When my dad bought his first Japanese-made car, it was a milestone. Leading up to that purchase was a deep prejudice ever since he was a ten-year-old boy, when his football game in the park ended because the Japanese army had bombed Pearl Harbor.
Aside from the bewilderment of bombing, he was probably angry the Japanese attack had disrupted the game.
But even my dad could change, and one of the most important human attributes is the ability to change, to recognize our biases, to realize the need for change.
In 2016, President Barack Obama recognized a needed change. The needed change made him the first president to visit Hiroshima since the US had dropped not one but two atomic bombs on Japan. He gave a speech, placed a wreath at the tomb, and hugged two survivors.
Obama recognized the need to heal the chasm of long ago.
Immediately, his decision brought controversy. Yes, we needed to heal, but it couldn't be at the expense of admitting we were wrong. The United States had lost 416,800 service members in WWII. Pearl Harbor brought us officially into the war.
After the battle at Midway in June 1942, the Japanese offensive was finally stopped. From then on, they were on the defensive, but it took three more years of fighting when the Japanese wouldn't surrender.
In the battle at Peleliu, Palau, 11,000 Japanese soldiers began the fight. At the end of four months, 11,000 soldiers had lost their lives. When there were just 150 left, the majority committed suicide over surrender. A handful, 27 sailors and a few army men did surrender, but they were the strange ones who had bucked tradition.
And then there was the last battle of Okinawa. Ten thousand Americans died. One hundred and ten thousand Japanese and conscripted Okinowans died, and still the Japanese wouldn't surrender.
At the time, the atomic bomb was a logical way to end the war. The Japanese would lose their entire population before surrender, thus the atomic bomb seemed like the best option. We could destroy the same amount of the enemy without American loss of life.
Logic.
In Obama's speech there is a line that speaks to me. It is, "We must have the courage to escape the logic of fear."
His words were an admonishment to avoid war because when attacked, there is a certain logic to fear.
Logic in fear says, "Invade Afghanistan." Logic in fear says "cheat." It says, "Hit before they hit you." Logic in fear says, "Deny it," or "Blame someone else."
Logic in fear however isn't always bad when it meets at half court with integrity. After Dwight D Eisenhower gave his order of the Day on June 6 1944 (D-day invasion of Normandy), declaring courageous actions, superiority over the enemy, and a clear victory over fascism, he hand wrote another note and put it in his pocket.
It read, "Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."
That note was just in case Operation Overload, or D-day failed and his fear brought out the best of logic for the moment--taking responsibility.
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