"Midway" - Worth Seeing

We decided to take in a movie yesterday.  The weather was lousy and not conducive to much enjoyment of anything outdoors, so we went to see "Midway."

I have to admit that I was skeptical of any "remake" of one of the great war movies of my youth, but I was completely impressed by this one.  It was better in many ways than the one made back in 1976. 

The Battle of Midway, which occurred between June 4 and June 7, 1942, was a major turning point in the war in the Pacific.  After Pearl Harbor the U.S. needed to strike a blow against the Japanese carrier groups and in the Battle of Midway successfully destroyed four Japanese carriers.

After the "intelligence failure" of Pearl Harbor and the disastrous impact it had on the Pacific fleet, the U.S. determined to strike back.  Several initiatives were launched including Doolittle's Raid against the Japanese homeland (April 18) and the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4-8).  The Doolittle Raid was largely symbolic in that it showed the ability of the U.S. to strike Japan, but it also was a psychological blow to the Japanese who believed their country was invulnerable to attack.  The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first major sea battle involving opposing carrier groups in which the sea forces never sighted each other.  The battle was fought from the air.

I won't spoil the movie for you, but I do highly recommend you go and see it.  There are a couple of minor "historical glitches" in it, but overall, extremely well done.  The biggest surprise to me was Woody Harrelson as Chester W. Nimitz.  He played the part perfectly.  I also would encourage you to follow the links and read the history before you go to see the movie. 

How Do We Really Stand?

I wonder what they really have in mind....


Navy Stages Show of Force Off Iran Coast

May 23, 10:31 AM (ET)By BARBARA SURK

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The U.S. Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000....(full story here)


We're trying to build a country
In a place they call Iraq.
But it seems the situation there
Is totally out of whack!
The values of their people
Are just not like our own
And many people here
Think we should just leave them alone.

Our mighty armored forces
Had no trouble with the war;
It's peace we're having trouble with
And folks are getting sore
With the way that things are going.
So the Congress, sage and wise,
Thinks we should pull right out;
Full retreat, with no disguise.

The Democrats in Congress
Are confused about the polls.
Retreat at any cost
Is the call throughout their rolls.
And the President is struggling
With how the peace to win.
I think his heart is right
But he doesn't know where to begin.

Which is the biggest enemy
That our troops need to fight?
We're spread to Afghanistan
Where Osama is out of sight.
In Iraq we're nation building
In the midst of civil war.
They're blowing up each other
From their mountains to the shore.

Then in between Afghanistan
And Iraq there is one more
It's called Iran, or Persia,
And I wonder what's in store.
With our fleet there in the Gulf
Ahmadinejad should beware,
Or his nuclear development
Will be floating in the air.

But I think the greatest enemy
That our brave troops have to face
Is right here in this country
And they're stepping up the pace
Of the rhetoric of appeasement
To the forces of our foe.
They speak of them as peaceful
When they're bent on spreading woe.

I'm speaking of the liberals
In media and Washington
Who believe that all we stand for
As a country is wrong.
Well my advice to them
Is to pack their bags and flee
Because they don't belong here in
This home of the brave and land of the free.