NationStates Jolt Archive

Hmmm - my great uncle is prolly happy about this since he fought in the Battle of the Buldge

Thats really cool..my grandpa was in training to go to WWII but he didnt finish it when the war ended.

Thats really cool..my grandpa was in training to go to WWII but he didnt finish it when the war ended.

Your grandpa was lucky, he can say he was fully prepared to risk his life for his country without having to actually risk his life.

My father would have gone had he lived to see it..but as it is my uncle wants to see it before he too passes on to the next world....both of them are WW2 vets.

It's about time!

I watched the whole dedication service; amazing memorial. I can't wait to go and see it in person.

My father would have gone had he lived to see it..but as it is my uncle wants to see it before he too passes on to the next world....both of them are WW2 vets.

You know that it seems a bunch of American vets are not comming over....something like 60,000 are not going to travel for a number of reasons.

I think its a shame as these people (and the vets of other countries like the UK, France, Poland, Russia etc) deserve to be reckognised.

It's about time!
I second that.
These guys sacrificed everything with out asking for anything in return.
They didn't sign up for now 10,000 dollar bonuses, GI Bills or any that. They didn't sign up to be some hero or to make themselves look good. They signed up because they truely believed in the cause of freedom, the cause of the Constitution which they wanted to protect.
They were true believers in good versus evil. When confronted with the choice of death or having their freedoms taken away by a german madman, many of these men chose death.
It my fear that we will never again see a generation like them.
It is of a truth that their generation had a better and stronger moral character than ours. And their commitment to freedom was stronger than ours is today as well.

My grandma's friend was a vet, and he is going to the dedication ceremony. However, all of our other veterans in the family are now dead.
What I find interesting, however, is that my great-grandfather was an Italian vet who participated in the occupation of Ethiopia. He got out of the army before the war in Europe began, though.

I watched the whole dedication service; amazing memorial. I can't wait to go and see it in person.
My brother already did, as part of a school fieldtrip. As Bush eloquently said at the memorial, the schoolchildren were the first to see it. These vets fought so that these children would be free to honor their accomplishments.

It's about time!
I second that.
These guys sacrificed everything with out asking for anything in return.
They didn't sign up for now 10,000 dollar bonuses, GI Bills or any that. They didn't sign up to be some hero or to make themselves look good. They signed up because they truely believed in the cause of freedom, the cause of the Constitution which they wanted to protect.
They were true believers in good versus evil. When confronted with the choice of death or having their freedoms taken away by a german madman, many of these men chose death.
It my fear that we will never again see a generation like them.
It is of a truth that their generation had a better and stronger moral character than ours. And their commitment to freedom was stronger than ours is today as well.

As much as I also respect the hell out of the Greatest Generation - after all my grandfather and both his brothers served in the war, I think you sell our own generation short.

WWII was the last time that we were actually attacked by countries that had expansionist goals. It is far easier in those circumstances to view the battle in black and white terms of absolute good against absolute evil. Stacking that up with the wars of choice that have followed which all get debated on merit points that are never applied to WWII makes comparison impossible.

Plus, although we tend as the victors to whitewash them as strategic neccessity, it is still debateable as to the "moral character" that led to decisions such as the firebombing of Tokyo. The utter destruction of the carpet bombing of Dresden. Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Men of character and men without existed on both sides of WWII - just as in any conflict.

I'm the first to enter political debate on the neccessity and execution of recent military actions (or, in some cases - military inactions). but under no circumstances will I paint the character of the average man in uniform today as being any less virtuous as those that went before them. Nor, for that matter will I paint the character of the average human as having degenerated in any way. If anything, I just think that the media focuses far more on the sensationalism of the dregs of society these days so we become more aware of it.

That being said - I still shake my head that the Holocost Museum got built with public money while those that fought and died for the flag had to raise all the capital themselves, and had to wait almost until it was too late for most of them to have that memorial that they so richly deserve.

I salute the veterans, but feel that any of the polititians who showed up for the photo op should be there to apologize to the vets for themselves and their predecessors not stepping up to get this thing built decades ago.

-Z-

No generation is the greatest. Stop buying the drivel you see on PBS programming.

Both my Grandfathers and every single one of their brothers bar one served in WWII. Unfortunately, only a few are still alive, although I don't think any (of their brothers, of course) died in the war, although one did get in a German POW camp.

I watched the whole dedication service; amazing memorial. I can't wait to go and see it in person.

Same here, its about time they get something erected in the honor of the WW2 Vets, that generation gave more than any of us could even begin to fathom.

Now the WWI vets still alive (and there are some) will demand a memorial.

is there a ww1 memorial?

is there a ww1 memorial?

I thought there was... we have a memorial for all wars here in Canberra. I'm actually surprised it took the US as long as it did to build one up.

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

actually, there is a national civil war memorial where i was born (chattanooga TN.)

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

actually, there is a national civil war memorial where i was born (chattanooga TN.)
Really? Well, of course there's one in the South. If there was only one in Washington, then Confederate vets' decendants would complain that it was on Union soil, unfairly representing the Union.
BTW, was this memorial built with public money?

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

actually, there is a national civil war memorial where i was born (chattanooga TN.)
Really? Well, of course there's one in the South. If there was only one in Washington, then Confederate vets' decendants would complain that it was on Union soil, unfairly representing the Union.
BTW, was this memorial built with public money?

OMG didnt i say national civil war memorial?

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

actually, there is a national civil war memorial where i was born (chattanooga TN.)
Really? Well, of course there's one in the South. If there was only one in Washington, then Confederate vets' decendants would complain that it was on Union soil, unfairly representing the Union.
BTW, was this memorial built with public money?

OMG didnt i say national civil war memorial?
Yes you did. It's strictly a Confederate memorial, I'm assuming.

