Vigilance

Yesterday on the Military channel Riley and I watched WWII in color.  The show was about the Allied push into Germany.  Beginning in the winter/spring of 1945 elements of the American, British, and French Armies advanced from the south toward the Rhine river.  From the north and east two Russian armies advanced toward the Oder river.  In between the two rivers is the German heartland and the capital of Berlin. 

WWII was an incredible and devastating time in world history.  Every time I watch a show or read a book about that war I am always amazed at the magnitude of it.  Entire continents were at war.  The immensity of it all is staggering.  As an example, as the Russians advanced on Berlin a total of 3.5 million men and women were armed about to fight one another.  The Russian army was 2.5 million strong while Germany was defending Berlin with 1 million; as I said, staggering.  This number does not include the other allied armies in the south or the other half of the war going on in the Pacific. 

But then come the pictures of the Nazi concentration camps and the cities destroyed by bombs.  People walking like zombies looking for some semblance of normalcy.  Everything around them, devastated dead and dying everywhere, food and water, shelter scarce to non existent.  And then we must realize that it was only about 80 years ago that all this occurred.  Eighty years seems like a lifetime and in reality it is, but in the grand scheme of things it was just yesterday. 

I suppose this post is one of reflection, thankfulness, and a call to vigilance.  Reflection on the fact of the sacrifice of good men and the evil of bad men.  Thankfulness for the God given gift of Peace in our land.  And a call to be ever vigilant of what we have and to never take any of it for granted.