One of the things I've always admired about the Jewish culture is what appears to be an ingrained trait of perseverance. You can see it today with Israel and her constant battle against forces that would want to see her wiped off the map, and you can read about it in the story behind Chanukah
When the Macabees went out to battle, they had no feasible chance of winning. Not only were the Jews fewer and weaker than the well-oiled Syrian Greek war machine, but amongst the Jews themselves, only a sparse few went out to battle under the command of Juda Macabee and his brothers. Thus the essential miracle of Chanukah was not the war victory, but rather the very fact that a few Jews realized that "things just cannot go on this way", they arose, and with immense faith in the Almighty, and in an act of incredible courage, declared war on the superpower of their day. Think of it like the movie the 300, except that the Jews didn't lose!
Chanukah, even for those of us who are not Jews, can always serve as a reminder that there is always hope, that all is not lost, even in the face of certain defeat.