What is your town or country doing to remember World War One?

[retroHelen]

All this week our town is doing many things to remember World War One. Some of it is very Nationalistic. On Tuesday there will be soldiers and Military bands parading through the town with classes of school children lining the route waving flags. Followed by an armed forces parachute display team coming down from an aircraft at our harbour. Then there will be a Military plane fly past with some vintage and new planes.

 

We will be having our Ministry group as normal on that day, so we will have to work out how to get to our Kingdom Hall around all this parading and ensuing traffic chaos.

 

In the centre of our port town is the main Church Of England Church, St. Nicholas's (patron saint of sailors). The churchyard, tombstones around it were removed 50 years ago and the whole area made into a public garden and exhibition space. The soldier's parade starts and ends here. There are tents erected in the exhibition area, for the whole week, full of depictions of history on story boards and artifacts or replicas of the War. This event has been advertised on a local town website with space for comments from the public under this photograph of one of the 'story board exhibits' where the official caption reads: "This photograph of some story-board panels was taken at the free WW1 exhibition in the tented village at St Nicholas' church grounds (May 2014). it is an exhibition attempting to give a general overview about the historical development of the war from 1914 to 1919. There are also a few WW1 themed replica exhibits (e.g. German helmets). A free exhibition provided by The Whitehaven Festival Committee it is worth a visit.

 

 I thought the first comment under this photograph and caption by a man from a local village was interesting:

 

Micheal Gibson of Seascale: "Why should the murder of millions of people by the armaments manufacturers be celebrated? and in church grounds?"

Edited May 5, 2014 by retroHelen

[GStorrs46]

Helen,

 

  That is a very perceptive and thoughtful comment. as for locally in our area. I do not know of any such

memorials or remembrances. But it is still early in the year. the war did not officially begin until August. It

will be interesting to see what this whole summer and fall yet brings.

 

                                                                                                                                             GStorrs46

[Julsey]

Are you kidding?  I've seen adults interviewed who didn't even know what countries were fighting WWI.

 

But I'll bet they what Kim Kardashian had for lunch yesterday!  It's scary.  

[fccuman]

The small town I grew up in (750 people) every year they remember the five families that lost sons in WW1

[GStorrs46]

Beginning last night ( May 26 ) and running through tonight and tomorrow, is a special on the History

Channel dealing with the two World Wars. The interesting thing is that the series shows how WW I molded

the key players for the roles they would play in WW II. For example Hitler, before the war was a penniless

Austrian misfit who made a living selling his paintings. The first World War energized his love for warfare.

He was also blinded for a period from being part of an attack where mustard gas was used, and while

recovering, learned Germany had lost the war. He took this very personally and began his quest that this

humiliation of the "Fatherland" must be avenged. After the war he became involved in the Nationalist Socialist

Movement, learned he had leadership abilities and could speak movingly. He was then arrested as the re-

sult of an uprising caused by the movement and put in jail. There he wrote his infamous Mein Kamp de-

tailing his vision of a Nazi state, and as they say, the rest is history.

   Another significant player in both wars General Patton, who was only a lieutenant in the first war. But he

gained decisive knowledge of the new technology of tank warfare, which is what made him such a key player

in  WW II. They detailed the treaty of Versailles made after the War, and although President Wilson counseled

leniency with Germany, he was out voted by all the other major players who wanted to ''stick it" to Germany.

Versailles and its harsh policies became one of the leading causes Hitler used to push for war.

   And finally ( and this is a point I was completely unaware of ), Germany gave Nicolai Lenin $10,000,000.00

to go to Russia and start his Socialist Revolution. So these are some fascinating history lessons that we can

personally relate to the fulfillment of Bible prophesy and the beginning of these last days.

 

                                                                                                                                                GStorrs46

[retroHelen]

A regular local customer -  Paul -  who since retirement has been collecting stamps, coins and banknotes - came into our antique shop a few years ago and asked my husband if he would visit his home as he had some interesting things to show him and maybe to sell him. My husband went there. The man showed him things of his collection that he was willing to sell. Then he started showing him personal 'treasures' that he did not want to sell, but thought my husband would be interested to see.

 

"I will show you some things that our family have kept, but I won't sell, My Uncle served in the First War. One of the nastier jobs he had was to go into the battlefield after a battle to try to identify the dead, see to the rescue of those injured who could be saved from all sides of the conflict, but worst of all, if the injured person was deemed beyond rescue and dying he was told to 'help them along/put them out of their misery'quicker by putting a bullet through their heads.

 

After one particular battle he was sent 'over the top' (of the trenches) into the battle area aftermath. He came to a shell-hole where he found a dead soldier and beside him a 'runner' - a corporal of the German side who acted to relay orders to the different areas of a battlefield where wireless wasn't available and deliver officer  despatches. He was injured in the shell-hole beside the dead man and looked in bad shape, couldn't see - perhaps blinded by the mustard gas. He begged Paul's Uncle not to shoot him, but get him to the hospital. The Uncle decided to let him live and got him out to get treatement. 

