When I was a young US Army Lieutenant, I was privileged to be stationed in what was then West Germany. During that time, I dated a German woman, and
we visited a lot of historic places.
One day, she took me to
the war memorial at Hartmannsweilerkopf (German), or Vieil Armand (French),
that is maintained by France and Germany in the Alsace country on their shared border
near the Black Forest. It honors the
fallen on both sides in a battle that took place there in 1915. The fighting was typical of WW I. Each side gained ground in assaults, only to
lose it to counteroffensives. It
devolved into trench warfare between the peak periods of fighting. Reports vary, but it is safe to say that
about 30,000 men died there in several major engagements, during 1915.
The battle of
Hartmannsweilerkopf was fought for control of high ground that dominates access
to the Alsace Plain, the Rhine River, and the Black Forrest.
Eventually, it became a stalemate between the entrenched German and French
forces.
The Alsace region is
extraordinarily beautiful; so much so that it is hard to remember that it has
been contested ground many times historically.
People in the surrounding area say jokingly that it has changed hands so
many times that the people there speak both French and German because they
can’t tell which one they are.
As I remember it, some 53
years later, there is a war memorial, military cemetery, and small museum at
Hartmannsweilerkopf, and about a mile of the trenches have been preserved to
show what life was like for the soldiers who fought there. When I saw it I was filled with a profound
sense of sadness. It did not escape me
that so many lives were cut short, and that this is often the fate of the
soldier.
There are many war
memorials in Europe. The people there
have a deep sense of reverence for their war dead. In Austria, many small villages have markers
with the names and pictures of the men from the village who were killed in
action.
Therefore, it came as a
surprise to my girlfriend when my reaction was to mourn the senseless loss of
life, rather than to be inspired by the sacrifice of the fallen. She told me that she thought I would like
visiting the battlefield because I was a soldier. I couldn’t find the words to express to her
how I felt.
Pershing missile units were a “big red X” on the Soviet Union’s war
map, but I never had anyone actually shoot at me during my tour of duty. I am not speaking from combat
experience. However, if I had known of
this quote from General Douglas MacArthur at the time, it might have helped me
to tell my girlfriend how I felt that day at the war memorial.
“The soldier above all others prays for peace,
for it is the soldier who must suffer
and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” Douglas MacArthur [3]
Of course, I honor the
fallen, and I am truly grateful for their sacrifice. Better men than I have died for their
country. The mixed feelings come from an
intense regret that it was necessary to call upon them to do so. There are always new bad guys whose
Satan-inspired evil deeds make it necessary for the good guys to fight them. Jesus said:
“And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic.
Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.
Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will
be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is
only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” (Matthew 24:6-8 NLT)
The following is not
intended to diminish in any way the pain that comes with the loss of American
lives in Operation Epic Fury. Their
sacrifice, and that of their families, friends, and comrades in arms deserve
our greatest respect and honor. It is
hoped that this information may help us to put things in perspective, because
it is truly a miracle that we have been able to significantly reduce the
ability of the outlaw regime in Iran to wage offensive war while suffering so
few casualties.
Estimates vary, but one
source indicates that between 15 and 22 million military and civilian deaths occurred
because of World War I. In World War II, there were about 28.6 million
military personnel killed, and about 38 million civilian deaths have been
attributed to military actions. Another
22.9 million civilian WW II deaths have been attributed to the disease and famine
that always accompany war.
(Revelation 6:1-8)
During the Korean War, it
is believed that 33,652 Americans were killed in action and another 3,262 died
of “non-battle” causes. ] In Vietnam, 58,202 lost their lives; 47,378 combat
deaths and 10,800 “non-hostile” deaths.
Several of my high school classmates were killed in Vietnam. It is reported that 9,087,000 Americans
served in the military during the Vietnam war (including myself). ] When we came home we did not hear the words “Thank
you for your service.” … although they did come much, much later.
It is reported that the
Russian Federation is estimated to have brought 450,000 combat deaths upon itself
in the Russia/Ukraine war. Their total
casualties (killed and wounded) may number as many as 1.4 million. Ukraine is estimated to have suffered between
125,000 to 150,000 killed in action and about 400,000 to 475,000 wounded.
The data indicate that war
can come at a terrible cost in human lives.
We can see that casualties are an integral part of war – you can’t have
one without the other.
It is also apparent that
the United States has become more casualty averse. Our President is chief among those who hate
the loss of life that comes through war.
We have increased the monetary cost of war by developing expensive
weapons that limit civilian casualties and damage to civilian
infrastructure. Nevertheless, where
there is war there will always be casualties.
Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini,
and Hideki Tojo were defeated, but they were replaced by Josef Stalin, Mao
Zedong, and Kim Il Sung. In turn, we are
now dealing with Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-Un, and the IRGC. These people share common traits. They are totalitarians who use threat, intimidation
and force to compel other people to bend to their will. They murder their own people and viciously suppress
any and all opposition. They seek to
project power beyond their borders, and they do not respect those who oppose
them with anything except force or the threat of force.
Free people who want to
stay free will always be forced by monsters like these to defend their freedom. Our friends, family and fellow countrymen
will get killed and wounded in the process.
President Ronald Reagan got it right:
“Freedom
is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to
our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed
on for them to do the same.” Ronald
Reagan
I hate war more than many
of my fellow Conservatives. In November,
however, I urge you to join me by voting for candidates who understand that it will be necessary,
when diplomacy fails, for Americans to defend our freedom and the freedom of other
friendly nations. “Freedom isn’t free.” It will come
at a cost in lives and treasure, but it must be done.