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

actually, there is a national civil war memorial where i was born (chattanooga TN.)
Really? Well, of course there's one in the South. If there was only one in Washington, then Confederate vets' decendants would complain that it was on Union soil, unfairly representing the Union.
BTW, was this memorial built with public money?

OMG didnt i say national civil war memorial?
Yes you did. It's strictly a Confederate memorial, I'm assuming.

wy are you so ignorant? this really offends me as an american who happens to live in the south. and no its not a confederate memorial

No one that I am aware of in my family served. My grandfather served at 17 in the korean war however so he got a memorial before the ww2 guys. Sucks it took so long for this memorial to happen, thanks to bob dole and the congresswoman who helped make it happen I watched the coverage on tv also which was nice I can't wait to go see it in DC

is there a ww1 memorial?
Not in Washington DC. Then again, their isn't a Civil War memorial, or even a Revolutionary war memorial. There is, however, a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It's like the memorials to WWII vets in Arlington Cemetary, and the Iwo Jima statue. I thought that'd be enough for the veterans at first. Boy was I wrong.

actually, there is a national civil war memorial where i was born (chattanooga TN.)
Really? Well, of course there's one in the South. If there was only one in Washington, then Confederate vets' decendants would complain that it was on Union soil, unfairly representing the Union.
BTW, was this memorial built with public money?

OMG didnt i say national civil war memorial?
Yes you did. It's strictly a Confederate memorial, I'm assuming.

wy are you so ignorant? this really offends me as an american who happens to live in the south. and no its not a confederate memorial
There's no shame in it not being a Confederate memorial. Just because the Union kicked their asses doesn't mean that the desendants can't honor the dead. In fact, I'd prefer two national memorials: one for the Union, the other for the Confederacy. It'd make for a lot less bickering.

Both my grandpas fought in WWII, my paternal grandpa in the Royal Canadian Airforce and my maternal grandpa in the Italian army. He was by no means a fascist though, he did not believe in Mussolini. He and his brothers were in concentration camps the last two years of the war. They gave their food to women and children so they ate the potato skins that the Nazis threw out. My grandpa eventually escaped and he brought a jewish woman and her children out with him. He brought them out of Germany into France by pretending they were Italian too. He and his brothers were reunited but at first they didn't recognize eachother. My grandpa's first wife, my grandma's sister, died when the Germans bombed Casino, my aunt Maria watched her die. My grandma took her and my aunt Antoinette in, my grandpa got home, found out his wife was dead, and eventually married my grandma. They had my mom and my uncle Sal. He was a messenger for the army and one day he was walking to deliver a message and suddenly he heard lots of gunfire so he took shelter in a cave. It was dark and he couldn't see so he felt around. He felt that there was someone else there, and he also could feel that he had food and wine. He took some food and wine and started talking to the guy. The guy never said anything back, but my grandpa didn't think anything of it. The next day when the sun came in and he could finally see, he saw that the guy was dead, and had been for awhile. It was an enemy soldier, and he always said the guy saved his life. After the war he helped re-build Casino. He died in 1990 of a heartattack. My other grandpa is still alive, he is 84.

I think the memorial is a long time coming, and i think that was a generation that did nothing less than save the world. However, i think that this generation does care about freedom, i think most of us are moral, and compassionate, and have more strength and courage than sometimes even we realize. I know that personally the fact that my grandpa was in a camp makes me all the more sensitive to hatred and cruelty. The fact that they both fought to preserve freedom for all future generations, makes me appreciate it all the more. I agree with Zeppistan though, most of the wars fought since then have not been so black and white. The line between good and evil has not been so clear cut. It has most often been blurry.

Both my grandpas fought in WWII, my paternal grandpa in the Royal Canadian Airforce and my maternal grandpa in the Italian army. He was by no means a fascist though, he did not believe in Mussolini. He and his brothers were in concentration camps the last two years of the war. They gave their food to women and children so they ate the potato skins that the Nazis threw out. My grandpa eventually escaped and he brought a jewish woman and her children out with him. He brought them out of Germany into France by pretending they were Italian too. He and his brothers were reunited but at first they didn't recognize eachother. My grandpa's first wife, my grandma's sister, died when the Germans bombed Casino, my aunt Maria watched her die. My grandma took her and my aunt Antoinette in, my grandpa got home, found out his wife was dead, and eventually married my grandma. They had my mom and my uncle Sal. He was a messenger for the army and one day he was walking to deliver a message and suddenly he heard lots of gunfire so he took shelter in a cave. It was dark and he couldn't see so he felt around. He felt that there was someone else there, and he also could feel that he had food and wine. He took some food and wine and started talking to the guy. The guy never said anything back, but my grandpa didn't think anything of it. The next day when the sun came in and he could finally see, he saw that the guy was dead, and had been for awhile. It was an enemy soldier, and he always said the guy saved his life. After the war he helped re-build Casino. He died in 1990 of a heartattack. My other grandpa is still alive, he is 84.

I think the memorial is a long time coming, and i think that was a generation that did nothing less than save the world. However, i think that this generation does care about freedom, i think most of us are moral, and compassionate, and have more strength and courage than sometimes even we realize. I know that personally the fact that my grandpa was in a camp makes me all the more sensitive to hatred and cruelty. The fact that they both fought to preserve freedom for all future generations, makes me appreciate it all the more. I agree with Zeppistan though, most of the wars fought since then have not been so black and white. The line between good and evil has not been so clear cut. It has most often been blurry.
My great-grandpa was also in the Italian army. From what I've heard from my grandparents, even though he acted like a fascist at times, he wasn't one. Then again, he served in Ethiopia, far from the political and social upheavals that led to fascism.

oh, little more on topic. my grandfather and, my great uncle both srved in WW2. one in the pacific theater, and one in europe