67th Anniversary of the Battle of Normandy

June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the end of World War II.  67 years ago today, the Western Allies crossed the English Channel with the goal of defeating the Nazi regime in foresight.  US General Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history, willing to settle for "nothing less than victory" in the mission to restore land and liberty to Western Europe.  24,000 Allied troops systematically stormed the northern shore of France which later became known as the D-Day beaches.  By the end of June, the Allies had successfully occupied Normandy and continued their march across Europe.  The Allied Powers' invasion of Normandy was crucial to reclaiming Europe from the tyranny of Hitler's fascist regime and ending the second World War.  


67 years later, what have we learned from World War II?  Why is it important that we remember today?  I am reminded of a quote by George Santayana: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".

The travesties of WWII have shown us that perverse ideologies and fear can cause people to engage in unimaginable behaviors yielding immutable consequences.  The effects of our crumbling economy have left many Americans fearful for the future.  In addition, those on the far left and far right of the political spectrum have chosen to follow idealist policies and/or radical movements.  We cannot let fear govern our political ideologies or policy choices.  It's important that we constantly questions our leaders' policies and motives, and not just follow blindly as many of the Nazis did.  It is pertinent that we hold our political leaders accountable for their actions and do our due diligence to remain informed.  Whatever your political ideologies are, I challenge you to habitually ask yourself why you believe what you believe?   The tragic results of World War II serve to remind us that while these dark times in our world history are painful, they should never be forgotten.

Photo Source: http://www.army.mil/d-day/slideshow.html