A date that will live in infamy

This is truly sad that nobody has made a comment here. For one of the most important days in American history I guess Infamy is less that 67 years.

I have visited Pearl Harbor on three occasions, each bringing a sense of loss, patriotism and pride in our country that is hard to explain. The attack was the start of the "great war" that took the life of an Uncle I never was given an opportunity to meet because of it.

So each year on Dec. 7th I say a little prayer for my Uncle and also for the U.S.

To Southsider: I hardly think that commenting on a blog site is a measure of infamy or importance. I noticed that your comment was more a scolding of everyone else without offering your own comments on the day or the topic!

You are correct. The men that gave their lives at Pearl Harbor were truly brave. That day was a true awakining for America. Little TV news coverage and no comments here made me wonder if anyone remembered. Every American should remember that day. Thanks for remembering.

The sentiments expressed by Chris didn't call for a reply, because he said it all. Besides, half this country wants to forget 9/11 happened, so why would they remember Pearl Harbor?

Chris's last sentence said "Let us remember today what they did and what they fought for" and nobody made a comment. We are quickly losing that generation and their stories should be told. I will go one step farther and say that some of that day at school should be taught about 12/7/41. Same for 11/22/63, 9/11/01 too. 2/12 & 2/22 should still be for Lincoln and Washington. Dr, King's day should be spent learning about the man himself. Not a day off of school. Other wise it becomes Labor Day and nobody remembers why. Both 12/7 & 9/11 should not be forgoten. There are people and countries out there that don't like us and that is hard to remember when we live here in Naperworld.

Southsider, I think you have a good point. In college we always had no classes on MLK Day but the college planned all sorts of MLK Day activities so people could learn more about him and civil rights causes. This makes more sense to me than just a day at home with the Playstation. It's the more traditional definition of a holiday, where you remember what happened on that day and not just not go to work.

Exactly! America has grown up so fast. Back in 1941 there were only 133 million Americans. When Dr. King died we passed the 200 million mark. Now we are over 300 million and growing. If you want to be an American you should know our history that lets you be an American. Tell the stories. Teach our kids what is not in the books for an hour or two on days that are important. History is not always happy stuff but it is important to remember.

Pearl Harbor Day and 9/11 should be remembered and taught in schools - but not just as historical events. It is important for children to be reminded of the events and sacrifices made by others - but it is equally important to teach them why these events came to happen.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

I'm quite surprised they haven't made 9/11 into a holiday yet. It seems like something they would have done by now. Whether it should be or not is debatable, but especially with the current administration I'd expect them to want to keep it fresh in people's minds.

The question about adding 9/11 as a holiday is a tricky one. My guess is that it will be added at some time - there just hasn't been sufficient lobbying by a special interest group. I'd also watch for a call in the future to make August 4th a national holiday as well.

The problem with adding additional national holidays is the cost of those days. They become a huge cost to the government and private industry both because of millions of workers enjoying a day off with pay. If we need to memorialize these days, set a special day aside - say the Sunday closest to the date each year. Is it critical that the exact date be used - or is it the remembrance? Look at Thanksgiving day - it changes all the time.

It makes sense that another holiday would be costly as a day of missed work for millions, but it's also true that there are a lot of holidays that most people don't get off of work for. My company only recognizes five days a year. Federal employees seem to get the most. I agree that at some point 9/11 will probably be a holiday. It seems like I've heard that they call it Patriot Day right now, but I don't know how official that is. I have to ask, what happened on Aug. 4?

I think Dissapointed was thinking about April 4th. The day day that MLK was shot. But on the bright side we now have more comments here than Obama's jeep does! My work here is done.

August 4th is Pres elect Obama's birthday

Each year we move further away from the great wars of the last century. People start to forget or do not even want to remember and/or do not want the the next generation to be well educated about it. I, for one, will not let that stand with our son. He is only a toddler now, but when he is old enough and mature enough to understand, he will know the brutal reality that educators will probably look over. My grandfather fought in WWI and his sons (my uncles) were in WWII and Korea. My father was in the Army and served in Korea for a year in the early 1960s (that war was long over).

Some good war movies to watch to name a few:

Sergeant York
Sink The Bismarck
The Longest Day
Tora Tora Tora
Midway
Das Boot
Platoon
Schindler's List
Saving Private Ryan
Black Hawk Down
Life Is Beautiful
The Pianist
Band Of Brothers (HBO series)

There are many more out there that I am probably forgetting that were either movies or made for television.

I am biased because I was a history major but I think anyone with even a faint interest in history can get interested in World War II. There's just so much that happened and it's so significant. Some of the other ones you need a bit more of a specialized interest in, but war is always an incredibly significant event for a nation and they should be remembered.

AC,

That's a great list---though Das Boot is really more about the sacrifices of the "bad guys", an aspect of war we would do well to focus on more. In that light, I would add Letters from Iwo Jima to your list.

-JQP

A great but often over looked WWII film is "A Walk in the Sun". Also, "Sahara" (starring Humphrey Bogart). Though not WWII films, add the fabulous Kubrick film, "Paths of Glory" to the list of must see films - a different look at war. Also, don't for get "The Red Badge of Courage" and "Gettysburg".

I know Band of Brothers was mentioned but I'd like to emphasize that that is a really good one. I used to watch "Midway" all the time too. I liked "Enemy at the Gates" even though it's about the Russians.

To: Sun Editors, JQP & Film Buff
Thank you for your comments. Some of the mentioned movies I was not aware of and will have to make an effort to watch.

Das Boot is an interesting look from the German side of the war as well as life on U-Boat. Actually, the sub. was replicated from the U-505 at the Science & Industry museum in Chicago (also fascinating to walk through). Watch this movie on DVD with your sound systme at home. They added in nearly an hour worth of film not in the original release. The clarity is also excellent on DVD for this movie because it is dark from the aspect of being in a sub. along with the underwater filming. The effects are really good and it is hard to believe this movie was made around 1981-82.

The Longest Day is also good from showing the German side of the events leading up to and including the D-Day invasion.

Today, war movies are made to show the real horror of war when looking at the difference between The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan. I want to see it for how it really happened, not sugar coated.

I have seen parts of Letters From Iwo Jima on AMC but have not had the opportunity to see it all the way through. I would certainly like to along with Flags Of Our Fathers.

I originally saw Midway in the theater in "sensaround". It's a little Hollywood but not a bad movie and has much fact with some fiction mixed in.

I heard a while back that Steven Spielberg (and I believe Tom Hanks) are making "The Pacific" to be released on HBO as a ten part series. They of course did Band Of Brothers.

I taped "The War" by Ken Burns on PBS and have been trying to find time to watch that.

I should also mention if you are interested in other American wars, Ken Burns' The Civil War is fantastic. I took a Civil War class in college and we watched the whole series, so that shows that it gets respect from academic sources too. Burns' World War II series I found a little disappointing because he just focuses on three or four towns.