The man next to the twin .50s in the photo above was U.S.A.A.F. Major Joseph R. Aldendifer. For him, what began as a $75-a-month paycheck and a chance to fly later included—courtesy of Uncle Sam—twenty round-trip excursions between East Suffolk, England and various points in Nazi Germany. My uncle was lucky; many of his fellow airmen ended up with one-way tickets, fighting for a certain kind of America. These men were the tip of the spear that helped win the war in Europe, a conflict which ended eighty years ago this month. On May 26th, we honor the ones who never came home.
Colonel Gail Halvorsen
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." – Maya Angelou
As soon as World War II ended the Cold War began. Three years on, the Soviet Union tried to force the Allies out of West Berlin by blockading all land and water routes to the city. The response was the Berlin Airlift, a combined action by America and its allies to aid starving West Berliners with food and supplies. This humanitarian action was epitomized by Colonel Gail Halvorsen, ‘The Candy Bomber’, who rose to fame by parachuting bundles of candy down to children in the besieged city. His story (video here) personifies the idea of a certain kind of America … one whose goodwill captured hearts and minds around the world.
“Speak softly and carry a big stick.” – President Theodore Roosevelt
While hard power wins wars, it’s soft power that promotes peace and prosperity. During the past eighty years, America has been a special place; a country admired and respected by most of the world, most of the time. But while friendships, trust, and reputations take years to build, they can be ruined in an instant. Writing for The Financial Times, Tim Harford provides an outsider’s view of recent events: “The US has clearly lost credibility—as an ally, as a place to invest, as a trading partner, and as a country where the rule of law is paramount.” Today, old friends eye us warily as we find ourselves up against China … with new-best-friend El Salvador (?) as our sidekick. While no one knows how this story will end, one thing seems likely: it's going to take a long time and a lot of candy to bring back that certain kind of America.
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