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This is Chris Flannery with the Claremont Institute.

I call this one, why we fight. It was just a few weeks after the Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor and American entry into World War II. The most successful film director in America,

now Major Frank Capra of the Signal Corps of the United States Army,

found himself escorted to the office of Chief of Staff of the Army, General George C. Marshall, deep in the labyrinth of the Pentagon.

An appointment to speak alone with the Chief of Staff was was for a military man, tantamount to a private audience with the Pope.

Major Capra was lucky to be ignorant of such things.

He was already so nervous he wished he could fly home to his family back in California and hide in their loving warmth.

But he couldn't. He was instructed to walk in, not salute, sit down and say little.

He went in, skipped the salute, and sat down.

After brief civilities, the general said,

Mr. Capra, you have an opportunity. After brief civilities, the general said,

Mr Capra, you have an opportunity to contribute enormously to your country and the cause of freedom.

Are you aware of that, sir?

...