 

After the First War, he received a letter via the Red Cross from this German Corporal thanking Paul's Uncle for saving his life - and the corporal's name signed on the letter - Adolf Hitler. His Uncle obtained his address from the Red Cross and replied and did get a couple more complimentary/friendly and grateful letters.  That's why the family had kept the letters, but secretly, for all these years.

 

Paul's Uncle would not be Britain's favourite person by the 1930's when AH became Chancellor and details of his anti-semitism and expansionist plans were leaking out and the next World War began!! How different history would have been if his Uncle had decided AH was too injured and not worth saving!

Edited May 27, 2014 by retroHelen

[Qapla]

WOW!

[chuck83]

Other than what the US calls Memorial Day. I don't think anything is really going on to remember it. Like mentioned above the US is too concerned with Kimye and the latest celebrity detox. I'm sure most people will assume WWI is a pre-equal to the War of the Worlds tv show. But no there are no events in Los Angeles I'm aware of.   

[timpin]

just another sad holiday where this world gives honor to people who kill other people   ..... this too soon shall pass.

[crazylee]

"I will show you some things that our family have kept, but I won't sell, My Uncle served in the First War. One of the nastier jobs he had was to go into the battlefield after a battle to try to identify the dead, see to the rescue of those injured who could be saved from all sides of the conflict, but worst of all, if the injured person was deemed beyond rescue and dying he was told to 'help them along/put them out of their misery'quicker by putting a bullet through their heads.

 

After one particular battle he was sent 'over the top' (of the trenches) into the battle area aftermath. He came to a shell-hole where he found a dead soldier and beside him a 'runner' - a corporal of the German side who acted to relay orders to the different areas of a battlefield where wireless wasn't available and deliver officer  despatches. He was injured in the shell-hole beside the dead man and looked in bad shape, couldn't see - perhaps blinded by the mustard gas. He begged Paul's Uncle not to shoot him, but get him to the hospital. The Uncle decided to let him live and got him out to get treatement. 

 

After the First War, he received a letter via the Red Cross from this German Corporal thanking Paul's Uncle for saving his life - and the corporal's name signed on the letter - Adolf Hitler. His Uncle obtained his address from the Red Cross and replied and did get a couple more complimentary/friendly and grateful letters.  That's why the family had kept the letters, but secretly, for all these years.

 

The French have a name for The dispatch ending a life. It is..

Coup de grâce - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_de_grâce

Wikipedia

A coup de grâce is a death blow to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal. It may be a mercy killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies,

 

It is such a terrible world.   "Come Lord Jesus"

 

[carlos]

I work in a digital library and we are preparing a special project about WWI and Spain. We are selecting newspaper articles, and our intention is to direct readers, beginning on August, to scanned copies of newspapers corresponding to the same day in 1914.

 

Spain was not involved in the war, since it had no alliances at the time with any of the fighting nations, and it had enough trouble suffocating internal social revolts. Besides, it is said that the king, Alfonso XIII, didn't know what side to take: his mother was Austrian and his wife was British. It's kind of funny how the lives of thousands of people can depend on the domestic problems of a single man.

Edited May 30, 2014 by cvillarrubia

[retroHelen]

All the Royal Families of Europe were related, which caused them heartache and problems when countries went to war.

 

Queen Victoria who ruled England, though her and her husband were German, had a large family with so many children and 42 grandchildren, that married into other Royal families. The Queen was known as the "Grandmother of Europe". Yet, by the time of the First War, when her Grandson George 5th was on the British throne, his cousin was German Emperor Wilhelm the 2nd (Kaiser Bill), but it didn't stop the War. His other cousin was Czar Nicholas of Russia (looked very like him), but they could not stop the Czar's family getting assasinated in the Russian Revolution during the era of the First War.

 

As stated above Queen Victoria's granddaughter married the King of Spain, but she was a haemophilia carrier like other members of the same Royal family and 2 of his his sons were born with this dreadful disease.

 

It was because the King of Spain caught the nasty Worldwide flu after the War - and he being a famous person around the world - that it got the unfair reputation and name The Spanish Flu - when it actually was not from Spain at all.Despite being gravely ill the King did recover.

 

Due to Anti-German feeling stirred up with propaganda in Britain during and after the War, the British Royals changed their German surnames, Sax-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor after one of the ancient castles they owned in England that was built by King William the Conqueror (from Normandy France) in 1070.

[carlos]

Thank you, Helen. That was a really interesting post.

[bagwell1987]

Beginning last night ( May 26 ) and running through tonight and tomorrow, is a special on the History

Channel dealing with the two World Wars. The interesting thing is that the series shows how WW I molded

the key players for the roles they would play in WW II. For example Hitler, before the war was a penniless

Austrian misfit who made a living selling his paintings. The first World War energized his love for warfare.

