YouTube, available but not always in original format black and white
Yesterday was the 82th year since D-Day, when the Allies powers landed on the beaches of Normandie, which set in motion the end of the war. Hitler had such plans and they possibly could have come to fruition if not but two simple decisions made:
The Allies had always landed when the weather was good, reasonable for better battles.
Don't wake Hitler. He has taken a sleeping pill. This is big decision that only he can approve the release of the Panzer tank division.
We watched The Longest Day yesterday, but this time we watched as adults with an understanding developed over many decades of learning and life.
Then we could pull together our smatterings of knowledge and watched with amazement. The sheer logistics of such a plan! The numbers of soldiers ready to go? The eagerness they felt, with fear yet genuine desire to get on with it! The bravery and willingness of these men who would go
"Once more unto the breach” taking it to an incredible level.***
The cast was on a massive scale of acting talent and included actual D-day veterans, who were there and knew the utter overwhelming odds were almost too overwhelming.
Cast was 200++, with many big acting names like Ricard Burton, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery...Cast of known actors
Obviously we were ourselves overwhelmed as we watched this film, filmed on site in 1962. It won two Oscars, which was meaningless. No other film had ever done what this film did: set before all who saw this film the truth of war and its desperate victory over Fascism that had the advantage and lost it for two simple reasons:
Hitler was taking a nap.
The lack of respect the heads of the Wehrmacht held for the Allies powers and their willingness to risk all to defeat the evil that could take over civilization.
***Once more unto the breach” is King Henry V’s rousing speech urging his troops to attack the French at Harfleur, exemplifying courage, leadership, and patriotic fervor.
Obviously I admire this movie, and the event that brought this world changing accomplishment to the people who sat in theater seats watching a b/w movie.
Heroes can help us lift our eyes a little higher. Immanuel Kant said that "from the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made." That may well be true. But some have used that warped, knotted timber to build more boldly and beautifully than others, and we may all benefit by their examples.
Heaven knows we need those examples now. Heroes now
