This man of war prayed for peace

By Bill Federer

General Norman Schwarzkopf
General Norman Schwarzkopf

On Aug. 22, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt greeted by telephone the bicentennial celebration of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri: “The history of the town of Sainte Genevieve eloquently testifies to the fortitude of those pioneers who built their homes on the western bank of the Mississippi and wrested minerals from the hills, furs from the forest, and a plentiful harvest from the plain; who merged their varied nationalities in a mighty effort to carve an American Nation out of the Western wilderness.

“We admire that Christian courage which refused to be daunted by Indian depredations and massacres, by a gradual change in the course of the Mississippi threatening the destruction of the settlement, or by the disastrous flood of 1785.

“In due course, through the rugged efforts of your predecessors, the hostile Indians were pacified; and the restless Mississippi, far from annihilating the community, provoked a providential removal of the church and other buildings to a better site where the village could expand and flourish. These triumphs over affliction are characteristic of the spirit of our early Americans.

Although the problems which confront us today are of a different sort, I am confident that you have not lost the stalwart qualities of frontier days. It is with a full appreciation of your past that, on this occasion of your Bi-Centennial Celebration, I extend to you my hearty wishes for a happy and prosperous future.”

Discover more of Bill Federer’s eye-opening books and videos in the WND Superstore!

On Aug. 22, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a cable to President Vargas on Brazil’s declaration of war: “I have been informed that the United States of Brazil has today recognized that a state of war exists between Brazil, on one hand, and Germany and Italy on the other hand.

“On behalf of the Government and people of the United States I express to Your Excellency the profound emotion with which this courageous action has been received in this country. This solemn decision more firmly aligns the people of Brazil with the free peoples of the world in a relentless struggle against the lawless and predatory Axis powers. It adds power and strength, moral and material, to the armies of liberty.

“As brothers in arms, our soldiers and sailors will write a new page in the history of friendship, confidence, and cooperation which has marked since the earliest days of independence relations between your country and mine. The action taken today by your Government has hastened the coming of the inevitable victory of freedom over oppression, of Christian religion over the forces of evil and darkness. I send you my warmest personal regards and expressions of the fullest confidence in the success of our common cause.”

Born Aug. 22, 1934, he served in Vietnam, commanded the U.S. forces in Grenada and Desert Storm, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and knighted by the Queen of England. This was four-star General “Stormin Norman” Schwarzkopf.

In an interview regarding the Gulf War, General Norman Schwarzkopf of Central Command (CENTCOM), stated: “I asked for my principle staff to meet me in the war room down in the basement, a half an hour before ‘H hour’ … I read them the message. … And then I asked the chaplain to say a prayer, and then I played ‘God Bless the USA.’ … I think it characterized the pride that all of us have in our profession, and in what we were, and there’s a line in there that says ‘I would proudly stand next to you, and defend her still today’ and that’s what it was all about. And I said, ‘Now, we all know what we need to do. Now let’s get on with it.'”

In a Meet the Press interview with Tim Russert of NBC News, Feb. 8, 2003, General Norman Schwarzkopf remarked: “‘What do we do with Osama bin Laden?’… they asked me, ‘Can we forgive him?’ And I said ‘Forgiveness is up to God. I just hope we hurry up the meeting.’ And that’s the way I feel about him, really.”

Having acknowledged during an interview, in 1991, that he kept a Bible by his bed, General Schwarzkopf was asked if he had a favorite verse. He replied: “Actually, it’s a prayer of St. Francis: ‘Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.'”

On Dec. 22, 1990, President George H.W. Bush was asked by the press: “There continues to be reports that American servicemen are not being allowed to wear American flag patches on their uniforms. There continues to be restrictions by the Saudis on religious materials.”

President Bush responded: “I’ve discussed this with our commanding General, H. Norman Schwarzkopf, and I am satisfied that our young men and women over there will be able to do what every other American family will be doing – thanking God for our many blessings at Christmas.”

In a 1991 interview with David Frost, General Schwarzkopf described an extreme flanking maneuver to cut off the Iraqi retreat: “When my forward commander radioed that they had reached the Euphrates River … I waited. … ‘General,’ he said, ‘I’ve got to tell you about the casualties.’ I braced myself. ‘One man was slightly wounded.’ That’s when I knew God was with us.”

Brought to you by AmericanMinute.com.

Discover more of Bill Federer’s eye-opening books and videos in the WND Superstore!

Receive Bill Federer's American Minutes in your email

BONUS: By signing up for these alerts, you will also be signed up for news and special offers from WND via email.

  • Where we will email your daily updates
  • A valid zip code or postal code is required

Leave a Comment