Last year, many people compared the 9-11 attacks to Pearl Harbor. Tommorrow, we note the 1st anniversary of the attacks. It's interesting to note how people marked the 1st anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

Back then, there were no morbid news programs about heros and victims. Instead, there was a marked determination to win the war.

Back then, kids didn't take up collections for "peace gardens" like I saw on the news a couple nights ago. Instead, they collected fat to make explosives, metal to make weapons, and their pennies to buy War Stamps.

Back then, no one asked "how are we going to pay for the war?" like some are asking today. Instead, the FY1943 budget was projected to run a $60 billion deficit ($624.62 billion adjusted for inflation). People were willing to pay the price for victory.

By no means was everything that happened back in 1942 good. A friend of mine was sent with his family into the internment camps because his parents were born in Japan. My friend was a native born American citizen but was imprisoned for years because of his race. He was 2 years old when he was sent into the camps. That was a low moment in American history.

BTW: According to this source, federal spending for 1942 was $78.56 billion. That works out to about $817.84 billion in inflation adjusted dollars, about 40% of today's federal budget. Gee, with massive wartime production taking over almost all of the economy and millions of men in uniform, they still needed well under half of today's budget to fight and win the war.