A Date that will Live in Infamy...

Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I meant to upload this post on December 7th, but I did not realize until today that yesterday was in fact the 7th. I guess I can't keep track. Despite being a day late and a dollar short (so to speak), I hope to pause to remember that infamous day. Also, FDR's speech was delivered on the 8th; so, we can pretend I was intentionally timing my post with the speech instead of the actual anniversary.

"With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God." 

-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Pearl Harbor Speech on December 8th, 1941

When those words were uttered, I don't think the world could have predicted the duration and the impact of WWII. Entire generations of men were killed or missing. The death tolls are staggering when compared to the much smaller statistics from modern wars in the Middle East. Let me be clear - every life lost in war is a tragedy, whether it is one out of a hundred or one out of a million. It is just difficult to comprehend the scale of casualties during 1941-1945. Until we visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial on our Hawaiian honeymoon, I never really thought of the incident as anything other than a history question. "What was the turning point on December 7th, 1941, that caused the US to be directly involved in the Second World War? Answer: The attack on Pearl Harbor." Well, the reality of WWII has come to life for me over the past couple of weeks as I have been reading a book called "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption."

Reading about Louis Zamperini has consumed every free moment of my life since I opened up to page one. By far, this is my new second favorite book. (The coveted #1 spot will forever be reserved for the Bible.) It is the best book I have ever read. Period. Louis has definitely become one of my heroes, and I wish I could finagle a way to meet him. He is still kicking at 94 years old! Maybe once we both get to heaven I can track him down and spend a few hours just listening to him. His astounding biography is truly crazier than fiction. There is something for everyone: spys, sharks, romance, the Olympics, epic battles, courage, heart-wrenching moments, and ultimately, the victory of one man who lived to tell about it all. It is insane. I couldn't put it down, and now that I've finished it, I'm genuinely sad it's over. I highly recommend that you start reading it immediately, but be warned: you will lose sleep when you get caught up in the amazing adventure.

I know we celebrated Veterans Day not that long ago, but I would just like to again say thank you to all those who have served to protect my freedoms. I had no idea of the extremities to which some men have been forced to push themselves in order to guard the country that I love. I walk free because they were imprisoned, wounded, and killed. Wow. Talk about humbling. Puts a new perspective on things. Thank you, veterans! The author of "Unbroken," Laura Hillenbrand, finishes the acknowledgment portion of the book with a very concise summary of what I am trying to say....

"Finally, I wish to remember the millions of Allied servicemen and prisoners of war who lived the story of the Second World War. Many of these men never came home; many others returned bearing emotional and physical scars that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. I come away from this book with the deepest appreciation for what these men endured, and what they sacrificed, for the good of humanity. It is to them that this book is dedicated."

Go read this book! You won't regret it.