BETWEEN THE LINES: A picture changes perception

A picture is worth a thousand words.

I hadn’t given the old adage much thought until I read Robert M. Murphy’s book, "No Better Place to Die" about a small, but important battle during World War II on D-Day — June 6, 1944 — that involved paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne division.

Murphy was part of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat team responsible for defending the La Fiere Bridge over the Merderet River in Normandy, France. By doing so, protection was given to Allied soldiers landing at Utah Beach from an expected counterattack from German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s famous panzers.

The orders were easy to understand; however, executing them was another story. Afterward, the U.S. Army’s chief historian described the four-day conflict as “probably the bloodiest small unit struggle in the experience of American arms.” The majority of the officers were killed or injured, and 3,228 soldiers died while 12,604 were wounded.

Before reading Murphy’s book, I gave little thought to the challenges of being a paratrooper. These soldiers fly in at low altitudes behind enemy lines, usually at night. The war created a huge demand for pilots that finding experienced ones is a real challenge. Consequently, paratroopers frequently missed drop zones.

Then there were the gliders. These motorless aircraft trailed behind C-47s, which were ultimately cut loose behind enemy territory to find a safe place to land. Many of these gliders had a plywood floor. The poorly constructed planes carried about 20 soldiers and heavy equipment. The odds of them crashing were far greater than landing safely.

As Murphy writes, wars are fought by low-ranking soldiers, usually in their early 20s or younger. Murphy was 17 when he enlisted in 1942 and 19 during the D-Day battle. The book has pictures of youthful soldiers, painting a portrait of history.

Times are different now. The U.S. has a volunteer army. We don’t fight wars anymore, but policing actions are given nice names so Congress doesn’t have to take responsibility for sending our youth to Kosovo, Iraq, Kuwait or Afghanistan.

Although these engagements are dangerous, the chances of soldiers dying in them are small compared to landing on the beaches of Normandy.

I have often wondered if the military conflicts our country has been in since World War II — which have little to do with protecting our citizens — would have been fought if the politicians who voted to fund them had to serve in them.

Our country needs clarity in determining foreign policy objectives. The U.S. crusade to make the world more democratic and free has miserably failed.

Political commentator Vox Day posed a question that should be asked of our political leaders: “When in history, has the removal of a tyrannical leader ever obligated those responsible for the removal to remake a nation’s entire system of government?”

I believe that is the least we can do when American lives and their families’ welfare hang in the balance. Failing to do so diminishes the sanctity of human life.

Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 13 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, email ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.