War and Thanksgiving - 2018

November is one of my favorite months. I'm thinking about all of the memories I have of certain events in my life and of the important days that are celebrated in the month of November. The events that I remember and those that are celebrated are all associated with wars. But then the month ends with Thanksgiving. I never saw the connection to that November day on which we give thanks. Now I think I do. 

On Veteran's Day, we honor those who have served this country, with special thoughts of those who lost their lives. I've noticed that it has now become quite common for younger Americans to approach those who are veterans and to thank them for their service. I'm sure that the vets really appreciate it. What they did, was a service to us all.

                                        Thank you, Veterans

Then there is the Marine Corps birthday to celebrate. This year, the Marines will be 243 years old on November 10. I will always be grateful to the U.S. Marine Corps for teaching me how to live a life of duty and dignity. To the men and women of the Corps - Thank you and Happy Birthday mates - Semper Fidelis!

Then I remember Thanksgiving Day 1950. The war in Korea was over. We had beaten the North Korean Army and were looking forward to being home for Christmas. Despite the bitter cold, we went out as scouts to ensure the safety of our company of Marines. We came back with two prisoners that didn't look like Koreans. Things were about to change. The Chinese had entered the war and the fighting would continue well beyond Thanksgiving Day.

This connection of war to Thanksgiving has been there from the beginning. Two American presidents who are associated with the holiday were both involved with war. When the Revolutionary War ended, George Washington was able to assemble this great nation. He was the first to ask for a thanksgiving day of prayer (1789).

The other president was Abraham Lincoln who was faced with a terrible war between the states. The nation had been badly broken up by that war. Washington assembled this nation and Lincoln had to put it back together again. When the war ended, he delivered his famous Gettysburg Address and officially proclaimed the holiday of Thanksgiving Day. He spelled out clearly, not only what we were grateful for, but to whom we were praying.

It is with a deep sense of respect and pride that I display the closing lines of his profound speech.

"The country is rejoicing in its new strength and vigor, and in the increase of freedom. No human counsel or mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God.

And so it seems to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

I recommend that we implore that His Almighty Hand heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with His divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union".
                                   Abraham Lincoln - 1863

                      God Bless America

An Alliance for Peace

                       Making Partners with an Enemy

I have a different take on China than most people. Almost every other country in the world has worried about China for decades. It is China's population and its very large army that is feared. Many years ago, in our country, famous pilots, Eddie Richenbacher and Billy Mitchell both spoke of the future threat from China. "Beware the yellow hordes". Years later, during the Korean War, General MacArthur lost his job over the fear of China and his desire to destroy their capability to make war against us for a few decades. Having faced the Chinese soldiers in combat, I should also be fearful, but I'm betting on a different scenario.

China has been enjoying the benefits of capitalism and free trade for quite a while. Their industrial capability has made them one of the world's wealthiest nations. They are making the transition from being an agrarian society to an industrialized one. Despite their financial successes and their incredible economic growth rate, they will soon have to deal with a lot of difficult things. We can recognize these from our own history of having become an industrialized nation. China will not be able to avoid this next predictable evolutionary step.

They will need to get more workers out of the fields and into the cities where the work is. Just think of the difficulties they will have with their very own industrial revolution. Labor unions will develop along with many associated problems. Remember that even here in the US, there were incidents of beatings of workers in the streets. As China goes through that phase of their history, it will keep them very busy. They will therefore, not be spending much time thinking about war. 

In addition to that dilemma, they have another serious problem that they will have to deal with. It is part of their ancient culture. It is an unintended consequence of them being a reverent and respectful society.     

This phenomenon is referred to as the "4 to 1" problem. As you know, China has been controlling the birth of girl babies for years. That now gives them a plethora of males, many of them not working. These men must take care of their parents (2) and their grandparents (2) - it's their cultural duty. Without a job, that won't be easy. When they are faced with this difficulty, those men will take to the streets - there could be bloodshed. That will keep China busy for even longer. In the past, China believed that by having all of those males, they would always be able to field more soldiers than any other nation. This is why the world has always feared China - they have such a huge army. It's what they've always used to scare the world.

I may be naive, but the way I see it, China will not be fighting any future war. They would have to fight a defensive war, i.e. shooting down our satellites, rebuilding lost infrastructure, with loses of food and energy. Their large army would be destroyed promptly with modern weapons. They use the only tactic they know, to bunch up a lot of soldiers in one place to overwhelm the enemy. They would be easy targets for the modern weapons of today.

Then there is the most important fact of all. We here in the USA have a lot of leverage over China right now. We are its biggest trade partner and debtor. We have become entangled within our mutually beneficial trade practices. With a strong president, we could be very persuasive in almost any situation.

The United Nations has failed the world in its mission to maintain peace and discourage adventurous nations. They are dependent on member nations to volunteer small military groups to manage outbreaks. In recent wars, it hasn't worked and they have wasted much money and blood with this method. Eventually, those nations with a strong military have had to take over the effort. The UN’s humanitarian programs continue to be effective.

I've been thinking of an unusual idea that could be the answer to what we all long for - a world at peace. Maybe I'm too much of an idealist, but I'd be willing to bet on this plan. I believe it has a better chance of succeeding than any that the United Nations organization has attempted.

The idea is based on using America's strengths. Here in the USA, what we do better than anyone else is our technology and our diplomatic know-how. For us to establish a truly secure world I am suggesting an alliance with China. The two strongest economies with the strongest armies would be a firm deterrent to all. We would first negotiate a united purpose for our combined economies with reciprocal trade agreements. We would then negotiate a peace treaty with China, insuring both sides of non-aggression.  I know that it may be difficult, but I believe that there is much to gain by putting the pieces together.

That very powerful bloc of “America and China” would be the "superpower" that will finally whittle the world's despots and dictators down to size. Radicals and fanatics, just like any other criminal, would be deterred from misbehaving and getting out of line. 

Just think of what that could mean to the weakened European nations, to Israel, the Middle East and to all the other nations of the world. Peace - finally. It would then be only the potential war mongers who would be afraid. They would have to behave or face the world’s most massive military force – America and their great friend China.