The Reality of War

I am watching the documentary series on World War II that is showing on the History Channel this week. As I watch it, I wonder what MY life would have been like had I been born 40 years earlier? How would I have dealt with the sacrifices that were made domestically? What kind of soldier would I have been? What would I have done if I had been on the 1st wave to hit Omaha beach -- or Okinawa?

I find myself becoming more and more of a pacifist as I grow older. I no longer argue in favor of the death penalty. It seems that life without parole is a better alternative. And I don't think that just because our country enters a conflict -- that makes it right or justified. But I just can't see any way around us getting involved in World War II. And as I watch this show and consider the MASSIVE casualties -- 5,000 young men killed in single battles -- I wonder how people today would react.

We owe a great debt to those men and women who sacrificed through the 40s to defeat the oppressors.