11/11/11 - A time to remember

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

93 years since the end of the great war.

A time to remember the great deeds and soldiers who put their lives on the line, and those who still do.

[Tituscrow]

Indeed. Although it saddens and sickens me to see our politicians looking all mournful and sombre at the Cenotaph on the Sunday, but back in the war room on Monday.

Every year it impresses me how all the kids at my school drop everything for 2 minutes.

[stratovani]

This decade will see the 100th anniversary of the First World War. I wonder what kind of celebrations there will be, and if preparations are under way.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by stratovani

This decade will see the 100th anniversary of the First World War. I wonder what kind of celebrations there will be, and if preparations are under way.

Hard to believe, on one hand it seems like it should be much longer ago than that, on the other hand, it doesn't seem like it was that long back.

[Schlyder]

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We shall remember them.

[smcgov]

when the power-drunk take over nations people die...

prior to WWII the Japanese leaders were telling their people they were a superior race, they went to China and used Chinese soldiers as live bayonette practice, murdered women and children, we all know what Hitler did, of course they too thought they were the master race. They needed to be stopped, and I thank all the veterans from every country who gave their lives, and I feel sorry for the young men and boys who had the misfortune of being born in these times in these countries with these insane leaders.

I guess the moral is...when a dictator takes over and starts the "we're the superior people" talk, that is the time to take him out to save lives.

[Big_Daddy]

I thank those who fight for those who cannot, who put their lives on the line for us, those who did for us, and those who paid the ultimate price for us.

I remember.


I wish I could have met my great uncle. He fought on D-Day, he jumped from an airplane, risking his life only to risk it all over again once he landed. He survived the war, yet passed on before I was born.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I met my great grand father when I was only 2 or 3 (he died not much later). I wish I could go back and talk to him now.

He was shot in the arm, his elbow was destoryed so his upper arm and forarms were basically fused, always had shirts with one sleeve shorter than the other, apparently used to joke about it all the time. Amazing that he was able to keep well spirited even after loosing so many friends and sustaining injury himself.

[smcgov]

I had a neighbor growing up named Jake, he had a metal briefcase that had a small japanese flag with signatures on it, and some other "souvenirs"...what really shocked me at that time I was a small kid...were the hundreds of pictures he had...mostly of dead japanese, at that time I used to love that show Combat w/ vic morrow, and I loved to play army, but seeing Jake's pictures kind of floored me...until he got to the topless islander women.

my dad was in Korea but won't ever talk about it.

[L-A]

An important day, there is no doubt. Remembrance grows more important as those who *personally* remember are fewer each passing year.

p.s. It's written 11/11/11 only in the US. Everywhere else, it's 11/11/11.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by L-A

An important day, there is no doubt. Remembrance grows more important as those who *personally* remember are fewer each passing year.

p.s. It's written 11/11/11 only in the US. Everywhere else, it's 11/11/11.

Indeed. Some day soon, the last one who was there will die and all we are left with are their stories. It's so important to not let successive generations - mine included - dilute or twist their story, so that future children get to learn the facts about war.

Nice p.s. by the way