Every generation has its own catastrophe that solidifies one’s view of the world.

Back in the 18th Century, it was the Declaration of Independence (actually, the war that followed it).  7 decades later, it was the Civil War and the Assassination of President Lincoln.  6 decades later it was the Great War.  3 decades later- Pearl Harbor.  (That attack occurred 8 decades ago today. )

For my generation, it was the assassination of President Kennedy, sit-ins, Watergate and Kent State.  9-11 is the trauma of my children’s generation.  The Great Recession formed the world view for those in the iGen- with the later births traumatized by the pandemic we are currently experiencing.

The issue is that as generations fade, the importance of these events are lost to those that were born after…

How many of us feel the trauma of the Civil War?  The Great War?  (This is the problem with the burgeoning anti-Otherism beliefs.  Because the Holocaust is already ancient history.)

Probably most of us just consider Pearl Harbor an interesting story.  Even though it was the first time since the formation of our country that an enemy attacked our shores (so to speak, since Hawaii was not yet a state).  (Since then, we’ve had 9-11 and the pandemic.)

Believe it or not, it wasn’t until 1994 that Pearl Harbor was recorded as a national event.  But, that’s probably because there were plenty of folks who personally recalled the event.  But, by 1994,  a significant number of folks had nary a clue about the Japanese bombing of our fleet and bases in Hawaii.

Let’s take a moment out of our day to recall those killed and the trauma that resulted from this attack.

(By the way, it seems that American Intelligence had more than inklings of this attack, just like they did six decades later before the 9-11 kamikaze attacks.)

I wonder if the 6th of January will join this pantheon of scourge?