Of all the manly virtues, sacrifice can arguably be said to be the greatest. Yet today it is also the virtue in shortest supply. Where men once saw great honor in being asked to sacrifice for a worthy cause, today they spend their time thinking how they might obtain something for nothing. Nowhere is this more manifest than in the sacrifice related to war.

Today we are involved in two wars: the war in Iraq and the war against terrorism. Yet what have Americans been asked to give up for these engagements? Absolutely nothing. Unless you count putting a “Support the Troops” ribbon on your SUV.

This is not a political post. Nor it is about the wrongness or rightness of the war. It doesn’t matter whether you support the war in Iraq or not. In fact, as we shall see, those who most adamantly oppose the war should be the most ardent supporters of shared national sacrifice.

FDR Calls on America to Sacrifice During WWII

America’s leaders have not always feared asking citizens to sacrifice. Five months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt addressed the nation and asked it to prepare for the long and arduous sacrifice the war would require:

Here at home everyone will have the privilege of making whatever self-denial is necessary, not only to supply our fighting men, but to keep the economic structure of our country fortified and secure during the war and after the war.

This will require, of course, the abandonment not only of luxuries but of many other creature comforts….

Every loyal American is aware of his individual responsibility. Whenever I hear anyone saying, “The American people are complacent-they need to be aroused,” I feel like asking him to come to Washington to read the mail…The one question that recurs through all these thousands of letters and messages is, “What more can I do to help my country in winning this war?”…

Yesterday I submitted to the Congress of the United States a seven-point program, a program of general principles……

First, we must, through heavier taxes, keep personal and corporate profits at a low reasonable rate.

Second, we must fix ceilings on prices and rents.

Third, we must stabilize wages.

Fourth, we must stabilize farm prices.

Fifth, we must put more billions into war bonds.

Sixth, we must ration all essential commodities which are scarce…….

And seventh, we must discourage installment buying, and encourage paying off debts and mortgages.

The blunt fact is that every single person in the United States is going to be affected by this program. ……Are you a businessman, or do you own stock in a business corporation? Well, your profits are going to be cut down to a reasonably low level by taxation. Your income will be subject to higher taxes. Indeed in these days, when every available dollar should go to the war effort, I do not think that any American citizen should have a net income in excess of $25,000 per year after payment of taxes.

All of us are used to spending money for things that we want, things, however, which are not absolutely essential. We will all have to forgo that kind of spending. Because we must put every dime and every dollar we can possibly spare out of our earnings into war bonds and stamps….

As I told the Congress yesterday, “sacrifice” is not exactly the proper word with which to describe this program of self-denial. When, at the end of this great struggle, we shall have saved our free way of life, we shall have made no “sacrifice.”

The price for civilization must be paid in hard work and sorrow and blood.

America responded to Roosevelt’s charge by rolling up its sleeves, getting to work, and accepting the necessary sacrifices without complaint:

Production of non-essential war items was discontinued for the duration of the war. New cars, appliances, bicycles, and the like vanished from the market.

Thousands of items were rationed. From butter and sugar to clothing and stockings, Americans were encouraged to “Use it up/Wear it out/Make it do/Or do without.”

Fuel was conserved. Americans had to drive slower, were allotted only a certain number of gallons of gas a week, and were encouraged to keep their homes at 65 degrees. People took the railroad instead of driving, patched up their old cars, and started car pools.

Towns and schools held scrap drives to gather oil (for explosives), scrap metal, paper, and rubber. Men and women turned in their raincoats, tires, stockings, girdles, and bathing caps. Kids rolled bits of foil and rubber bands into huge balls. Scrap supplied half the tin and half the steel needed during the war.

Women planted victory gardens to take pressure off the food supply. These backyard gardens supplied 1/3 of the veggies consumed each year during the war.

A 5% Victory tax was placed on all incomes. And tax rates in general were increased. The tax rate on the highest income bracket was an eye popping 94% in 1945.

$136 billion in war bonds were purchased-much of these were bought by businesses and corporations-but $36 billion were purchased by ordinary Americans.

Now contrast this amazing effort with what has been expected of the American people during the current war. After 9/11 President Bush did not call on our citizens to make any sacrifices. In fact, he essentially asked Americans to go shopping.

There was no call to join the armed services.

Fuel wasn’t rationed.

Taxes were cut, not raised.

Corporate profits soared.

Personal and national debt continued to rise

Banks and mortgage lenders engaged in shady shenanigans.

What happened to wartime sacrifice?

Of course this is a much different time and a much different war. The forces of good and evil were clearly lined up during WWII. And every aspect of the economy had to be directed into the war effort. Today the war on terror is far murkier and many Americans do not support the war in Iraq.

Scrap drives and victory gardens will not help the war effort this time around. But that doesn’t mean the sacrifice baby should have been thrown out with the bathwater.

Why is Sacrifice Essential During War?

Even those adamantly against the war should still support the idea of national shared sacrifice. Why? Because it will end the war sooner.

