Some good thoughts from Dr. Franklin. We should not forget the words of his last paragraph as much as we would hope that this would not be the case in the future:
Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor; and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and their freedom."
V/R
Dave
Reflections On Teaching Military History
Chicago Tribune, 12/9/12
Cory Franklin
Seventy-one years ago this month, Japan launched an aerial assault on the U.S. fleet in Hawaii, killing more than 2,400 and bringing America into World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called Dec. 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy."
Do today's schoolchildren still learn his words? More important, are they aware he said the bombing of Pearl Harbor is the most important date in 20th century American military history?
Unfortunately, America suffers from a serious case of military illiteracy. Many Americans regard the military with ambivalence. We fluctuate between "Support our Troops" banners being flown over NFL games or "Bring the Troops Home" protests where demonstrators want to downsize the military and direct the savings toward social problems. Both attitudes resonate but don't provide what we as a citizenry must demand - accountability.
As columnist William Pfaff recently noted in the Tribune, since 1945 America has expended significant blood and treasure for scant national advantage. Moreover, our military generals from Douglas MacArthur in Korea, to William Westmoreland in Vietnam, and now David Petraeus and John Allen in Afghanistan, despite their accomplishments, have ill served the American cause with questionable behavior.
But how can we demand accountability from military leaders without a basic understanding of who they are, where they fight and what their mission is? American military illiteracy extends to three broad categories, each illustrated by a basic question.
(Continued at the link below)
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