CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY. A REFLECTION

            Independence Day! Another year has passed with the celebration of fireworks, parades barbecues, baseball games and political speeches. It was a day of celebration but not necessarily a day of reflection.             

It will be 241 years since the Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, signed the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776. But it was two days later when the official document was signed.

            Since that time our country has changed remarkably from what the founders had known and experienced.  But what has changed most in America since that historic document was signed bares no semblance to what the framers originally intended. It is a fact that following the adoption of the Constitution Benjamin Franklin was asked about the establishment of the new form of government. “We founded a Republic—if you can keep it” he is reported to have said. And over the course of over 200 years his sage comment deserves a deeper look.

            Freedom isn’t free. During the course since 1776 the United States has continued to suffer assaults by foreign governments. In 1812 England  attempted to recapture the “colonies” only to be once again defeated. The war came about over trade rather than property history tells us. But the difference between the war of 1812 was it was the Congress of the United States that declared war rather than the British. The best England could claim as a victory was to burn the White House, a current idea of “entertainer” Madonna who shares the same feelings!

            As a result of the war however, one of the most inspiring things to come out of the conflict was our National Anthem—the Star Spangled Banner.

And there was the Mexican-American War fought from 1846 to 1848.

This conflict came about following the annexation of Texas from Mexico which resulted in Texas becoming the 28^th state of the United States. Mexico claimed that Texas was part of their national territory. But Texans thought differently and fought for their independence by partitioning the U.S. Congress.  But this was only the beginning; California, Arizona and New Mexico would follow Texas and after negotiations with Mexico to became part of the United States.

But wars continued resulting in the shedding of much American blood.

On June 28, 1914 the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were in an open car when a member of the “Black Hand” secret society opened fire killing both the Archduke his wife. Because of the international entanglements this action directly led to what was known as “the war to end all wars.”

The war lasted from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918. During this period some 60 million military and civilian lives were lost.

It is still uncertain what were the actual causes for the United States, under the presidency of Democrat Woodrow Wilson, to declare war on Germany. But we did. What prompted the action was Germany’s sinking of merchant ships in the Atlantic and the torpedoing of the American liner, ”Housatonic” by a German U-boat with the loss of many innocent lives. Along with this was a discovery of a secret agreement between Mexico and Germany that if the Mexicans were to start a war between Mexico and the United States Germany would back them.

With the entrance of American forces led by General Jack Pershing, the war in France became more brutal. Finally by November 11, 1918 the war ended in victory for the allied forces. What resulted, however, was to lead to the Second World War.

After the war the “Paris Conference” was called in 1919. This led to the “League of Nations” which included Britain, the United States, France and Italy. At this conference unbearable economic restrictions were placed against Germany that resulted in the near collapse of the nation. This led to the emergence of the countries new “savior,” Adolph Hitler.

Hardly 25 years passed when Germany under Hitler nearly took over the European continent by force. If it had not been for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor declaring war against the United States, Hitler might have won the day after his attack against Russia. But just three days after the attack by Japan, Hitler declared war on the United States resulting in Germany fighting on two fronts.

The rest is history; both Germany and Japan were defeated and what came out of the conflict was the use of the most horrible weapon ever devised—the atomic bomb.

But did mankind learn any lessons? Apparently not.

Just five years later North Korea invaded the south only to fight to a standstill three years later. A truce was declared but the war to this day has never been officially ended.

And the wars continue, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria to name just a few current nations involved in the killing of innocent people and the destruction of cities. Some battles are over land, others over religion. Regardless all are of a senseless nature.

So we come back to our “Independence Day.” Why do we celebrate this day? Do Americans really understand that everyone of these conflicts resulted in the deaths of young men who will never be able to have a family, live a life in content or enjoy the fruits of their sacrifice? If you know a veteran then say to them, “thanks for my freedom and your sacrifice.”