America is often depicted as the defender or protector of freedom throughout the world. Many books have been written, movies produced, or stories told about this aspect of our American legacy and the many sacrifices that have been made in human life, money and treasure. Some choose to condemn America for our military might claiming that we are imperialists and that the conquering of territory was solely to expand our own borders and riches. Yes, during the times of human existence, struggles for territory have been commonplace. Two and three centuries ago America expanded its borders by purchasing land (e.g., Louisiana Purchase), by blazing the trail west, and yes, through conflict (e.g., Texas, California, or South Dakota). It’s not my intent to focus on that time in America’s past, but I urge you to study it on your own. Make up your own mind about the propriety of our motives and the significance of our needs.
After the Civil War much destruction and division existed in the country and for decades to follow great effort was required to try to achieve healing and reunification. America’s moral, economic, and cultural focus; rightly so, was more inward than outward as we strived to again become the United States of America. However; in spite of those challenges the American spirit also compelled a period of great expansion, innovation, and a continuation of the industrial revolution; or as some have said, a second industrial revolution. Among other things; with the development of electricity, the taking to flight, and the evolution of the automobile, America’s standing in the world increased dramatically. With that our influence also grew not only in terms of political, economic, and societal norms; but also in terms of our geopolitical and international responsibilities.
America’s defense of freedom is a matter of history and something that we should never take lightly. Yes, we expect other countries to share in that responsibility to the extent that they can, but notwithstanding that, we cannot waver in the face of evil and aggression. We began to take up that mantle about a century ago with our involvement in World War I. At the outset of that war we strived to remain neutral although we had a significant role in supporting the Allies (e.g., United Kingdom, France and Russia) with supplies, raw materials and money. About three years into the war, driven by concerns about an ongoing threat to the American homeland, we declared war on Germany and joined the Allies in their war efforts. This declaration prompted a dramatic expansion of our war machine and we ramped up to the point of mobilizing millions of military personnel. This, of course, marked the beginning of a significant increase in the size and capabilities of the American Armed Forces.
Following World War I the United States emerged as a world military and industrial leader. However; as Europe and the Allies recovered from the ravages of war, the United States again took a more measured posture on the world stage and focused on domestic priorities. A post-war recession eventually gave way to the Roaring Twenties and a period of dramatic economic growth. But overheated economies have a way of crashing to earth as excess and greed take root. The Crash of 1929 struck with a vengeance. Financial markets collapsed and the Great Depression was upon us.
The struggles in America caused by the Great Depression also hit Europe hard, including Germany. The loss of American loans, a sharp downturn in exports to the United States, and resulting massive unemployment precipitated a loss of confidence in the German government that was in power at the time. Ironically, the souring of the German people on the existing government also served as a huge catalyst for the emergence of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party). With the rapid rise of the Nazi Party, the dye was cast for a second world war. As was the case for World War I, America tried to avoid entering the war, but when we were attacked at Pearl Harbor the choice was made for us. On that early Sunday morning in 1941 the giant was reawakened. The war machine that emerged and developed during World War I was about to become Maximus Prime.
I believe that World War II was the event that ordained America as the perennial defender of freedom throughout the world. Since then we have been called to a conflict in Korea, to repel the spread of Communism, to thaw the Cold War, and to fight against the evils of terrorism. I urge you to view America’s role in these world events through the prism of America as Guardian. To give you some perspective about the enormous responsibilities that that brings, and the associated decisions and actions that may follow from that, I would like to use as an example an event that garners very strong sentiments on both sides of the debate – America’s dropping of the atomic bomb to facilitate the end of World War II.
To set the stage; at that time in the war, in all likelihood there were really only two options. Of course one was to drop the bomb, and the other was an all-out invasion of Japan. Both options posed horrific consequences and huge loss of life, but with Japan’s leaders intent on a fight to the finish such an outcome was inevitable. The decision to drop the bomb resulted in the deaths of many innocent Japanese citizens, but many were already dying (up to 100,000 in one night) during massive firebombing raids that no doubt would have escalated as an invasion became imminent. Yes, many thousands died when the atomic bombs were dropped, but millions would likely have died on both sides in the event of an invasion. Has a president (in this case Truman) ever been faced with a more dire choice? I think not; but I also fervently believe that within the context of lives saved and world peace he made the right choice.
A decision such as the one that Truman made to drop the bomb may also have had a dramatic personal impact on people like you and me? In my case my father was involved in the Pacific theatre and my best guess is that he was in Okinawa when these events were unfolding. He was not in combat at the time, but I would speculate that nearly every available soldier would have become involved in an invasion of the islands. Millions of American soldiers would have been killed, and fast forwarding to today, millions of my generation (your parents or grandparents) may not have been born because their fathers would not have returned from the war. Speculative as to who, but true for many. Would my father have been one of the many? No way to know, but certainly possible. I, and my descendants, may only be alive today because of Truman’s fateful decision. Some like to accuse us of unconscionable brutality, but I would ask you to contemplate how it may have turned out if Germany, Japan, or even Russia, had gotten the bomb before us. I have no doubt what their choices would have been and today America and the rest of the free world would be in a very different place.
This may all seem crazy to you since it is so far removed from your present life experiences and I hope you or your descendants will never have to experience it. Just understand that there are governments and associated leaders in the world that despise freedom, our way of life, and our very existence. There may come a day when we will again have to defend our existence or the existence of an ally or friend. Will you or your generation be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to save us? Think about it, it could happen!
My plea is that you will educate yourself about America’s guardianship and protection of the free world. I offer the following list of events for you to study as only a starting point:
- World War I
- World War II
- The dropping of the atomic bomb
- The Cold War between America and the Soviet Union
- The Cuba Missile Crises
- The Viet Nam War
- Dissolution of the Soviet Union
- The Gulf War (1991)
- The rise of Al Qaeda
- September 11th and the War on Terror
- The War in Afghanistan
- The Iraq War (2003)