The Aftermath: Then and Now

As we all know, yesterday marked the 65th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This was not a normal act of war, but a cowardly act planned and prepared while their diplomats covered the action by a false attempt to reach an agreement in Washington. There was virtually no warning. Their only (very feeble) excuse was that it was an attempt to neutralize the clearly superior US military presence in the Pacific. The only small consolation we can take from that event was that the vast majority of the casualties were soldiers, those who knew that a possible outcome of their service could very well be death.

On that terrible morning, 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians lost their lives, as well as over 1,000 wounded.

Just over 5 years ago, something very similar happened when hijacked airliners crashed into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. This also was a cowardly attack, but without even the poor excuse of trying to gain military superiority as was the case with Pearl Harbor. The terrorists who orchestrated those attacks did so with no military goal in mind, with no other design than to terrorize the American people and to destroy our way of life. This was not an attack on soldiers who, however unprepared they were, could fight back. This was an attack on innocent civilians, for many of whom the thought that their chosen profession could result in their death had never occurred.

On that terrible morning, 2,973 people lost their lives, including 343 NYFD firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, and 37 Port Authority Police officers. As with Pearl Harbor, there were also over 1,000 people wounded.

65 years ago, the response of the American people was swift and resolute. The United States immediately declared war on Japan, and almost immediately afterward on Germany and Italy. We entered a war that a large portion of the American public had previously been dead set against becoming involved in. Despite the large numbers of casualties, the public supported the war effort enthusiastically. Gasoline, iron, and even tires were rationed. The public opinion was that the war must be won at all costs. America's involvement in the war lasted from December 1941 to August 1945, with U.S. military occupation of of Germany and Japan continuing for years afterward. This was not achieved without great cost. Over 400,000 American soldiers and over 11,000 American civilians lost their lives. Nearly half a million Americans died as a result of that cowardly attack, and of the actions of Germany and Italy in Europe.

Public response to the attacks on the World Trade Center was every bit as swift and every bit as serious. The nation was united as it hadn't been in years. The war on terror was almost immediately launched to prevent similar attacks on the American people. The war in Iraq was initiated ostensibly to prevent Saddam Houssein from using WMD's, and also to curtail Iraqi support of Al Qaeda. In the war in Iraq, nearly (and maybe more by now) 2,500 American soldiers have died. In Operation Enduring Freedom (the war on terrorism) there have been less than 500 deaths. This is less than 1% of the American military casualties in World War 2. Yet somehow, despite the fact that terrorist attacks still happen somewhat frequently (obviously not major ones like the WTC or London Subway attacks) the American public has lost interest in the effort. Al Qaeda and Taliban forces still do virtually whatever they want in the Middle East. Extremist clerics call for the destruction of the United States and state that they and "their people" will fight us until we are utterly destroyed. Yet somehow, the American public and Congress have lost heart for this effort. War is terrible, certainly, but it is no more terrible now than it was 65 years ago.

My question is this: What has changed in the last 65 years? For that matter, what changed between 1941 and 1968? In both instances, as many people died in one day in the event that instigated the conflict than have died since the World Trade Center attacks. Why is it that in World War 2 the news being brought to the American public, while it contained casualty reports, was of the advancement of the front lines in Europe, which islands we had retaken in the Pacific, and how much damage we were doing to the enemy? Why is it that now all we hear in the news is the "terrible death toll" and how many problems are still cropping up?

So as we remember the tragic events of Pearl Harbor and the conflict that followed, let's not forget to have some perspective on the tragic events of 9/11/2001 and the conflict that has followed. Let's not place a thin veneer of "Support our troops" over the apathy and disinterest that seem to be appearing everywhere. Could the war have been won 60 years ago if we supported our troops then the way we do now? How many of us would be willing to give up the rubber-band thin tires on our shiny SUV's to support the efforts of our soldiers in the Middle East? How many of us would park our cars and walk to our destinations in the cold so the soldiers could have the fuel they need to carry on the fight? Let's remember the brave soldiers who fought in earlier conflicts, and the brave citizens who supported them. Let's not dishonor their memory by the thin facade of "support" that seems to prevalent.


[Disclaimer: In making this post I am not dismissing the fact that American soldiers are dying. If I hadn't met Nicole when I did and had her hearty encouragement not to re-enlist, I would almost definitely be over there with them. I am fully aware that there are people in this country who truly support our troops and their mission. I am merely stating that there is a large difference between the resolution of the American public and media as a whole in the aftermath of two very similar events.]

[Most of my information on casualties came from Wikipedia.org if you care. If I have inaccurate information feel free to correct me and I'll update this post accordingly.]