Articles

A Week to Celebrate American Military Tradition

By Maj. W. Thomas Smith Jr.

It’s been a week for celebrating America’s military veterans – active, reserve, retired, former, living and dead – starting with the 233rd birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps on Monday, Nov. 10, followed by Veterans Day on the 11th (evolving from Armistice Day; the ending of World War I, which was 90-years-ago this past Tuesday).

There also were some lesser-known military anniversaries including the turnover to the South Vietnamese of Long Binh on Nov. 11, 1972, which essentially ended so-called “direct” U.S. military involvement in Vietnam (Though thousands of American troops – primarily advisors – hung around almost until South Vietnam collapsed in 1975.). On Nov. 12, 1942, the Naval battle of Guadalcanal began. And on Nov. 14, 1864, Union Army Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman kicked off his infamous “March to the Sea,” which would be followed by his wheel-about north from Savannah, Georgia and ultimately up to my hometown of Columbia, S.C. the following February (And make no mistake, America’s rich military tradition stems as much from her Confederate military heritage and tradition as her Union.).

Though our military lineage only stretches back to some unspecified date during the colonial era – actually somewhat later to Lexington and Concord or the individual births of our Army, Navy, and Marine Corps in 1775 – our military heritage-tradition is something that is admired the world over by nations far older than ours. And that American military heritage-tradition is the primary reason – more so than money and technology – that our nation continues to field the finest military forces the world has ever known.

It’s actually remarkable when you consider the fact that America has fought a series of terribly bloody wars since its founding. American military forces have often been woefully unprepared at the beginning of those wars. America has had the parallel tradition of having an aversion to large standing armies and navies. And over the years, anti-military Americans have gone to great lengths to undermine, weaken, and perchance destroy America’s military tradition, scapegoating and viciously condemning American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines for policy decisions in which those uniformed Americans bore no responsibility other than carrying out the lawful orders given them.

Then there are the politically socialist elements (many of whom having been among the numbers of underminers and condemners) who have always viewed the military, not as a fighting force as it was designed to be, but as some unfortunate necessity that might better serve the nation as a giant laboratory for all sorts of social engineering and experimentation. 

At any rate – and despite any and all who would seek its undoing – the American military has survived and flourished.

And so this week we reflect on past glories, victories, costly sacrifices, and amazing individual deeds by Americans in uniform for the past 200-plus years.

I wrote about a few of these Americans twice this week at Human Events and at Family Security Matters, as did so many other scribes (Among my favorite pieces by other scribes was one by rocker Ted Nugent who in his piece at Human Events described my Marine Corps as “the world’s most exclusive gun club.”   Indeed.)
 
Anyway, to some, a discussion of American military tradition and the makers of that tradition may sound like nothing more than chest-thumping blustery. Maybe it is. But I can assure you, the very survival of this nation depends on it.

[Help further an awareness of AMERICAN MILITARY TRADITION and honor AMERICA'S GREATEST HEROES by supporting the Medal of Honor Society's 2010 Convention to be held in Charleston, S.C. For more information visit medalofhonorconvention.com]

— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.