Armistice of 11/11/1918 .....

[Morgan Kane]

To all deads in useless stupids wars .......

Every european family had one or more person to cry for ..... .

8,5 millions soldiers dead, 20,5 millions soldiers hurt, some severly .

from 10 to 13 millions civilians

and the spanish flu killed as many or more people...

[Governor of Rowe Island]

Truly staggering what these soldiers went through. I found out my great-grandfather lied about his age to join up. He was one of the very lucky ones who came out the other side. I cannot express my emotions when I think about their sacrifice.

Very humbling.

[Michael Moorcock]

My grandfather and all my eligible uncles came out safely. The youngest brother, a regular soldier, received a mysterious foot wound shortly after the outbreak of WW2... Who says nobody ever learns ?

[Morgan Kane]

WWII is the consequence of all the mistakes made after WWI ....... political, diplomatical, economical ones ......

[lemec]

I have always admired and respected all the veterans.

I did not hear my family talk about WWI, of course some of my family was in different parts of the country.

I know there were several in World War II.

Morgan Kane, I forgot to mention that my mother's aunt lived in France.
She would have been there during the 1940's.

Two relatives,that I know of, who were in the American Civil War.

I'm not sure beyond that, I never did see our complete family tree.

-as a side note, (I hear that some of the genealogy researchers are not very accurate,like the folks who try to sell you Coat of Arms. I could be wrong. I would be interested in knowing all that information,but it's my guess that most families today, can't really trace everything back that far. Do you all have entire histories like that?)

[L'Etranger]

One of my grandfathers was a observer in WW1 with a reconnaissance squad. They shot him down twice, and many years later, at the beginning of WW2 he died of wounds sustained in these crashes.
The other grandfather got a whiff of gas at some point (no idea if it was 'friendly' gas or the foe's) and that impaired his eyesight for the rest of his life. He got out alive, that was all that mattered really.
Here's a drawing of his of some destroyed buildings in Poland he saw as a company commander in 1915.

Unfortunately I never got to know either grandfather to ask about these things.

[lemec]

One of my grandfathers was a observer in WW1 with a reconnaissance squad. They shot him down twice, and many years later, at the beginning of WW2 he died of wounds sustained in these crashes.
The other grandfather got a whiff of gas at some point (no idea if it was 'friendly' gas or the foe's) and that impaired his eyesight for the rest of his life. He got out alive, that was all that mattered really.
Here's a drawing of his of some destroyed buildings in Poland he saw as a company commander in 1915.

Unfortunately I never got to know either grandfather to ask about these things.

Wow! That's a great drawing! Very interesting background!

[Michael Moorcock]

I hate how Veterans' Day is used as a means of selling more goods in the US -- Special Veterans' Day Bargains and so on. Soon after I arrived in Texas I wrote a letter to the local paper complaining about this and I'm still shocked by it. As a matter of interest -- and forgive my ignorance -- but are all such days remembered on 11.11 amongst those nations involved in the first world war ?

[lemec]

Mike, I feel the same way.

It seems to me sometimes that alot of Americans forgot what their holidays are about.

It looks like they just use any holiday as an excuse to party and spend money,retailers to run sales and they all forget that is it about remembrance and to honour all those that helped us or helped us and came before us.

-of course,being that I live in Las Vegas,I may have the wrong impression by missing out on all that "small town" good feeling,as you have stated.

I'm not really in a place to see what the rest of the world is doing or to see how they act. I'm glad to hear that the tone is better in other regions.

[Morgan Kane]

I hate how Veterans' Day is used as a means of selling more goods in the US -- Special Veterans' Day Bargains and so on. Soon after I arrived in Texas I wrote a letter to the local paper complaining about this and I'm still shocked by it. As a matter of interest -- and forgive my ignorance -- but are all such days remembered on 11.11 amongst those nations involved in the first world war ?

In France, the 11.11 is yet a day of ceremonies ..... most people not working but it is not a commercial day !

[L'Etranger]

Ironically, November 11th is reserved for the beginning of German Carnival which is quite important in predominantly Catholic regions, so about in half of Germany. However, two Sundays before the beginning of Advent, therefore in November, Volkstrauertag is celebrated to commemorate the fallen and victims (after 1950 those of both wars). Literally meaning "Public Mourning Day" it was initiated by the German counterpart of the War Graves Commission and is a federal public holiday. Between 1919 and 1945 there was also a "Heroes' Day", but that was completely perverted by the N.azis and it was dropped after the collapse of the 3rd Reich. My grandfathers wouldn't have objected, I think.

[David Mosley]

As Mike probably knows, in the UK, 11/11 (Remembrance Day aka Armistice Day) is pretty much an ordinary day albeit with a 2 minute silence held at 11amby those who wish to observe it. Being Britain no-one has seen fit to make it a public holiday. The 'special day' is the second Sunday in November, known as 'Remembrance Sunday' when the royal family and senior politicians and military leaders join with veterans to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph. By always being on a Sunday it is not a holiday for the Brits either.

[Mespheber]

In Poland, where I was during this day, it's national day: the end of this war was also the day this country reappeared on european maps after centuries of domination by russians, germans, french...

My grandfather did both world war. He did first because his father died in the early days of 1914 during the battle of the Marne and had to support his family. Then he became an officer and made many campaigns (Marocco, Lebanon, Serbia...), he ended his life at the Chancellery of Lille as a lt-colonel.

I believe this kind of celebration is not to honour the country or the glory of nation, but war, its horror and the courage required to remain human, no matter the circumstances. To not care about the past wars also means to not care about the present and future ones.

[voilodian ghagnasdiak]

It Is Written:

History can and will repeat itself if we don't remind present and future generations of the atrocities that mankind has committed upon itself in the past.

[Mespheber]

After the Great War, as it was called in this time, it was said in France to be "la der des der", which means "the very last". However, it didn't had much effect for another one happened 20 years after... No matter our memory, wars happen. But we can't remain careless to them.