A Look Back At Bridge To History Historical Program 2023
Each Year the Bridge To History Program Takes American Children To The Battlefields Of The D-Day Invasion For An Immersive Week Of Commemorative Events Honoring And Remembering The Legacy Of WWII.
“History Teaches Us To Hope”
The historic 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion is just around the corner. As US President Ronald Reagan said: “Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.”
Each year the Bridge to History program takes American children to the D-Day battle fields, to show honor, to remember, and importantly, to pass on the legacy of the American and Allied soldiers who fought and died there.
“Here, in this place where the West held together, let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for.”
I have had the pleasure of working with Bridge to History for several years and find their mission more important than ever. In the words of the founder: “This is a boot camp to show the students where the war took place, to introduce them to the names and faces of our World War II veterans; walking through the cemeteries, reading the monuments, and meeting our international neighbors, and develop a deeper sense of understanding for what was accomplished in World War II and to cultivate an appreciation for and a connection with the European communities who for 78 years have fostered a national gratitude for the sacrifices of the Allies and set aside annual days of remembrance and observance.
When our Bridge to History students return home, they are commissioned to be AMBASSADORS to the next generation. To share what they have learned with their peers, local civic groups, and veteran associations, and garner a new generation of gratitude and remembrance.”
“Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.”
“One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.”