Sacrifice reminds Americans that they are at war. Each day, as Americans during WWII plotted out how many miles they could drive, budgeted how many ration stamps they would need at the grocery store, and purchased war bonds, they remembered that their country was at war. Today, not one iota of our daily lives is interrupted by the current war except when we see some blip of news about it sandwiched in between juicy gossip on celebrities. Americans continue to buy their morning latte and zone out to American Idol with nary a ripple of disturbance in their existence.

In this case ignorance is not bliss and in fact prolongs the war in 2 fundamental ways:

1) A war without sacrifice is a morale killer for troops.

Soldiers who put their butt on the line every day deserve to see that their fellow citizens are making at least a token effort to sacrifice as well. When they don’t, the troops tend to feel disillusioned.

Thus, today’s soldiers complain that Americans are ignorant of the war and the enormous sacrifice the soldiers are making to fight it. Sgt. Ryan Wood, wrote this message on his MySpace blog before being killed in Iraq:

WHAT THE HELL AMERICA??

“What the hell happened?” any intelligent American might ask themselves throughout their day. While the ignorant, dragging themselves to their closed off cubicle, contemplate the simple things in life such as “fast food tonight?” or “I wonder what motivated Brittany Spears to shave her unsightly, misshaped domepiece?”

To the simpleton, this news might appear “devastating.” I assume not everyone thinks this way, but from my little corner of the earth, Iraq, a spot in the world a majority of Americans couldn’t point out on the map, it certainly appears so. This little piece of truly, heart-breaking news captured headlines and apparently American imaginations as FOX news did a two hour, truly enlightening piece of breaking news history. American viewers watched intently, and impatiently as the pretty colors flashed and the media exposed the inner workings of Brittany’s obviously, deep character. I was amazed, truly dumbfounded wondering how we as Americans have sank so low. To all Americans I have but one phrase that helps me throughout my day of constant dangers and ever present death around the corner, “WHO THE [expletive] CARES!” Wow America, we have truly become a nation of self-absorbed retards. … This world has serious problems and it’s time for America to start addressing them.

American apathy lowers morale and eats away at the pride and significance that make military service meaningful. And troops with low morale don’t re-enlist and can’t attract new recruits. This strips the military of their experienced leaders, makes the military less effective, and prolongs the war.

2) A war without sacrifice saps citizens’ motivation to end the war.

When a country is called upon to make collective sacrifices, it brings a level of discomfort to their lives, and even those who sacrifice without complaining will push to end the war sooner. Sacrifice reminds citizens that wartime is an anomaly. This creates a national longing for the return to normal life.

But without any noticeable signs of war, people feel comfortable voting to extend the war indefinitely. After all, it doesn’t affect them in the slightest.

The reason that there are not protests about the Iraq War of the same magnitude and scope as the Vietnam War, is that ordinary Americans were actually being called to sacrifice during the latter.

People wonder why there is so much voter apathy. It is real no wonder at all. A war that requires no sacrifice lulls citizens into a stupefied complacency.

What sacrifices should American citizens make to support the war effort?

Ration fuel. The reason we are involved in this mess in Iraq and the Middle East is our reliance of foreign oil. To truly fight terror, the country must become energy independent. True patriots should conserve fuel by driving fuel efficient vehicles, walking, riding a bike, taking public transportation, car pooling, and supporting politicians and polices that support energy independence.

Pay higher taxes. Whether you support or oppose the war does not change the fact that we have rung up a $500,000,000,000 bill thus far. And it’s only going to get more expensive. Yet this is the first war in which taxes have been cut instead of raised. I hate taxes as much as the next guy, but something must be done. We need to either raise taxes or drastically slash government programs. Either way, Americans are going to have to sacrifice and tighten their belts.

Bring back war bonds. Americans have yet to be asked to pay the costs of the war and 40% of its funding has been borrowed from foreign countries, mainly China. This debt is going to hang like a millstone around the next generation’s neck. Why not offer war bonds so that citizens can do something tangible to support the war effort and the government can borrow from actual Americans and American companies instead of selling their soul to a foreign power?

Create a National Draft. A straight universal military draft is not politically tenable. Instead, young people should be drafted and given the choice of either military service or serving in a newly created Homeland Security Corps. Part of fighting the war on terror is making sure our country is safe and secure here at home. Despite efforts since 9/11, our ports, airports, borders, and energy resources are still vulnerable. CNN just did a report which claimed that only 1% of airline flights are covered by an air marshal. There is clearly a need that is not being filled.

Support benefits for veterans. Today it is fashionable for people to say they oppose the war, but support the troops. If that’s how people truly feel, it’s time for them to put their money where their mouth is by supporting greater benefits for those who have served. WWII veterans had 1500% more funding for their education when compared to today’s vets. 1 in 4 vets are homeless. And soldiers are often given inadequate health care and therapy for PTSD. This is a national travesty that needs to be rectified. Soldiers voluntarily put their life on the line every day. They deserve to be handsomely rewarded for doing so.

If the willingness of a country’s leader to ask citizens to sacrifice, and the willingness of those citizens to answer the call is a sure indicator of the health and character of that nation, then our country is on life support. The things which you sacrifice for are the things which you hold nearest your heart. The death of sacrifice is the death of the country’s soul.