Veterans Day falls on November 11th because that's when the Armistice took effect in 1918, ending World War I. A previous generation knew about the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, but numerous other mass bloodlettings have occurred since the war to end all wars, and there can't be more than a handful of living Great War veterans worldwide, so we forget the source ... as always, to our peril.
To my mind, it is unfortunate that memories of the First World War's suicidal tragedy are almost entirely extinguished, and yet far more jolting is the recognition that the same can now almost be said of World War II's legacy. It has been 62 years since VJ Day, and one needn't be a calculus major to do the Grim Reaper's math of inexorable attrition.
In terms of documentary filmmaking, Ken Burns's latest epic about the Second World War and the generation of Americans that fought it was imperfect in execution and too long by half. However, it succeeded in putting a significant truth across to those caring to listen: The majority of ordinary Americans sacrificed in some way, large or small, during the war years. There were inevitable exceptions, but sacrifice was demanded, and it was accepted.
Such a time when conspicuous consumption actually was frowned upon now seems more remote to us than the Pleistocene.
It's hardly a novel thought to remind readers that during the present period of our purportedly critical struggle against so-called "Islamofascism," not the slightest inconvenience has been asked of the American populace, leaving the brunt of the fight to be borne by servicemen and their immediate families.
Surely that's just another reason why posterity will rank the current occupant of the Oval Office far below Millard Fillmore, but as the United States settles into what almost surely is to become a long, steady decline into well-armed Third World status -- if you don't believe it, then watch your neighbors in their garish Hummer queuing to pay increasingly worthless dollars for petroleum so that they can travel to Wally World for another basket filled with Chinese-made plastic -- it's a depressing way to contemplate the Veterans Day observance.
Depressing ... and unavoidable. I'd dearly love to be more upbeat, but there are times when it makes more sense to be realistic. U2's Bono, who by all rights should have been the choice for 1SI's "economic policy" address Tuesday at the Grand and not our miserably failed president -- if for no other reason than guitarist The Edge serving as a more musical and trustworthy right-hand man than Dick Cheney -- once wrote a song about the unification of Germany entitled, "Daddy's Going to Pay for Your Crashed Car."
Who'll be America's Daddy?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Remember a year ago when it was suggested by many that a quick $1 extra tax on gasoline would drive down consumption (forced conservation) which could have caused the supply of fuel to increase and thus hold down it's price. But noooo, we American's don't understand conservation, and now gas, one yar later, is closing in on $4 a gallon anyway.
Good article RAB.
I agree: excellent article, but depressing. Depressing, too, that probably half of us don't even know who we were fighting in 1918. That could include Mr Nukular.
Anyway, here's a tribute, a toast, and a prayer for all veterans, especially vets of WWI, WWII, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, Gulf Wars I and II, and Iraq. We are in your debt forever.
Post a Comment