commenting on the fierceness of the battle and the high casualty rate, said, “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island uncommon valor was a common virtue.”503 The most inspiring image of the war came when a group of Marines was photographed raising an American flag on Mt. Suribachi, the most prominent terrain feature of the island.
The seizure of Okinawa was also a protracted and costly operation. Two Marine and two Army divisions made the initial assault on April 1, and it was not until late June that the island was declared secure. Casualties among the ground troops were severe, and Kamikaze attacks rained down on the ships at sea during the entire operation.
As preparations for a November invasion of the Japanese home islands continued, a B-29 bomber, flying from the Marianas Islands, dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6. A day later the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Korea. Then another atomic bomb was dropped, this time on Nagasaki. The powerful factions within the Japanese government that had continued to insist on a fight to the bitter end were finally silenced by the overwhelming need to stop the rain of destruction. Hostilities were brought to an end on August 15, 1945. The formal surrender ceremony was held on September 2 aboard the USS
December 1
The little Episcopal
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9–14 KJV)
The little prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” is the key to our faith in Jesus Christ. I say it earnestly every day. Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and, until we acknowledge our own hopeless condition, there is nothing he can do within us; there is no room for his saving grace.
This Scripture passage is especially fitting for the last month of this book, devoted to victory in World War II. It is an appropriate reminder of the danger of pride, which can cause us to stumble at the personal and the national level. In this war America achieved complete and total victory over all her enemies. A thankful humility was appropriate then and continues to be our best posture as a nation now, as we acknowledge God’s grace and our countless blessings.
December 2
On January 20, 1945, Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated for an unprecedented fourth term of office as president of the United States. At that time the Battle of the Bulge was raging in Europe and the invasion of Iwo Jima was about to start. The war was far from over, and uncertainty about the future still gripped the nation. In his inaugural address Roosevelt sought to share a vision of hope and peace for the world based on his faith in God’s guidance:
As I stand here today, having taken the solemn oath of office in the presence of my fellow countrymen—in the presence of our God—I know that it is America’s purpose that we shall not fail. In the days and the years that are to come we shall work for a just and honorable peace, a durable peace, as today we work and fight for a total victory in war…
We can gain no lasting peace if we approach it with suspicion and mistrust—or with fear. We can gain it only if we proceed with the understanding and the confidence and the courage which flow from conviction.
The Almighty God has blessed our land in many ways. He has given our people stout hearts and strong arms with which to strike mighty blows for our freedom and truth. He has given to our country a faith which has become the hope of all peoples in an anguished world.
So we pray to Him now for the vision to see our way clearly—to see the way that leads to a better life for ourselves and for all our fellow men—to the achievement of His will to peace on earth.504
President Roosevelt’s comments perfectly reflect America’s situation in the present time, and his prayer remains totally relevant today. Human beings are clearly not capable of achieving peace on Earth by means of their own resources. Only in God will this sought-for state ever be found.
The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
December 3
An anonymous Navy Armed Guard sailor left a diary of his experiences on the merchant ship SS
As I watched New York’s famous skyline fade from view in the dim, early morning light I recounted the many happy hours Margaret and I spent together in the brief period of just less than two weeks that had slipped away during the stay in port preceding the journey that had just started. We had jokingly referred to it as our “fourth honeymoon,” since ours was a wartime marriage and each subsequent meeting was another honeymoon. We were so accustomed to these brief meetings, with the necessity for living each moment to its fullest, that sometime we caught ourselves wondering what it will be like to live in a peaceful world without the tender farewells and joyous meetings. I am certain that the meeting, however brief, is so much better than being away from each other for a year or more. I fear that there will be many adjustments that will have to be made when the war is over, especially amongst those couples who have been separated for long periods.505
We can call this “looking on the bright side.” This young man had many reasons to feel sorry for himself. Repeated separations were painful for him and his wife. However, he was wise enough to realize that many
