"We knew that America needed a shot in the national arm. Since December 7, 1941, our national heritage had yielded to a prideless humiliation. Half of our fleet still sat on the bottom of Pearl Harbor. The Philippines were gone, Guam and Wake had fallen, the Japanese were approaching Australia. What Admiral King saw, and what he jammed down the throats of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was that just possibly the mighty Japanese had overextended. He saw that just possibly a strike by us could halt their eastward parade. The only weapon he held, the only weapon America held, was a woefully understrength fleet and one woefully ill-equipped and partially trained Marine division."
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Military leaders from the United StatesLegion of Honour recipientsMedal of Honor recipientsPeople from VirginiaNavy Cross recipients
Original Language: English
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Reflecting on the commencement of the Battle of Guadalcanal, p. 18
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alexander_Vandegrift
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Alexander Vandegrift
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