The Great War

[McMouse]

I support forces charities and always attend the local Remembrance Sunday parade. However, I just can't get my head round all this commemoration of the start of such a dreadful war.

[andy-hughes]

It's not about 'commemoration' of the war as such.

It's about remembering the sacrifice of all those who gave their lives for our freedom, and it's hopefully about trying to avoid the mistakes that got us into the war in the first place, although looking at current foreign policy, that seems hard to believe - but that is a separate issue.

So I don't believe anyone should interperet the recent ceremonies as any kind of remembrance of war as of itself, but to recall the courage of those who fought and died to keep us free. That is what we are thinking about, and being very grateful to all who took part, and who are no longer here to be thanked in person.

[McMouse]

I agree with all your sentiments a-h, but I express them every hear on 11th November and Remembrance Sunday.

[naomi24]

Neither can I. Commemorating the end of war, yes - but not the onset.

[gness]

As I said before.....I saw it as a way of thinking about how all those people must have felt and wondered, on that day, what the future held for them..x

[Sqad]

100 years on..... a "timely reminder" rather than a commemoration.

[andy-hughes]

I'd agree with Sqad - a centenary is a chance to look back and reflect on what was, and what might have been, and an event as momentous as the Great War could not pass by without being remembered.

I reiterate my original point, it is remembering the fallen, rather than any sort of 'celebration' of such a terrible time.

[jackthehat]

Whilst it may not be entirely grammactically correct, I always view the word 'commemoration' as an opportunity to 'com(mit)' to 'memor(y)' rather than any type of celebration of an event.

And won't it look rather odd in 2018 when there are celebrations for the end of the first world war and we have neglected to mark the start of the conflict?

[ChillDoubt]

Same answer I gave on maggiebee's similar thread:

This subject may have been raised before but I'm wondering why we're remembering/commemorating the start of WW1. Shouldn't it be the end of the war?
--------------------
As far as I can gather it starts today in order that so many battles and atrocities during the Great War will be remembered and honoured, with parades and functions taking place over the next 4 years at places like Ypres, Mons, The Somme, Mametz Wood and so many, many more that will see their centenary as time unfolds.

[boxtops]

My view is that it's very good to remember the beginnings. I was at a wreath-laying ceremony yesterday, which helped us to remember about not the outcome of the war, but the sheer loss of life - like wiping out whole towns - and for what? It doesn't hurt any of us to have this brought home to us, especially too those people who these days don't take too much notice of the Remembrance Day events.

The Kohima:

When You Go Home,
Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow,
We Gave Our Today

We must never let future generations forget....

[McMouse]

100 years on and we have learnt very little. The Great War started because of the ego of an Emperor, Kaiser, Tzar and assorted politicians.

Today there are similar inflated egos who condemn us all you yet more bloodshed. Bush, Blair, Putin to name but three.

[mikey4444]

I'm with Sqad here.

WW1 was the forgotten war, for somebody of my age. I was born in 1953 and I had Uncles, Teachers, etc that fought in WW2, and Aunties that did their bit in defence industries. My mother still filled the kettle up very night before she went to bed, just as her mother had done in the war, just in case the watermain wasn't working in the morning...we could still have a cup of tea she explained. All the talk in the 50's and 60's was of WW2, not WW1. So its been very interesting these last few weeks and months learning about WW1.

Personally, I don't think we study and talk about both WW1 and WW2 enough. There are a generation growing up who aren't even sure about who was on which side in 1939-1945, let alone WW1, if my nieces and nephews are anything to go by. The more we understand and remember the past, the less likely we are to repeat it again in the future.

I always watch Remembrance Sunday from the Cenotaph and it never fails to move me. Not the just all the bigwigs but in the parade of the ordinary people that comes after. Last year I recall there were a few children taking part, the orphans of service personal killed in the years after 1945.

[vulcan42]

to serve as a memorial or reminder of: The monument commemorates the signing of the declaration of independence.
2.
to honor the memory of by some observance: to commemorate the dead by a moment of silence; to commemorate Bastille Day.
3.
to make honorable mention of.
According to this dictionary, commemoration is the right word, there is no mention of it being a joyous occasion.

[mikey4444]

Boxy...if it was in my power, I would give you Best Answer !

[Sqad]

I was born in 1934 and was taken to see Uncle Len and Uncle Will who were both gassed in WW1. On returning home, they were so short of breath, even at rest and spent the rest of their lives, in bed.
The wives and family just "got on with it."

Uncle Stan who came home "unscathed" died of Pulmonary TB some years later.

[ethandron]

We turned our lights off for an hour last night, and lit just one candle, purely as an act of remembrance. We've visited most of the war graves in Belgium and France, and shed tears there for all the loss of life. If we don't remember them then who will?

[viv38]

I'm quite happy with the commemoration because it's for all the young lads who died, many of whom were well under age to join the army. My Mum had an Uncle who died at 18 in WW1 and so it's poignant for her.

[Zeuhl]

The reason we are marking the 'Start' is that this centenary period will be a four year sequence of commemorations.

Of course 1918 will be a special year marking the Armistice, but people made sacrifices in 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917 and pre November 1918.

They should all be remembered and it would be perverse to do nothing special until November 1918.