World War I
The war to end (all) war(s)
Today is not Veterans Day, but a little background on tomorrow.
It was referred to in various ways at the time, but never as WWI-that came later with the advent of WWII. It was first known as The Great War. History is such that the end of World War I set the stage for the next, the peace terms being such the Second World War was inevitable.
Approximately 9 million soldiers died during WW I, and the civilian death toll has been estimated between 5 and 13 million. But consider this: civilians perished due to various causes related to the war, including famine, disease, and direct military actions. The connection between World War I and the 1918 flu epidemic is evident in how the war created conditions perfect for the virus to mutate and spread.
The epidemic, sometimes referred to as the Spanish flu, took the lives of 100 million people worldwide. All of a sudden, the death toll can be said to be 120 million, almost one in ten people worldwide.
Technically, there was no surrender but an armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. So, if you’re older, you will recall commemorating Armistice Day each November 11 instead of Veterans Day. In my school, at 11:00 a.m., we paused for a moment of silence.
Call it what you will; the net effect was a surrender, and terms against Germany were harsh. Despite the high loss of life, I’m not sure the world learned much during the bloody fighting between 1914 and 1918. The fighting stopped November 11, 1918-the 11th hour of the 11th month; the war officially ended with the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, but effective January the following year. It becomes confusing, but we see the cessation of hostilities on November 18, the date recognized as Armistice Day, now Veterans Day.
World War I was in the news in 2018, at least in my mind. President Trump wanted a large military parade. Those against all things Trump ridiculed the idea, calling it “Trump’s Parade.” There were at least two such parades at earlier times. Given cost considerations, President Trump canceled it.
I favored it—not as a supporter of the president, but because it marked the 100th anniversary of the war’s end. While it may not have accomplished the goal of ending all wars, a fact we quickly found slightly less than 21 years later, we let the politics of hate get in the way of a historical lesson that would be repeated in future wars, though on a smaller scale.
History is always important but often ignored. Of course, we all know the quote, stated in various ways by various people: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In other words, learn history or keep making the same failed mistakes in the future
By the way, I believe it is wrong to say Happy Memorial Day; it’s okay to say Happy Veterans Day, but if you see one tomorrow, “Thank you for your service,” is best.
Veterans come in all shapes, both sexes and all races. The ones still with us fought on the front lines in Okinawa, in the Battle of Bulge, Anzio, the Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh, Hue, Firebase Ripcord, Grenada, Panama, Kuwait, Baghdad, Kandahar, Fallujah, the battle of Do Ab, and the list goes on. We still have soldiers stationed around the world. Americans have stood guard over the rest of us all over the globe.
But today is a day not just for combat veterans but for all veterans. Many
people think of the ones on the line first, but it takes more than combat troops to make an army, and all are important. All who put on the uniform are at risk.
Veterans come from all walks of life. They are parents, children, grandparents, brothers, and sisters, all charged with the duty of keeping you safe.
When you see one, not just on a day set aside for Veterans but all days, say thank you for your service and for keeping me safe and free!