(History)

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We interrupt today's regularly scheduled programming to bring you the first installment of director Frank Capra's "Why We Fight," produced for the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II.

Capra, who had already created such classic films as "It Happened One Night" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," and would go onto make the timeless "It's a Wonderful Life," was commissioned as an Army major in February 1942 and assigned to the morale branch.

Gen. George C. Marshall, a Fayette County native who would eventually become U.S. secretary of state, assigned Capra to "make a series of documented, factual-information films --- the first in our history --- that will explain to our boys in the Army why we are fighting, and the principles for which we are fighting."

The first installment, titled "Prelude to War," describes the events of the 1930s that led to the rise of nationalist and totalitarian governments in Germany, Italy and Japan, and contrasts the fascist system of government with the American way of life. (Dear Editor: Please insert standard Glenn Beck joke here. -- Jason)

"Prelude to War" won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature of 1942. It's also available for download at Internet Archive, along with the other installments in the series.

The threats have often changed --- Nazi dictatorships, Communist aggression in Korea, Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan --- and the political leadership at home --- Democratic and Republican --- has sometimes squabbled and wavered. But women and men, both at home and overseas, have served without complaint whenever they've been called to duty.

Thank you to all of our veterans today, and 364 other days this year.

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(Dear Editor: Imagine if President Obama hired Steven Spielberg to make a film about the war in Afghanistan. Hoo-boy! The top of Rush Limbaugh's head would blow off. It's kind of a depressing commentary about the state of the discourse in this country when the president's motives are immediately assumed to be suspect by his political opponents, who are simply trying to score some cheap ratings points. P.S.: Please make sure to delete these parenthetical comments. -- Jason)