DDay
#4
Senior Member


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From: South shore, L.I., NY
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I'd disagree with that.
The soldiers/seaman/airmen since then have all done their duty in the wars they were ordered to serve in, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan , etc.... The moral reasons for the war were not theirs to judge, they mostly served with honor and often times no thank you or recognition from the Americans they swore to protect.
I see, as you do, that those who served in World War Two did so for a reason that was much more clear cut as to right vs. wrong, thus we view them now as the Greatest Generation. But everybody who served and fought since then, did so following that tradition.
The soldiers/seaman/airmen since then have all done their duty in the wars they were ordered to serve in, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan , etc.... The moral reasons for the war were not theirs to judge, they mostly served with honor and often times no thank you or recognition from the Americans they swore to protect.
I see, as you do, that those who served in World War Two did so for a reason that was much more clear cut as to right vs. wrong, thus we view them now as the Greatest Generation. But everybody who served and fought since then, did so following that tradition.
#5
On Your Left
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Long Island, New York, USA
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
I'd disagree with that.
The soldiers/seaman/airmen since then have all done their duty in the wars they were ordered to serve in, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan , etc.... The moral reasons for the war were not theirs to judge, they mostly served with honor and often times no thank you or recognition from the Americans they swore to protect.
I see, as you do, that those who served in World War Two did so for a reason that was much more clear cut as to right vs. wrong, thus we view them now as the Greatest Generation. But everybody who served and fought since then, did so following that tradition.
The soldiers/seaman/airmen since then have all done their duty in the wars they were ordered to serve in, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan , etc.... The moral reasons for the war were not theirs to judge, they mostly served with honor and often times no thank you or recognition from the Americans they swore to protect.
I see, as you do, that those who served in World War Two did so for a reason that was much more clear cut as to right vs. wrong, thus we view them now as the Greatest Generation. But everybody who served and fought since then, did so following that tradition.
Maybe i'm wrong.
Anyway, if it wasn't for D-Day we might not be living in the USA.
And as stated, "The land of the Free because of the Brave".
#7
On Your Left
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Long Island, New York, USA
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
My mother's 3rd husband was in the landing craft when Churchill sent over. There's a book about it with a picture and he's in the background. The #1 rule was not to talk about the war since he had PTSD and it would set him off.
I can't imagine what they saw and experienced.
I can't imagine what they saw and experienced.
#8
Non omnino gravis
Joined: Feb 2015
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From: SoCal, USA!
Bikes: Nekobasu, Pandicorn, Lakitu
My grandfather landed at Normandy, after having already made his way through North Africa and Italy. He did not speak of it often. His retelling of the beach landing went something like this (paraphrased)
I was in the third wave onto the beach. The tide was low, and the beach stretched forever. Most everybody who came out of the boats before us was dead. There was no way to reach the seawall. Me and some of my buddies laid in the sand behind the piles of bodies. After I don't know how long, two Brit cruisers showed up and blew those bunkers to hell. When we got to the top of the seawall, most of the Germans were dead. The rest just surrendered.
He split time in the European Theatre three ways between being a minesweeper, graves registration, and a lineman (which was his job before and after the war.) Four+ years over there. Came home, went back to work for GTE, retired 40 years later.
I was in the third wave onto the beach. The tide was low, and the beach stretched forever. Most everybody who came out of the boats before us was dead. There was no way to reach the seawall. Me and some of my buddies laid in the sand behind the piles of bodies. After I don't know how long, two Brit cruisers showed up and blew those bunkers to hell. When we got to the top of the seawall, most of the Germans were dead. The rest just surrendered.
He split time in the European Theatre three ways between being a minesweeper, graves registration, and a lineman (which was his job before and after the war.) Four+ years over there. Came home, went back to work for GTE, retired 40 years later.
#9
Quidam Bike Super Hero
Joined: Jan 2019
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From: Stone Mountain, GA (Metro Atlanta, East)
Bikes: 1995 Trek 800 Sport, aka, "CamelTrek"
We only got into this one because our govt hates socialism. BUT, the citizens were viewing this as just another European war and, being an intolerant nation at that, didn't mind German policies. So, how to get them riled? Drag in the allied Japanese with oil embargoes and use their broke code to get them to attack at Pearl Harbor. The govt sicked the people on the "inscrutable alien yellow menace" and, by alliance, their German partners. Voilà!
Real history ain't in the movies or "popular" books....
Just another political holiday.
And, yeah, I was a real military historian, as in U.S. uniform and all that. Paid attention and learned A LOT!
Real history ain't in the movies or "popular" books....
Just another political holiday.
And, yeah, I was a real military historian, as in U.S. uniform and all that. Paid attention and learned A LOT!
#10
Senior Member


Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 8,598
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From: South shore, L.I., NY
Bikes: Trek Emonda SL7, Cannondale Topstone, Miyata City Liner, Specialized Chisel, Specialized Epic Evo
We only got into this one because our govt hates socialism. BUT, the citizens were viewing this as just another European war and, being an intolerant nation at that, didn't mind German policies. So, how to get them riled? Drag in the allied Japanese with oil embargoes and use their broke code to get them to attack at Pearl Harbor. The govt sicked the people on the "inscrutable alien yellow menace" and, by alliance, their German partners. Voilà!
Real history ain't in the movies or "popular" books....
Just another political holiday.
And, yeah, I was a real military historian, as in U.S. uniform and all that. Paid attention and learned A LOT!
Real history ain't in the movies or "popular" books....
Just another political holiday.
And, yeah, I was a real military historian, as in U.S. uniform and all that. Paid attention and learned A LOT!
#11
Full Member

Joined: Oct 2017
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Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR 9; Moots Routt YBB; Trek Fuel EX8+; LeMond Poprad
We only got into this one because our govt hates socialism. BUT, the citizens were viewing this as just another European war and, being an intolerant nation at that, didn't mind German policies. So, how to get them riled? Drag in the allied Japanese with oil embargoes and use their broke code to get them to attack at Pearl Harbor. The govt sicked the people on the "inscrutable alien yellow menace" and, by alliance, their German partners. Voilà!
#12
Tragically Ignorant

Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 15,593
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From: New England
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
We only got into this one because our govt hates socialism. BUT, the citizens were viewing this as just another European war and, being an intolerant nation at that, didn't mind German policies. So, how to get them riled? Drag in the allied Japanese with oil embargoes and use their broke code to get them to attack at Pearl Harbor. The govt sicked the people on the "inscrutable alien yellow menace" and, by alliance, their German partners. Voilà!
Real history ain't in the movies or "popular" books....
Just another political holiday.
And, yeah, I was a real military historian, as in U.S. uniform and all that. Paid attention and learned A LOT!
Real history ain't in the movies or "popular" books....
Just another political holiday.
And, yeah, I was a real military historian, as in U.S. uniform and all that. Paid attention and learned A LOT!
Please don't subscribe me to your newsletter. I'm amazed someone could get so much wrong in so few words.
Really not the time or the forum to argue about crap like that.
#13
Senior Member



Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,303
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From: Orange County, California
Bikes: Yes
I've been inside most of the day doing some electrical remodeling and there is ZERO mention of it one today's national television news (at least on NBC, CBS, CNN and FOX cable news channel). Sad, since that was about fighting back against one of the most racist, extreme nationalist persons to ever walk the earth.
#14
Full Member

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Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR 9; Moots Routt YBB; Trek Fuel EX8+; LeMond Poprad
I've been inside most of the day doing some electrical remodeling and there is ZERO mention of it one today's national television news (at least on NBC, CBS, CNN and FOX cable news channel). Sad, since that was about fighting back against one of the most racist, extreme nationalist persons to ever walk the earth.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-52949...an-in-lockdown
#15
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Oahu, HI
Bikes: 89 Paramount OS 84 Fuji Touring Series III New! 2013 Focus Izalco Ergoride
WWII Museum in NOLA opened up last week, but is keeping a low profile. They had a one-hour livestream today for D-Day, but that was it. It's also their 20th anniversary .
scott s.
.
scott s.
.
#16
Senior Member


Joined: Oct 2014
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From: Portland, OR
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Today is also my (passed) mom's birthday. Dad's was one week earlier. The real Memorial Day. I got reminded every June growing up of DDay and the great wars. (Grandfather saw action that was no prettier in WWI. I did hear about that from him because he felt what he saw shouldn't go to his grave unspoken. I was his first grandkid and first to hear it.)








