This writer just returned from a trip to France to visit the various beaches where the Battle of Normandy was launched on June 6, 1944, along with numerous cemeteries where thousands of Americans and Germans are buried.

It was an emotional experience that many in Lawrence have experienced.

The immense size and planning of the operation, the number of anything and everything — troops, airplanes, tanks, landing craft, Jeeps, supplies, casualties, coordination efforts, engineers, support personnel, gliders, medical equipment, doctors and corpsmen, sailors — was greater than any other invasion anywhere.

There’s the realization that, if the invasion had not been successful, if Hitler had been able to repel the invasion, the fate of England, as well as the rest of the world, may have been entirely different than it is today.

Thousands of writers have written eloquently about the D-Day invasion, the bravery of those involved and the “costs” of the operation. The bomb craters, the destruction of towns and the hundreds of thousands of deaths — military and civilian — the unfulfilled lives and potential of those buried in the cemeteries all serve to pose various questions: Is war on this scale inevitable? Will there be a World War III? Where will it be? Who might be the next Hitler or Stalin or Hirohito?

What would be the cause of such a war? The shortage of fresh water, exploration in space, overpopulation, disease, cyber hacking, energy, an electromagnetic pulse attack that could take down most or all of the grid — or something else?

Walking through the cemeteries, both Allied and German, is a sobering experience, but it might be even more stunning if a soldier, airman, pilot or sailor was standing beside each cross to visually bring home the terrible cost of the invasion.

Again, are world wars inevitable?

This writer’s father was a civilian observer at the Nuremberg trials, and he told of seeing Hess, Goering and other Hitler cohorts in their cells along with other German officials in the courtroom. He pointed out if the war had ended differently, generals such as Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley and others would have been tried as the war criminals.

“War is terrible in every respect,” he would say, “but losing a war is even worse.”

America was a winner in World War I and World War II, and some may question who or what country was the winner in Korea, Vietnam and the current “wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nothing is guaranteed, and it could be fatal for U.S. leaders to think America would always be the winner in any future war. America must maintain a strong, flexible armed force, a force that is respected, as well as feared by potential enemies. And we must have leaders who have the courage to stand and fight when necessary, rather than back down to bullies or threats from others.

Negotiation is essential, and every possible effort must be made to reduce or, better yet, eliminate the possibility of going to war, but based on history, it would be wrong to suggest or believe the world has seen the last of “world wars.”

Chances are, the time may come — 10, 20 or 30 years from now — when a future Hitler may think America is weak and vulnerable, but it is imperative Uncle Sam remains strong.

Unfortunately, “peace” is fragile and there is no better example than Normandy to show the cost of giving a future Hitler, Stalin or Hirohito any idea the U.S. is weak and unwilling to defend and protect its freedoms.

A visit to Normandy should be required of every member of Congress — not just a quick visit but one that gives lawmakers a true insight on war and the importance of being strong. Signs of weakness, both militarily and commitment-wise, are the surest way to tempt others to try to test Uncle Sam.

There are fewer men and women in Congress today who have served in the military than at any time since the end of World War I. More members of Congress should know the “costs” of war and the best way to minimize the chances of war. Likewise, recent presidents — Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and both Bushes all served in the military. Presidents, too, should visit the Normandy beaches and cemeteries.

They might even take the responsibility of their jobs even more seriously.