I've had mixed feelings around November 11 for a long time.
I found the article below, fascinating.
The name 'remembrance day' (changed in 1931) at least reflects the origin: a day on the anniversary of the armistice to remember the suffering and aspire to 'never again'.
We just think we've moved on from WW1 when we're really trapped in an endless groundhog day: War, celebrate/mourn, rinse, repeat. .......................................
"Those soldiers who returned faced a much less rosy future than had been promised when the war began. Many were physically injured or psychologically maimed. Veteran benefits were paltry, unemployment rampant. There was virtually no talk about nation building through the crucible of war. The Battle for Vimy Ridge itself was but a footnote to a much larger campaign conducted by the British Expeditionary Force under whose banner Canada and other nations and colonies of the British Empire fought. McKay and Swift sift through many sources in great detail to paint a picture of a country yearning for peace, more inclined to mourn the dead and damaged than to celebrate any great and noble victory. "
*I am almost done with twitter btw. I am hoping Bluesky will work out. And I have some Bluesky invite codes available if anyone else wants to try.
10 comments:
What is your point Owen? AN
The wars in the last century were about expanding empires, AN. We're witnessing the same kind of behaviour these days.
War can be very profitable, lungta -- until you lose.
As a species, we truly do know how to make thousands morn, zoombats.
I've had mixed feelings around November 11 for a long time.
I found the article below, fascinating.
The name 'remembrance day' (changed in 1931) at least reflects the origin: a day on the anniversary of the armistice to remember the suffering and aspire to 'never again'.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/11/10/armistice-day-and-the-empire-a-name-change-and-the-catastrophe-that-followed/
The day has moved far beyond World War I, PoV. Unfortunately, the pledge of "Never Again" has been forgotten.
We just think we've moved on from WW1 when we're really trapped in an endless groundhog day:
War, celebrate/mourn, rinse, repeat.
.......................................
This showed up on my twitter feed*.
https://workershistorymuseum.ca/book-review-the-vimy-trap/
"Those soldiers who returned faced a much less rosy future than had been promised when the war began. Many were physically injured or psychologically maimed. Veteran benefits were paltry, unemployment rampant. There was virtually no talk about nation building through the crucible of war. The Battle for Vimy Ridge itself was but a footnote to a much larger campaign conducted by the British Expeditionary Force under whose banner Canada and other nations and colonies of the British Empire fought. McKay and Swift sift through many sources in great detail to paint a picture of a country yearning for peace, more inclined to mourn the dead and damaged than to celebrate any great and noble victory. "
*I am almost done with twitter btw. I am hoping Bluesky will work out.
And I have some Bluesky invite codes available if anyone else wants to try.
We seem to 'celebrate' veterans day rather than commemorate armistice day!
TB
Mr. Musk has ruined Twitter, PoV. But -- full disclosure -- I never used it.
Point well taken, TB.
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