CLEOEJACKSONIII.COM
  • My Home Page
  • My Life and Ministry
  • My Ongoing Thoughts
  • My Favorite Bible Verses
  • My Favorite Stories
  • My Favorite Jokes
  • My Favorite Quotations
  • My Favorite Web Links
  • My Contact Info
"Helping Others Communicate"

REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR!

12/7/2010

 
In light of the fact that this is Pearl Harbor Day, “a day which will live in infamy”, I thought I would share an extra post today.  As I lover of history in general, and of World War Two history in particular, I agree in part with the assessment that WW2 is the single biggest “event” in all of human history.  And yet, while it is the single biggest event in terms of human involvement, it is not the single biggest in terms of consequence.  Let me explain.

If one overlooks the lingering consequences of World War One some twenty years before, then WW2 can be said to have properly started when the Japanese Army invaded China in July of 1937.  In Europe, it began on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland with its blitzkrieg (or lightning war).  Of course, the war began for the United States on December 7, 1941, when she was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Navy at Pearl Harbor.  The Allies early on adopted a "Europe first" policy, desiring to stop Hitler above all else.  As a result, the European war ended on May 07, 1945, and the Pacific war ended on August 15, 1945.  It is arguable, however, that even though the war itself did not technically end until 1945 (in either the European or the Pacific theatres), the beginning of the end occurred much earlier. 

Two dates are significant.  Barely six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Pacific Fleet ambushed the Japanese Imperial Navy at a little island called Midway.  In this battle, which occurred during June 4-7, 1942, the Japanese Imperial Navy’s Midway Invasion force was thwarted along with the loss of four of her mainline aircraft carriers.  From that point forward, Japan was no longer on the offensive in the war.  Indeed, she was forever thereafter on the defensive.  Three years later, she was exhausted, depleted, and ultimately defeated by the much larger and better equipped forces of the United States.

The other significant date is, of course, June 6, 1944.  On that day, forever remembered in history as “D-Day”, the combined Allied forces under the command of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower invaded Nazi occupied Europe on the beaches of Normandy, France.  Again, though Hitler’s forces fought fiercely, they were nonetheless on the defensive from that day forward.  As was the case in the Pacific theatre after Midway, the outcome of the European theatre was never really in question after “D-Day”.  The tide of war had now turned.  The following facts by Chuck Colson (in his book titled The Faith) detail the Allied invasion of Normandy.

“D-Day” was the largest seaborne landing in history.  More than 150,000 U.S. troops were committed to the initial invasion, employing 6,900 vessels, 4,100 landing craft, and 12,000 airplanes.  Within two weeks the British deployed an additional 314,547 men, 54,000 vehicles, and 102,000 tons of supplies, while the Americans put ashore an additional 314,504 men, 41,000 vehicles, and 116,000 tons of supplies at Omaha.  Ten thousand tons of bombs were dropped on German defenses, with the word given to the French resistance to sabotage key bridges, railway lines, telephone exchanges, and electricity substations.  Despite the Allies' air superiority and hours of heavy bombardment against the beach defenses by the warships' guns, the Germans stayed intact as thousands of brave men in the landing craft motored toward shore.  Nothing stood between these troops and the German guns but the morning air.  At Omaha, Gold, Sword, Juno, and Utah beaches, the troops' only chance was to run, swim, and crawl up the beach to the sea walls, where they could reassemble for assaults on enemy gun positions.  In the first hours at Omaha, more than 2,400 died.  Over the next few weeks, as the battle progressed inland, the U.S. would eventually lose 29,000 men and more than 100,000 wounded and missing, while the British gave up 11,000 of its finest, and Canada 5,000.  And all this was just the initial set of invasions.  The Battle of the Bulge and other potentially catastrophic reversals were still to come, but the invasion of Normandy was so massive and successful, that it allowed the Allies to turn every counterattack into another victory.

Colson then makes the following insightful observation: "As if preordained, the outcome was clear; the evils of Hitler and fascism would be conquered."

Why do I share this?  Because in both theatres of the war, one can see the Gospel illustrated.  In Genesis chapter three, Satan attacked men and women, ruthlessly bringing death and destruction into human history.  He reigned unchecked until a supernatural invasion occurred and the battle was joined.  When the Son of God invaded this world that first Christmas, He turned the tide of battle as surely as did Midway after Pearl Harbor or as did D-Day after Blitzkrieg.  And that supernatural invasion was the single most important event in terms of consequence in all of human history.  No, the battle may not yet be over; but the outcome is now abundantly clear.  Satan is now on the defensive.  In short order, the reign of the evil one will cease.  In short order, the victory of the Righteous One will come.  And that victory will be ours as well.  And we will be forever free in the Kingdom of the Son!  Amen!  Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. 

If you see a WW2 veteran today, be sure to thank him (or her).  They fought for our freedom.  Be sure to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to our Savior this day as well.  He came to die in order that you and I might live.

Comments are closed.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010

    Categories

    All