Reflections on D-Day: remembering those who “gave their last full measure of devotion.”

On Sunday,  Christians throughout the world celebrated Pentecost Sunday, and this day, considered the birthday of the Church, was a turning point in human history as the torch of light or truth that Jesus brought into this world was passed to a band of stalwart people who essentially inherited the mission of spreading the Good News. Much of the primary content of Jesus’ words and the example he set through his life and his sacrifice could be explained in his reduction of the Commandments into a simple creed: Love God and love His children. Yet, times have changed and many have truly lost connection with what that essentially means. 

Without going  deeply biblical, this is the core, the central theme, and Jesus explained that this was the greatest Commandment. Christian was born in the blood of his holy sacrifice. And, since that time throughout history, blood has been shed countless times by the ones who gave their lives to defend such truth and to advance such truth – in a consistent way throughout history. So, in serious reflection, without Pentecost there would not have been a transference of the truth to which Jesus came to bear witness    as he declared before Pontius Pilate.    What does Pentecost have to do with D-Day? Pentecost was essentially the birth of a combined force of disciples who became activists for God’s Kingdom. The history of Christianity would not have come into existence in such a strong way without Pentecost. Without the Christian foundation, much of the goodness throughout the world would not have occurred. Yet, even adversity was used as a stepping stone to the advancement of God’s truth to all of the corners of the world. Without Christian activists rising above adversity, Europe may have never developed in the way it did over the centuries. In other words, the wars, the pestilence, and famines, may have resulted in much worse outcomes. A distinction must be submitted here for all those wise secular historical proponents. My submission is simple: although the truth that Jesus brought may have been diminished in importance over the years by the very religious leaders and organizations with responsibility to carry forward and substantially advance the Kingdom that Jesus referred to at the beginning of his ministry, much of the truth he taught was employed to the extent that it could mitigate the horrible realities and brutalities.

---

D-Day occured as a desperate effort to thwart the advance of deception and tyranny in the world after it had been bred in Europe for centuries. The seemingly never-ending wars across Europe, the Middle East and in Africa causes intelligent people to wonder whether the Kingdom was only meant to be a ‘virtual Kingdom.’ The evil Axis Powers during WWII had practically taken over Europe and the Asian Pacific by 1943. It was very hard to fathom as all appeared lost. It seemed as if the four tyrants of that period would take complete control of the world. It was the darkest period in human history,   and mankind seemed on the brink of global enslavement. Great Britain and the Soviet Union (under the dominion of the fourth dictator) were the two major national powers that had any real hope to hold out against such an onslaught. However, in March of 1941, in such a time of dire despair, Winston Churchill reached  out to the Americans. In March of 1941, the Atlantic Charter was established and the Lend-Lease Act gave needed hope to a beleaguered Great Britain. It led to the Allied nations working together in more direct cooperation. This substantial linkage actually   led to the development of the United Nations.  But, despite such positive developments to defend Freedom, it got much darker. In June of 1941, Hitler orchestrated the invasion of the Soviet Union. In December of 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in a futile attempt to intimidate the Americans and keep them from entering their Pacific conquest. It backfired. Badly. Although it seemed Hell on Earth had been unleashed; in such a dark time, America’s leaders decided to fight for the freedom of the rest of the world, essentially to fight for Freedom itself.    

---

Support Canada Free Press

---

It has been estimated that at the height of the Axis expansion across the globe, about 165 million people were under the dominion of the three evil governments of Germany, Italy, and the Empire of Japan. After the sneak attack upon Pearl Harbor, many young Americans volunteered for military service. Although it was a patriotic reaction to Pearl Harbor, millions then went off to Europe to fight against Hitler and the Nazis. Far too many never made it home again.  The assault on the beaches at Normandy was an incredibly complex effort. It was part of a three-pronged thrust to push the German troops back within the borders of German territory. The initial beach assault was code-named “Operation Neptune.” It was not only comprised of the amphibious assault on five Normandy beaches with over 5,000 troop carriers and over 500 minesweepers and support ships; it also included a massive naval bombardment, as well as an airborne assault involving 10,000 Allied aircraft striking at the German defenses, and over 24,000 paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines shortly after midnight, before the dawn coastal landings. “Neptune” actually lasted through the end of June. The entire assault was a crucial turning point in WWII. D-Day began in the wee morning hours of June 6, 1944, and represented the largest amphibious military invasion in world history. This all-out invasion against entrenched Nazi military forces spread across 50 miles of French coastline at Normandy. It was an act of desperation, but it was also an act of daring. The initial efforts to open this new front against the German stranglehold on most of Europe succeeded, but at great cost: Over 12,000 Allied soldiers had been killed or wounded on D-Day, and many thousands more died that month as the Allies secured Normandy. For many of those, their first day in battle was their last.  

---

On that fateful day, the Allies were able to secure a foothold in French sand. Though the cost for the beachhead was high, taking the beaches enabled over 160,000 soldiers to begin their march across France to take down Adolf Hitler. By the end of the month, that force grew to 39 divisions and over a million men. Operation Neptune managed to crack the powerful Nazi grip on occupied France. D-Day was indeed a pivotal moment in the war in Europe.  General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander of the united forces that unleashed this massive, cross-channel, frontal invasion of the German positions in Northern France. When he gave the orders to commence the attack, he revealed his genuine hope for a victorious outcome:

“You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely … The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech   the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

Those of the “greatest generation” who served their country in World War II, should be remembered that they gave their “last full measure of devotion” so that others could also become free. Yet, it also should be remembered that it was a Christian nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the self-evident truths at the core of patriot DNA, rose up, took leadership within the community of nations, and determined to give the ultimate sacrifice of the lives of our future generations that Freedom could survive. May it be remembered.