April 30, 2015 (Thursday)
On this day, April 30, the New York World’s Fair opened in 1939. This was the first event broadcast by the new NBC Television station in New York City. (Twenty-five years later, I attended another New York World’s Fair at exactly the same location).
When President Roosevelt opened the fair, Hitler was breaking his promises of peace, would soon invade Poland and World War II was getting underway. The spirits of the bright and joyous events of the world’s fair were dampened by the daily news of a madman, Adolf Hitler, fulfilling his vows to establish his personal empire. Six years later, ironically on the same date, April 30, Hitler and his closest associates committed suicide in a bunker beneath the rubble of a bombed-out Berlin, defended by children wearing soldiers’ uniforms.
The dreams of a future world made bright by technological innovation were presented in 
spectacular fashion to those who attended the 1939-1940 World’s Fair, but those dreams had to be postponed as the world would soon plunge headlong into war’s death and destruction. We would sing, “When the lights go on again all over the world, and the boys come home again all over the world, then we’ll have time for things like wedding rings and free hearts will sing, when the lights go on again all over the world.” We were encouraged by wonderful songs of peace, like “There’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover tomorrow, just you wait and see.” Meanwhile, others would sing, “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. Praise the Lord, we’re not a goin’ fishing, Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition and we’ll all be free.” We sang about our heroes, too: “There’s a star-spangled banner waving somewhere, in a distant land so many miles away. Only Uncle Sam’s great heroes get to go there, where I wish that I could also live some day. I’d see Lincoln, Custer, Washington and Perry, Nathan Hale and Colin Kelley, too. There’s a star-spangled banner waving somewhere, waving o’er the land of heroes brave and true.”
April 30 is a sad anniversary, too. It was the day that Saigon fell after thousands of our American heroes gave their lives to save others. Then came new wars and other valiant sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, creating more heroes, many of whom died or have been disabled and still suffer. Our nation has sought freedom for all throughout the world and the price has been extremely high.
Here’s to April 30. May its many lessons be heeded by us all.