I occasionally do focused study time on certain topics that capture my interest. These brief studies usually last as long a a book or 2 or a lecture series. My recent study has been World War 2-a very unikely topic for me to be interested in. What have I learned?
Human nature is inherently corrupt, and as my friend recently said: “The Bible teaches 3 basic truths-Good is good; evil is evil; and God will redeem evil into good.” I am re-reading Dale Carnegie’s great book in which he points out that rule #1 in dealing with people is–never condemn, complain, or criticize. Why? Because humans, no matter who they are or what they have done, believe that they are good and confident that whatever the issue-it isn’t their fault. I am also reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller who also points out in his funny way that we all think that we are so cool that the truth is that we are all fallen, flawed humans. My study of WW 2 points out these truths in vivid details.
- The character of the man matters. “What I think of the GIs more than a half century after their victory was best said by Sgt. Mike Ranney of the 101st: ‘In thinking back on the days of Easy Company, I’m treasuring my remark to a grandson who asked, ‘Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?’ “‘No,’ I answered, ‘but I served in a company of heroes.'”-Stephen Ambrose American Soldiers were all heroes. They came as liberators. They are not without their own set of ‘issues’, but in general, this war was known as ‘the good war’ for a reason. Interestingly when Ambrose interviewed the veterans, they over and over again told him that they did not fight so valiantly for God and country but for their buddies. Relationships matter. Character matters.
- Another example of character and incredible leadership principles: Eisenhower. Eisenhower was instrumental in winning the conflict. He was a unique leader who lead by consensus, optimism, thoughtful reflection, decisiveness, and a charismatic smile.
- In the lecture series that I listened to, it was pointed out that a black American soldier wrote a letter to the editor of The Yank (the most widely read American war newspaper) pointing out a story of inequality that may have gone on deaf ears if it were not for the war efforts. A group of black American soldiers had to eat in the back of a restaurant while a group of German POW ate in the restaurant. It was a story that crystallized the horrible practice of segregation and inequality.
- The shear magnitude of the conflict was awe inspiring. The Americans flew close to a 1,000 planes without radar in the middle of the night with less than 100 yards wing to wing to launch gliders and paratroopers behind Normandy enemy lines before D-Day. The Russians attacked the Germans with over a million man army. The casualties were astounding. The Russians lost close to 20 million soldiers and civilians (10% of the entire population). Trench foot and frost bite took out a surprising number of GI’s…..
- Finally, I was drawn to this quote because it points out that our worries and troubles are fleeting, and they rarely every come to fruition. And when/if they do, they are nothing compared to jumping out of a plane in the middle of the night behind enemy lines into the heart of Nazi Germany.
“Len, you’re in as much trouble now as you’re ever going to be. If you get out of this, nobody can ever do anything to you that you ever have to worry about.”-Private Len Griffing of the 501st just prior to jumping behind enemy lines in the early morning hours before D-Day invasion
Books:
The Victors: Eisenhower And His Boys The Men Of World War II by Stephen Ambrose
The Rising Tide, The Steel Wave, and No Less Than Victory by Jeff Shaara
World War II: A Military and Social History Lecture Series by Professor Thomas Childers