He was also blinded for a period from being part of an attack where mustard gas was used, and while

recovering, learned Germany had lost the war. He took this very personally and began his quest that this

humiliation of the "Fatherland" must be avenged. After the war he became involved in the Nationalist Socialist

Movement, learned he had leadership abilities and could speak movingly. He was then arrested as the re-

sult of an uprising caused by the movement and put in jail. There he wrote his infamous Mein Kamp de-

tailing his vision of a Nazi state, and as they say, the rest is history.

   Another significant player in both wars General Patton, who was only a lieutenant in the first war. But he

gained decisive knowledge of the new technology of tank warfare, which is what made him such a key player

in  WW II. They detailed the treaty of Versailles made after the War, and although President Wilson counseled

leniency with Germany, he was out voted by all the other major players who wanted to ''stick it" to Germany.

Versailles and its harsh policies became one of the leading causes Hitler used to push for war.

   And finally ( and this is a point I was completely unaware of ), Germany gave Nicolai Lenin $10,000,000.00

to go to Russia and start his Socialist Revolution. So these are some fascinating history lessons that we can

personally relate to the fulfillment of Bible prophesy and the beginning of these last days.

 

                                                                                                                                                GStorrs46

Hey Mike, I have all 3 episodes recorded. I've 'watched' them all while I was doing other things but I really need to WATCH them because there's a lot of history and a lot of commonality between the 2 wars I never knew. The detail and the history brought out was amazing. Why wasn't this taught in school? It's a classic of "doomed to repeat itself" thinking because all of it began in WWI and never finished until WWII and the powers that were present during that time also knew it was all going to come around again, just a matter of time. Fascinating. 

[jpcook]

All this week our town is doing many things to remember World War One. Some of it is very Nationalistic. On Tuesday there will be soldiers and Military bands parading through the town with classes of school children lining the route waving flags. Followed by an armed forces parachute display team coming down from an aircraft at our harbour. Then there will be a Military plane fly past with some vintage and new planes.

 

We will be having our Ministry group as normal on that day, so we will have to work out how to get to our Kingdom Hall around all this parading and ensuing traffic chaos.

 

In the centre of our port town is the main Church Of England Church, St. Nicholas's (patron saint of sailors). The churchyard, tombstones around it were removed 50 years ago and the whole area made into a public garden and exhibition space. The soldier's parade starts and ends here. There are tents erected in the exhibition area, for the whole week, full of depictions of history on story boards and artifacts or replicas of the War. This event has been advertised on a local town website with space for comments from the public under this photograph of one of the 'story board exhibits' where the official caption reads: "This photograph of some story-board panels was taken at the free WW1 exhibition in the tented village at St Nicholas' church grounds (May 2014). it is an exhibition attempting to give a general overview about the historical development of the war from 1914 to 1919. There are also a few WW1 themed replica exhibits (e.g. German helmets). A free exhibition provided by The Whitehaven Festival Committee it is worth a visit.

WW1exhibit.jpg

 

 I thought the first comment under this photograph and caption by a man from a local village was interesting:

 

Micheal Gibson of Seascale: "Why should the murder of millions of people by the armaments manufacturers be celebrated? and in church grounds?"

 

After all the lessons learned from World Wars 1 & 2... I think most nations are busy preparing for WW3 

[retroHelen]

The only lessons of the First War learned seems to be - make better weapons and think up better strategies next time you go to war, not about preventing war. Memorial days are just for remembering those that died from the previous skirmish, while countries prepare for the next one or the one they are in.

 

Setting up the League of Nations after the 1st World War seemed a good idea, but when it got in the way of expansionist policies it was ignored.

 

The peace treaty was too harsh against Germany after the First War and took too much land for Industrial usefulness off the Country and exacted fines/reparations that they could not pay, and the currency under Weimar Republic devalued ridiculously.The country had limits exacted on all it's armed forces. Poverty and economic Depression and hyperinflation ensued.First the Communists seemed to be trying to gain control using the example of the Revolution in Russia, but most German people did not want Communism and  looked to what Mussolini had accomplished in Italy - especially as Communism was the enemy of the Church as it was atheistic. Hitler and his party gained popularity as he protested against the Treaty Of Versailles terms and promised to control the Communists and to get Germany it's pride and lost lands back.

 

His party did make sweeping changes,rebuilding programs, ignored treaties and beefed up the armed forces and got even more popularity. His NSDAP party, riding on this popularity, then started taking lands back, but got too ambitious and started annexing countries and using power to find skapegoats for people to hate - Communists & Jews and his propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, promoting Germans as a Master Race (from theories of Eugenics that they had seen start in America) with the superior right to decide the fate of countries and nations. Thus began the 2nd War when Germany's Chancellor and his party went too far in the eyes of other countries and their allies.