Why We Should Still Commemorate VJ Day

[Wilson]

I happened to run across this YouTube video on the Royal Navy Historic Flight's Facebook page:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY5hqzj80rk

With VJ Day two days away, and my father and father-in-law both being veterans of the war in the Pacific, I found this very moving. (Be sure to read what is on the screen the first five seconds).

[DH82EH]

Wow!
Thanks for posting that link.
Very powerful and very moving.

Never take freedom for granted.

Andy

[p51]

At the risk of sounding political, history dulls through time, that's inevitable. For example, the US Civil War wasn't only about slavery, but the ages have dulled the true origins of that conflict down to a single issue. Many Americans also think the sinking of the Lusitania was the reason we got into WW1. It wasn't. Most people couldn't tell you why the war of 1812 was fought at all.
It's just a matter of time before WW2 is largely forgotten. It won't be our generation and probably not the next one. But it's inevitable.
The frightening thing is how Japan views the history of the war, now. A friend taught English in a Japanese school many years ago and she quit in disgust when she learned how the history of WW2 was being taught there. It won’t likely surprise any of you to know this is the same guy who, just days before this, said, “We must never forget Hiroshima”: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32410001 I’m sick to death about all the ‘Oh woe is us' nonsense out of Japan. I do have some respect for Germany admitting their evils and not rolling in a victim culture for how the Allies responded to their intentions during WW2. Can you imagine what people from China and most of Southeast Asia who recall WW2 must feel about all this?

[marine air]

When I was working in Afghanistan flying for the D. of D. we had one guy that was a 63 year old Vietnam veteran that had been drafted into the Army and served in the infantry in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Our youngest guy, a civilian in his twenties was always verbally "going after" the old guy. He saw age as weakness. He not only knew nothing about history or any of the presidents, he was too young to remember President Clinton!
It reminded me that most high school history courses are taught by coaches that don't give a rip about making it interesting or meaningful to the students.

[Jesse C.]

Very moving indeed.

But, aren't you glad the History Chanel is showing programs about idiots looking for junk or building junk? Yup, that is History!

[Jeremy S]

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

George Santayana