Today is Veterans Day and we should all be thankful for them.
Several days ago, I wrote a blog about the battle at Omaha Beach in Normandy France. What many people forget is that America was fighting two wars at the same time. We were fighting the Germans in Europe and Japan in the Pacific. Our troops were stretched all over the world trying to Save America.
Two years (exactly) before the battle at Omaha beach was the battle at Midway. As the Battle at Omaha Beach was the turning point in the European war against Germany, the battle at Midway was the turning point in the war in the Pacific against Japan. Midway island is located between Japan and Hawaii, much closer to Hawaii than it is to Japan. As you know Japan had already attacked Pearl Harbor (6 months earlier) and their plan was to take ownership and control of all the Pacific region. If anyone thinks that their desire for control would have stopped with the pacific, simply does not understand history or the mindset of a dictator. Japan wanted to control the world from the west.
Simply put, if we had lost the battle of Midway and given Japan ownership and control of the island, we would have lost the Hawaiian Islands and then would eventually be defending the west coast of the United States. Much like the battle at Omaha beach, if we had lost Midway, we most likely would have lost America. So, the stakes in the battle was for the life, land and liberty of America.
The battle took place between June 4th and June 7th, 1942. Combined casualties between America and Japan were 3,364. Additionally, there was great loss of naval ships, planes, aircraft carriers, equipment and personnel. America prevailed in the battle and pushed the Japanese control back to Tokyo and retained control of the pacific.
In our personal life there are things we need to do and then there are things we must do. In the course of history, the battles at Midway and Omaha Beach were battles that America had to win. So today, wherever you are, if you see a veteran, thank them and this Thanksgiving, remember the veterans that gave their life so we could have a chance to live ours. KT