The War is over, finally, over.

The allies have won both in Europe and Asia.

Japan and Germany are defeated. The allies, the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union are now at the brink of a new age of peace and opportunity. The peace is to be established by both an understanding of the world of the past and the thwarted ambitions, aggressions and deprivations of the enemy. The enemy leaders responsible are to be punished by criminal prosecutions and trial, the enemy territories are to be occupied and administered, and the new world order is will built on the avoiding mistakes of past efforts, and a future made up of a commitment, cooperation and justice for all the peoples. Treaties will be signed. World organizations will be built. The armies, navies and air forces will be demobilized and retired

But there is one further thing needed to make this new peace happen and it will be trust. Trust that the interest of one party is not one of self-interest only and that if interests conflict that whose self-interests will be sacrificed or made secondary to the good of others. Words hadn't prevented a second World War after the first, so, now will anticipated actions prevent a third world war, only history will have the answer.

And then there is the bomb, the weapon of all weapons now held exclusively by us, the Americans, who have lost soldiers and machines but our land is unscathed, more powerful and wealthy, while parts of Europe and Asia are devastated and starving. How can hopes of the new order survive then when many are not? What if, the old ideas and hatreds are still there waiting for the chance to redress old grievances and humiliations much less opportunity to take advantage of the weak and defenseless. No, this peace is not the end, it will be only the beginning of something else.

My father was in the Pacific, in the Navy, and now he was going to come home. I was five months old.