oped: Just for the record I must stress once again that our school system including elite Universities are dumbing down our children by rewriting or skipping teaching US/World History que: http://sharlaslabyrinth.blogspot.com/2013/02/barry-barack-obama-is-new-anthony.html
Progressives have been poisoning the minds of our children with rewritten history. They claim America is all about power, occupation and control. The compassion of America’s military and unselfish actions of one man proves how intentionally wrong they are.
Joseph Stalin began World War II on Adolf Hitler’s side. Stalin was unaffected by Hitler’s Holocaust as he starved millions of Ukrainians himself, dumping them in mass graves. Stalin even returned Jews fleeing to the Soviet Union back to Hitler to strengthen their alliance.
Stalin’s strategy was to allow Hitler to conquer Europe and then he would conquer Hitler. Once Hitler invaded parts of the Soviet Union, Stalin started singing a different tune. He began working with the Allies to defeat Germany.
The European conflict of World War II ended on May 8, 1945, known as V-E Day. It also marked the beginning of the Cold War.
The Western Allied Forces and the Soviet Union agreed to divide control of Germany. The democratic Allies obtained the western portion. Communist Russia occupied the east. The capital, Berlin, was also split. This made things difficult on the Allies as it was located 100 miles in Soviet Union’s territory. Supplying West Berlin would require a cooperative East Germany.
Even after the war, Stalin was motivated by domination. He now wanted complete control of Berlin. Anticipating an American withdrawal of the area, he instituted the Berlin Blockade on June 24, 1948. This shut off all supplies coming from the Allies to West Berlin, including food and fuel. No Allied trains, trucks, cars or boats were allowed into East Germany territory.
Stalin’s tactic was to force the Allies to purchase their supplies for West Berlin from him. This would give the Soviet Union complete and ultimate control of the capital.
America was not about to allow the 2 million West Berliners to be used as pawns in Stalin’s little game. They understood Stalin was waging a humanitarian war with no regard for the German people. Within days, the Western Allied forces launched the Berlin Airlift. The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa began military flights to West Berlin to deliver supplies to its people. Stalin could block roads and waterways, but he could not block the sky or Allied controlled airstrips.
Planes arrived around the clock every 3 minutes. Children gathered to see the aircrafts arrive. Pilot Lieutenant Gail S. “Hal” Halvorsen approached a group of children watching the planes on one of his trips in July. Seeing they were hungry and poor, Halvorsen had compassion for them. He reached into his pocket to give him whatever treats he had.
All Halvorsen could find was two pieces of gum. He gave the gum to the group knowing it would not be enough for the numerous children there. To his surprise, they responded with gratitude and enjoyment. The children took a tiny piece of the gum and passed it on to another. Several just enjoyed the aroma of the wrappers as it was a pleasure they had not experienced for years.
Halvorsen knew he needed to do something for these Germany children caught in an unconscionable circumstance. He informed them he would drop more treats on his next mission. With planes constantly arriving, a little girl asked, “How will we know your plane?” He responded, “I will wiggle my wings.”
When Halvorsen returned to base, he had already devised a plan. He gathered all the candy he could from his fellow airmen as well as handkerchiefs. Halvorsen began making little packages of chocolate, gum and other candies. The handkerchiefs were attached as parachutes. He quickly became known on base as the “Candy Bomber.” The German children lovingly named him “Uncle Wiggle Wings”.
Word reached Halvorsen’s commanding officer, Lt. General William H. Turner, who ordered “Operation Little Vittles” on September 22, 1948. This quickly sparked media attention in the states where civilians immediately jumped on board. School children began gathering and preparing candy packages and parachutes. Companies also participated by donated candies and other items.
The Berlin Airlift was so successful and so embarrassing to Stalin that he ended it on May 12, 1949. Over the 11-month blockade, the Western Allied Forces flew 270,000 missions into Berlin. They provided nearly 2.5 million tons of fuel and food to the German West Berliners.
Uncle Wiggle Wings, along with approximately 25 other crews, dropped 23 tons of chewing gum, chocolates and other candy to the children.
The United States won this war with “bombs” of food, fuel, chocolate, candy, and charity.
Following Stalin’s failed blockade, Germany became two separate states. The free capitalist Western Germany under the Allies became the Federal Republic of Germany. Eastern Germany, impacted by communist Soviet Union, became the German Democratic Republic. The West continued to prosper under freedom and liberty with the East deteriorating almost to ruins.
This story is the perfect example of American Exceptionalism. It is also the result of capitalism, freedom, and individualism. The government didn’t force Halvorsen to start his candy bombing. Congress didn’t take the candy from his fellow soldiers to give to the children. The Supreme Court had nothing to do with the millions of Americas at home who generously offered up goodies to the German children. The President did not sign an executive order to demand companies donate candy. The military did join in but it was only after ordinary Americans already had the program going.
We are in grave danger of losing the precious traits of compassion and personal initiative that made America great. Progressives have rewritten our history so much we have all but lost these principles. Millennials proved this with their overwhelming support for Sen. Bernie Sanders. They want a leader who promises to take care of them with other people’s money. They believe they deserve everything without having to do anything. We saved West Berlin from the communists in 1949. Now we need someone to save us from the Democrats.
Progressives will always tell you who they are. It becomes obvious in what they accuse others of doing. They believe America is greedy and corrupt because that’s who they are. Just listen to any speech by Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. They have to rewrite history so they can cover up their own despicable actions.
It is foreign to Liberal Progressives that a pilot would willfully donate his time and money for poor German children because that thought would never cross their own minds. Citizens and companies must have selfish ulterior motives in collecting and donating supplies. No one would selflessly do something like that, which is why they require the government do it. They can claim compassion for demanding it without lifting a finger.
Americans know deep in their soul that there are millions of “Uncle Wiggle Wings” in our history. We can’t let the Progressives take them away from us. If we have any hope of reclaiming the true America, we must continue to research, learn and share these stories.
Every generation must fight for the freedom our ancestors so bravely won and defended for us. We owe our children and grandchildren that much.
But that’s just my 2 cents.
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