SD Realtor: I might be drifting a little too much here, but your reference to WWII reminded me of a pair of pictures my uncle had on his credenza at work.
He was a Marine fighter pilot in the Pacific War and was invalided out in early 1945 with 20mm cannon fragments in his back and shoulder from a dogfight he was in.
He had two pictures of Pearl Harbor. The first was from December 8th, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack, when the navy base was in literal ruins. The second was from late 1945, when the various fleets had returned after war’s end and all you could see were carriers, battleships, etc from one end of the base to the other. Truly an awesome display of American power.
He said he kept the two photos close by to remind him of how things change, and the importance of perserverance, even when things look bleakest. That message has stuck with me to this day.
As for the Chargers: I would offer words of hope, but I honestly don’t think there are any. My only fear as a Raiders fan is that Cowher is really waiting in the wings.