Does anyone notice on December 7 each year the sneak Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor is downpplayed?

Question

our political correctness has made us forget those who gave the ultimate for our country

miyuki: I blame you for not showing a little more respect for people murdered by your Japanese ancestors. I would certainly order and spend a moment of silence for Nagasaki or Hiroshima. Pearl Harbor was attacked without warning. We were at war with Japan when nuclear bombs hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima. You have been drinking too much saki.

Thanks womp for your service to America.

thanks Jim Bob You are correct time does dull the memory and those heroes from WW11 will fade away. Viet Nam is begining to be just an old movie in my mind at present.

to Gentlo: I think you sumised your true feeling about Pearl Harbor in your first paragraph as being against a coslty war in Afganistan an Iraq. These two hostilities should have nothing to do with us honoring 3,000 of our servicemen killed in a sneak attack when war was not declared yet. You are like many of the people who answer questions on this forum you have an agenda in hating Bush or the war or the CIA. It is okay to have your opinions on this but I was speaking only about Pearl Harbor and that it was slowly slipping from the American conscious and I believe this is a dangerous precident. Maybe someday we will forget what freedom was like and the toomstones of our brave soldiers in past wars will be covered in grass and forgotten.

Answer 1

The Navy remembers, and so does the Federal government. All government facilities were ordered to half-mast their flags for the day, and we took a moment of silence to honor those who fell that fateful day.

Those of us brought up in the military, who serve now, and who served then will never forget. We admire and appreciate those who respect the solemnity of that day.

Thank you.

Answer 2

My dad was born 10 years to the day after Pearl Harbor, so it never escapes my memory.

That said, it's not surprising that less is said about Pearl Harbor with each passing year. The event - and WWII in general - is slowly slipping from the recent past into the distant past. Many (indeed, most) of the combatants in the attack are now dead; an 18-year-old in 1941 would be 84 today. The passage of time has a funny way of clearing out society's collective memory banks, doesn't it?

Answer 3

Political correctness has not caused “The Day of Infamy” to be downplayed. Rather it is a change in the way we as Americans understand warfare and changing demographics that have caused the slight change in the way the Pearl Harbor attack is remembered.

Our experiences with September 11th and the resulting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have changed the way we react to warfare. In the midst of an unpopular and costly war it is hard for many people to be enthused over the glories of wars gone by. Organizations people that would otherwise hold memorial events have put their resources to helping the families and servicemen affected by the current conflict.

There are many political and social issues that are at the forefront of the news, leaving little space for historical remembrance. The growth of the internet and the explosion of specialty cable channels have taken over the role of historical teaching from news agencies. The History Channel alone spent most of December 7th and the surrounding days to the Pearl Harbor Attack. These outlets can do a better job than the news agencies in chronicling and memorializing the history of our country.

1991 marked the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. That year Pearl Harbor remembrances were at the fore of public conciseness and spawned much discussion and scholarship. As the ‘Greatest Generation’ began to die off, there was a push to remember their great sacrifices WWII, which began for the US at Pearl Harbor. Along with a strong economy, and relatively stable politics this kept days such December 7th and June 6th as annual events, but the amount on news coverage did fall off towards the later part of the decade. Fewer and fewer people are alive who remember that day, and most of the participants are gone. The importance of one battle, no matter how significant, will always be left to historians as the participants disappear.

In 2001, after September 11th and it being the 60th anniversary, Pearl Harbor was once again at the forefront of the news and America consciousness. Six years later, other concerns occupy the minds of Americans. Even so, there were mentions of Pearl Harbor on CNN and MSNBC several times that day.

Then consider the changes in the way Pearl Harbor has been chronicled by historians. The warnings signs given by the tone and direction of the peace talks, the intercepts by American Intelligence, the directives placing all American Military installations on alert in the Pacific. Just because we thought the assault would happen in the Philippines or elsewhere closer to Japanese territory should not increase the heinousness of the crime.

While over 3,000 Americans were killed or wounded in the attack, over 400,000 lost their lives in the war. Why should one battle be given more respect than another? December 7th is about more than an attack of an American military base. It is about allowing injustice to occur in the world around us. It is about standing for what is right and facing up to adversity and threats. American entry into WWII started a new era. An era of global interaction and responsibility. While we have not lived up to the ideals that marked this era, few have tried, and fewer still have succeeded as they are daunting ideals.

We still remember those who gave the ultimate for our country. We honor those who fell at Pearl Harbor on both Memorial Day and Veterans Day. We also honor those who fought and died in the Central Highlands, inside the Pusan Perimeter, on San Jaun Hill, the shores of Tripoli, and Belleau Woods. We honor all those who have served in the armed forces who keep our country safe from those who wish us harm. Political correctness doesn’t make us forget the sacrifices that our forefathers made for us. Rather it is ignorance and apathy that cause us to neglect our duty. If you feel that the Pearl Harbor Attack warrants more converge in the news, do something about it. Gather people at your local Memorial and hold a vigil, inviting news crews to cover the event; sponsor an essay contest in your local school system. Do something instead of trying to blame others.

Answer 4

Many who were alive at the time have passed on, so it's apparent importance has dwindled for the generations that have followed. Plus as someone noted, it's not a national holiday.

Answer 5

I think it's downplayed, and I have a feeling that fifty years from now, the 9/11 terrorist attack will be downplayed too. That's just how it is. Old traditions die out.

Answer 6

Yes, as time goes on people tend to forget about what happened and start saying 'this can never happen again'. When that starts happening you open the possibility of it happening again.

Answer 7

i do agree it tends to be overlooked....sad to say that I didn't realize that it was even that day till it had past. I watch t.v and read the newspapers so it must not have been plastered everywhere. surely i would have noticed.

Answer 8

Political correctness needs to be thrown out the window and we need to get back to saying what we feel .

Answer 9

I don't think it's downplayed. Sometimes people don't want to be reminded of national tragedies.

Answer 10

Its not a holiday, is it?