Pearl Harbor Day

[Big RR]

It always seems to come around this time everyone; and I can always tell it by the nip in the air.

But the surprising thing is now it's almost 80 years, and it is still recalled; not because of major national celebrations, or because most people remembering it lived through itb ut likely because of FDR's speech to Congress (face it, how many people could give a date for VE or VJ day or even D Day (a few more for this I'd bet, maybe because of movies?).

[Burning Petard]

May be because it was the first, all-at-the-same-time, national shock. It did not build slowly, and geometrically, like the pandemic.

snailgate

[Big RR]

Perhaps; and I could see that for people who lived through it (and not for generations beyond those); true, it was a time much in the past, but I'd doubt many could give the date the British burned the White House; indeed, I'd bet many don't even know the British burned the White House). But I would think the end of WW2, and especially, the surrender of Japan, would be just as memorable, but it does not appear to be so. I'd even wonder if people would remember Sep 11, 2001 as readily (Sep 11, probably, but not 2001), let alone 70 years from now.

[BoSoxGal]

I think having it repeated year after year after year tended to imprint the date that would live in infamy in the public mind.

I just posted about this on my Facebook, about how I recall what a big deal was made of it still when I was a kid in the 70s/80s, but that has waned over time and now tens of millions of Americans don’t seem to care that so many of the remaining members of the greatest generation are dying suffocating agonizing lonely deaths from covid19 and wearing a mask to protect them is too much to ask.

People who fought and suffered deprivations we can’t imagine, even in these awful times, are now just expendable.

This fucking country, what a shameful disappointment.

[Sue U]

I'd doubt many could give the date the British burned the White House; indeed, I'd bet many don't even know the British burned the White House

Pfft, everyone knows this; it's why we have ice cream today!

[Big RR]

Well, Hello Dolly.

[ex-khobar Andy]

I'd doubt many could give the date the British burned the White House; indeed, I'd bet many don't even know the British burned the White House

Pfft, everyone knows this; it's why we have ice cream today!

August 24th, 1814. My wedding anniversary. Coincidentally, my wife's anniversary also.

[Big RR]

I didn't know you were old enough to be married in 1814.

[BoSoxGal]

[eddieq]

I didn't know you were old enough to be married in 1814.

Well, Andy certainly is, but his wife is forever young

[Sue U]

I'd doubt many could give the date the British burned the White House; indeed, I'd bet many don't even know the British burned the White House

Pfft, everyone knows this; it's why we have ice cream today!

August 24th, 1814. My wedding anniversary. Coincidentally, my wife's anniversary also.

Very few people know this, but along with ice cream, the Madison Administration's greatest success was in cultivating national unity through the office of his Vice President, George Clinton.

[ex-khobar Andy]

I didn't know you were old enough to be married in 1814.

Don't forget I live in Kentucky. They're not fussy about that sort of thing. Age is just a number.

[Burning Petard]

The end of the war with Japan is sort of a symmetry. We started with that day of infamy in which Japan violated the internationally accepted rules of civilized warfare, and ended with Little Boy and Fat Man, where we demonstrated there is no civilized war.

snailgate

[Bicycle Bill]

The end of the war with Japan is sort of a symmetry. We started with that day of infamy in which Japan violated the internationally accepted rules of civilized warfare, and ended with Little Boy and Fat Man, where we demonstrated there is no civilized war.

snailgate

Imperial Japan demonstrated long before August 1945 (or even December 1941) that there was no such thing as a 'civilized' war.  I refer you to the Second Sino-Japanese war and the occupation of Nanjing in 1937-1938.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

-"BB"-

[BoSoxGal]

None of war is civilized and exhortations to the contrary are generally meaningless when it comes down to it.

America tortured POWs and others under Bush the Lesser, Obama went crazy killing folks with drones and the Australians are currently grappling with ugly war crimes incidents.

No flavor of human, no culture has a monopoly on inhumanity. We’re all sadly far too good at it.

[MGMcAnick]

August 24th, 1814. My wedding anniversary. Coincidentally, my wife's anniversary also.

My mother and stepfather shared a birthday, June 23rd. When it happens to come up in conversation, I usually hear responses like "that's odd" or "that's interesting". Then I mention that they also had the same anniversary. It always amuses me how many similar responses I get. Then they think about it.

OK, So I'm easily amused.

[MGMcAnick]

The end of the war with Japan is sort of a symmetry. We started with that day of infamy in which Japan violated the internationally accepted rules of civilized warfare, and ended with Little Boy and Fat Man, where we demonstrated there is no civilized war.

snailgate

Humorist/philosopher George Carlin speaking about the Civil War said "Civil war? That's where one man with a muzzle loader says to another. Pardon me. Do you mind if I shoot you"?

Of course there is no such thing as a civilized war.

And then there are civil engineers. They drink their tea while holding their pinky fingers out.

[Sue U]

***

Very few people know this, but along with ice cream, the Madison Administration's greatest success was in cultivating national unity through the office of his Vice President, George Clinton.

Is it that no one gets my presidential history jokes, or is it that they aren't funny?

[Guinevere]

***

Very few people know this, but along with ice cream, the Madison Administration's greatest success was in cultivating national unity through the office of his Vice President, George Clinton.

Is it that no one gets my presidential history jokes, or is it that they aren't funny?

As I tell my clients, don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answer…

[dales]

Been to the USS Arizona memorial site.

Oil still seeps to the top after all these years.