Wednesday marks the 74-year anniversary of VE Day.
On this day in 1945, the Nazi forces surrendered after America and our beautiful allies successfully defeated Hitler’s regime.
There’s nothing that gets my adrenaline going like some great WWII content. I grew up on it. I used to read “Band of Brothers” yearly as a kid, and it’s just another example of how badass our American military members are. (RELATED: Watching ‘Band Of Brothers‘ Never Gets Old. Here’s Why It’s Such A Great Series)
I suggest you watch the mini-series on HBO right now if you haven’t already.
Hitler made one major mistake when he decided to kick off WWII and go to war with America. He greatly underestimated our resolve, our commitment to freedom and what we’re willing to do when a bunch of young American men get handed uniforms, weapons and get put on troop carriers bound for Europe.
You ever hear of D-Day? Young men who had been working on farms in Louisiana and Nebraska a couple years before were carrying M1s and Thompson submachine guns as they kicked down Hitler’s front door.
The evil dictator thought he could take over the world. He soon found out he was no match for Americans armed and ready for combat.
You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes and he shot himself before the war was over. We kicked in Europe’s door June 6, 1944, and the war was over in Europe less than a year later.
You ever hear about the Battle of the Bulge? The Germans launch a counter-offensive against the Allies, cut off a bunch of paratroopers and still got their asses handed to them.
It really doesn’t get much more American than that. As American Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe said when asked to surrender or be annihilated, “Nuts!”
On this fine and patriotic day, I suggest you toast a beer in honor of all the great men who went to war to liberate Europe. I’ll be drinking to every single one of them, especially the men of Easy Company, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.
They dropped behind enemy lines on D-Day, fought in Operation Market Garden, held the line in Bastogne and are a shining example of American exceptionalism.
God bless all the brave men who deployed to take out Hitler. He had no idea what was coming for him. Hitler thought he could defeat the American spirit, and it was a mistake that cost him his life and country.