossa was on the Russians. That the fear of surprise attacks didn't trigger a nuclear war was more luck than anything else, which, at one point, hinged on the judgment of one Soviet Air Defense officer.
More to the point of this post, 80 years is about when events begin to transition from having living witnesses to being historical events. When those who knew those who experienced the event are gone, then the event has fully transitioned into history. The Civil War is still alive, but the Battle of Trafalgar is as much a part of history as is the Battle of Agincourt.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Many people are saying that the preznident would have stopped Pearl Harbor from happening. In fact at this very moment, he is preparing to travel back in time and do just that. Right after he teleports back to fight in the cave-man dinosaur wars.
I'll never forget my then new girl friend introducing me to her mom. It's 1984, I'm 32 years old and I'm stoked about my Toyota Supra. The woman takes one look at my car, looks me in the eye and says... "I would never buy a Japanese car, they cut off too many of my friends heads"
In time I learned her husband flew PBY Black Cat missions in the Pacific, and survived. The women's eyes were like laser beams, and I don't think she ever really liked me.
Post a Comment