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Lessons to learn from war bravery
Published on: Sunday, November 17, 2019
By: Avtar Singh
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LAST week, I had the privilege of watching the new film Midway, an action film about the Battle of Midway on the 4th June 1942 that changed the course of the war in the Pacific and a battle that would have great significance in how Japan would fight the remaining years of the Second World War on the back foot whilst the Americans and their Allies would not only be able to stop “dodging blows from a boxing opponent” but would then be able to start moving forward and reclaiming the freedoms we lost when World War Two began.

What interested me most was not the actual battle but the sacrifices made by so many young men and women who we have all never heard of or never known about and it reminded me of how, as human beings, we continue to look upon our past as it defines our history as a civilization.

I always believe that those who forget our past are ignorant human beings. As we sit down in 2019, we live in a divided world, divided by politics and opinions. 

But if Midway is a “tale of war,” what actually makes all “war tales” so special? 

For over a thousand years, the human race has loved hearing or telling war stories or war tales. It’s not so much that we, as human beings love war itself but rather it is inspirational when ordinary citizens rise up to confront circumstances that would take away their freedoms and their right to live and win.

If you think of ancient Greek plays and ancient myths or even modern mythology, including super hero battles, these are all stories of war and people overcoming impossible odds. We love supporting (or rooting) for the underdogs because it inspires us watching people rising up against all odds and winning.  Think of the Greeks against the Persians in the film “300” or the Battle of Britain when Britain stood all alone against the mighty German Air Force in 1940-1941 and won against all odds. 

What about when Spartacus, the slave and his army defeated the mighty Roman armies time and time again? Or when a British Colonel stood bravely against a Japanese commander and defied him time and time again in A Bridge too Far?

We celebrate victories even today when the weaker force comes back to win against all odds. Just look at Sport as an example and how Liverpool Football Club came back from 0-3 down to win 4-3 on aggregate against mighty Barcelona earlier this year in May.

It is to a degree, not only patriotic, but extraordinary to look upon these incredible men and women who continue to inspire us, 70-80 years later after these great battles with the Battle of Midway, for example, being one of those “war tales” of great sacrifices made by the American pilots in their out-dated and slow Torpedo planes who were slaughtered to a man on their bombing runs against the Japanese aircraft carriers, in their slow and outdated Devastator torpedo bombers by the more agile, nimble and significantly faster Japanese fighter planes.

Or when the battle is turned on its axis by the arrival of over 30-40 American dive bombers above the Japanese naval fleet carriers and who then completely annihilate the Japanese fleet in a matter of 5 minutes and change history and the way the Pacific war would end in 1945.

Heroism transcends borders and nationalities, time and generations. Heroism, however, does not need to be shown by only people in uniform.  It can be, I believe, shown by people at home showing grace and strength who step forward and to volunteer themselves for the greater good of society.

Or people in offices or higher positions of power who have to make very difficult decisions, making decisions that ultimately change the direction and the course of these wars against all odds.  These are ordinary but brilliant people trying to do their very best for the people they care about and the freedoms they want civilization to enjoy.

I am reminded time and time again that a person’s nationality or being from a specific country does not define bravery nor is it exclusively to only one country or one people. 

We see it all the time in our very own youngsters and adults who step forward to do the right thing when someone needs to do something for the greater good of the nation.  They are willing to sacrifice for the greater good and this is wholly inspiring. And they become part of this myth of war tales that are told from father to son, mother to daughter from generation to generation.

 

l Avtar Singh will be conducting a talk on “The Battle of Midway” on Saturday, 30th November 2019 at 1.30pm at Xavier Hall in Penampang as part of the History Series of talks by Borneo History Group in Penampang. Entry is free. As seats are limited, please call and book your seat for attendance.



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