Re: Armistice Day (diary entry)

Tomorrow is “Armistice Day”, -marking the end of World War I.

I have my Grandfather’s diary from that time period when he served in the 1st Army in France.

Here is his diary entry from Oct 19th, 1918, -less than a month before the end of the war.

Conditions at trenches, shells flying all around. Men and horses shot down in flocks. Kitchen and water wagons shot to pieces. Horses shot right from the hands of their drivers.” 

I have that passage memorized.

“Pop” was a man I knew well as he lived right next door to us in Red Bank when I was growing up.

My brothers and I used to wonder why he was always so fussy about everything needing to be perfect and had such a quick temper. He would often pace up and down the sidewalk in front of our homes, looking down, holding his hands behind his back and puffing on his pipe.

R.I.P. “Freddie”


My grandfather was always gregarious and engaging.  He knew everyone in Trenton, and played any instrument.  I found out after he died that he was in a regimental band in WWI.  Those guys served as runners in the trenches, and most of his friends died.  How people manage to go on back in the world after those experiences always amazes me.  WW2 really screwed up two of my uncle's who saw a lot of combat.  

 What really drives me nuts about the armistice is that they delayed it until 11:11 on 11/11 to have it look good, but several hundred men died that morning for no good reason.


Thanks for posting that, steel. (ETA: You, too, FilmCarp.) Memorable, indeed.

On this 100th anniversary of the armistice, it may surprise some people that there is no national World War I memorial in Washington. A friend of mine has been pushing for years to establish one, and his hard work is finally paying off. If anyone is interested, here are some details:

https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/honor/national-wwi-memorial.html

And in the hope that it complements rather than trivializes steel’s and FilmCarp’s posts, this old Kinks song about the Great War brings it all home:


For podcast fans, Dan Carlin’s “Blueprint for Armageddon”, which is free and available on all the major podcast apps, is a must listen. Parts of it are tough to listen to, but it does a tremendous job of explaining the why and the what beyond shots fired in Sarajevo.


“Leaders were stupid and selfish” is the utterly unsatisfying sentiment often heard to explain the conflict. Carlin does a great job of explaining “how the hell could that have happened?” 


The entire disaster lacks the bad guys of WW2, except for a few notables and cynical opportunists, making it even more tragic.



                                                   On Freedom


You have taken a word that means nothing

and given it the power to send men to their deaths

Men are not free who are sent to die

Only those who send them are free

You should have freedom stuffed down your at fat throats


Kenneth Patchen




Meanwhile, in a galaxy far far away, captain bonespurs was not able to visit a WW1 US Military Cemetery because it was raining today. 


Very in-depth article about China's participation in WW1

http://multimedia.scmp.com/ww1-china/


gerritn said:
Meanwhile, in a galaxy far far away, captain bonespurs was not able to visit a WW1 US Military Cemetery because it was raining today. 

 Be fair, it’s a painful condition leading to crippling arthritic-type incapacity to maintain a normal gait in certain weather conditions. 


Veterans Day Ceremony today at 2:00 pm at Maplewood Town Hall.  All welcome.


 

gerritn said:
Meanwhile, in a galaxy far far away, captain bonespurs was not able to visit a WW1 US Military Cemetery because it was raining today. 

Nuts to that. While many of us showed up at the draft board, he explained how he spent the time of the Vietnam War doing his best to avoid venereal disease.


Thank Dog. Who knows. If he had been less successful, we might not have Princess Barbie, Uday and Qusay to help steer the ship of state.


Jackson_Fusion said:



The entire disaster lacks the bad guys of WW2, except for a few notables and cynical opportunists, making it even more tragic.


 I have been to the battle field at Galipoli. From learning what happened there one can conclude that one of the "bad guys" was Winston Churchill.


An Australian point of view:



Eric Bogle's version is more authentic cheese You also wantThe Road to Gundagai, and then to read an account of the commemorations yesterday, at Gundagai. Like many around Australia, pretty much the entire generation of young men didn't come back... 


Different War, but still timely. Please also look up William Cooper and his letter to the German government, re Kristallnacht. I'm sorry I don't have time to insert links, I have to rush to work. 


THE YOUNG DEAD SOLDIERS DO NOT SPEAK

Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them?
They have a silence that speaks for them at night and when the clock counts.
They say, We were young. We have died. Remember us.
They say, We have done what we could but until it is finished it is not done.
They say, We have given our lives but until it is finished no one can know what our lives gave.
They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours: they will mean what you make them.
They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who must say this.
They say, We leave you our deaths: give them their meaning: give them an end to the war and a true peace: give them a victory that ends the war and a peace afterwards: give them their meaning.
We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us.


By Archibald MacLeish, whose brother died in the war, and commended to my attention by my friend, who read it today at the National Cathedral service


Thank you to Liz Fritzen for putting together a meaningful and heartfelt Veterans Day program. To all the veterans and family members of veterans who shared their experiences with the rest of us, thank you for your service.



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