THERMOPYLAE PLAYED OUT ON A SMALL SCALE

THERMOPYLAE PLAYED OUT IN MICROCOSM WHEN FOUR AMERICAN NAVY SEALS MET AND RESISTED AN ASSAULT BY A HUNDRED TALIBAN FIGHTERS IN AFGHANISTAN A FEW YEARS AGO. IN 480 B.C., AT THERMOPYLAE, A SMALL FORCE OF SPARTANS UNDER LEONIDAS HELD OFF THE PERSIANS UNDER XERXES AND FINALLY DIED, TO THE LAST MAN RATHER THAN YIELD. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OUTCOMES OF FIGHTING IN A MOUNTAIN PASS IN GREECE AND A ROCKY OUTCROPPING IN AFGHANISTAN, WAS THE SOLE SURVIVOR IN THE 21ST CENTURY FIREFIGHT.

EVEN IF MOST OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS A HUMAN BEING OUGHT TO KNOW CANNOT BE COMPREHENDED IN YOUTH, DUTY IS ONE,VITAL THING READILY EMBRACED MANY TIMES OVER. ADMIRAL DAVID GLASCOW FARRAGUT TOLD HIS WIFE BEFORE A MISSION AT NEW ORLEANS DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, "HE WHO DIES IN DOING HIS DUTY TO HIS COUNTRY, AND AT PEACE WITH GOD, HAS PLAYED OUT THE DRAMA OF LIFE TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE". TO THE SPARTAN WARRIORS AND THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS, DUTY CALLED AND IT WAS ANSWERED. HEROIC EFFORTS CAME INTO PLAY. NO SOLDIER WAS A HERO AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE EACH WAS SIMPLY DOING HIS DUTY, WHETHER IT WAS TO LIVE OR TO DIE. ALL SPARTANS PERISHED; ONE AMERICAN SURVIVED.