This is an updated version of an editorial we published on Dec. 7, 2006.
Seventy-three years ago today, Japanese air and naval forces attacked Pearl Harbor, sinking or damaging much of America's Pacific fleet, killing thousands of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians and dragging the United States into World War II.
That "day of infamy" was followed by other dark days: by a quick German declaration of war, by the fall of the Philippines, the loss of enormous amounts of Allied shipping in the North Atlantic and by setbacks across the Pacific and in Europe.
But the spirit and strength of the United States and its allies never waned. Less than four years after Pearl Harbor, both Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany lay in ruin, and the allies were victorious. For the time being, at least, the world had been saved from fascism.
The men who fought on Dec. 7, 1941, and survived America's first battle of World War II went on to fight in many more battles and then, with the return of peace, to build this country. Today, the survivors are scarce in number and are dying off quickly. The youngest are 83 years old now.
Many Americans are terrible students of history, a fact so aptly noted by the late comic John Belushi in the movie Animal House. To rally his fraternity brothers, he asks whether the U.S. quit after "the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor." Unfortunately, many American students might not, today, get the joke.
While our schools push for higher math and reading scores on standardized tests, history and civics are often overlooked. But maybe today, on this 73rd anniversary of a day Americans should never forget, we can all take a few minutes to reflect on the sacrifices made by the World War II generation, and by other Americans in other wars.
Our Pearl Harbor vets deserve at least that much from us.
