“Remember Pearl Harbor” is a battle cry that resonates a bit less each year. America’s “Greatest Generation” that won World War II is giving way to a millennial generation that witnessed its own “day of infamy.”
Stung by the huge death toll from World War I, many Americans at the time were wary of getting involved in World War II. An “America First” movement that advocated neutrality gained popularity. Japan’s surprise attack left the United States with no option other than to enter the war. Winning catapulted the U.S. into the leadership role it maintains today.
75 years later, it’s worthwhile to consider the lessons from Pearl Harbor and assess what still applies after what many consider to be a paradigm changing election.