To be conflicted about Remembrance Services?

This is all sun reading hysteria though isn’t it? Normal British people living normal lives don’t fetishise the military

Remembrance Day remembers everyone doesn't it? The sheer waste of life on all sides. The emphasis in the UK will be on the British but not entirely.

Remembrance day is remembering the fallen on any side.

We pay very little attention to the military in this country compared to many other countries. We don’t have military parades with tanks and rockets. Ours are ceremonial and musical. Veterans gather at the cenotaph in ordinary clothes, or at the most in their service berets.

It’s rare to see servicemen and -women in uniform in everyday life.

We do not fetishise the military. We do not glorify war. We spend our money and efforts on remembrance and assistance. And the maintenance of graves.

Do you know the sales of the poppy supports veterans, their families and provides vital support when they need it? Without the poppy sales, many many more veterans would not get the help and care they need, it should’ve the government providing this of course, but as they won’t, the RBL stepped in. How are the veterans in your country treated?

Oh I think a lot of people understand the cause of WW2. Are you trying to say it was not because of the rise of the Nazis, their manipulation of the German people and their invasion of Europe?

I’m from another European country and we don’t have that, it took me some time getting used to it. We have a simple minute of silence to commemorate the end of WW2 and a putting down flowers (by a representative of the government) but it’s not a noticeable part of public life…like no poppy wearing or similar, no events, and I’ve never heard anyone mentioning it to me in my day to day life. It does feel like there’s quite a difference.

“Poor lads” and all the women and children who were killed.

Well firstly it's fundamental focus is WW1 not WWII..The poppies grew in Flanders after 1918. Secondly, every service I ever been to talks about the ALL fallen soldiers, in any conflict. That may not have been the case in the earlier days when experiences and memories were raw but it is now. The only "sides" I know are those who think it glorifies war and violence and choose not to participate on that basis. I think that's somewhat overthinking it and doing a disservice to the often very young and naive troops who obediently went up the line to serve their country. Whichever country.

I spend two minutes thinking about my grandfather and the many others who gave their lives.
Shame on you.

I agreed wholeheartedly. Navel gazers obsessed with themselves trying to feel special.

There is a German cemetery not far from me. They hold a a 'Service of Reconciliation' a couple of days after remembrance Sunday.

On the 11th there is a walk / hike to visit various war training sites and both the war cemeteries.

The commonwealth war graves commission provide the upkeep on behalf of the German equivalent.

We used to be a much more coherent collective society. So if Remembrance Day is the only time when people push for everyone to unify and remember then I don’t have an issue with that.

This says it all

I shall go today to stand next to my partner while he remembers his friends he has lost. People he shared rooms with, shared meals with, people who aren’t just a name in the newspaper. Real people.

how nice to bang on about the atrocities of war from your comfortable middle class home. Smugly priding yourself on not wearing a poppy. Your choice. No one cares but at least have the self awareness to understand that remembrance service means far far more to people and you are incredibly privileged not to feel this to

I am all in favour of Remembrance Sunday and commemorating the Armistice, and giving time to reflect on all those affected by war. What I don't like is the modern proliferation of commemorative tat everywhere. I don't like all these morbid silhouettes and massive plastic poppies strung up everywhere like bunting. Tacky and performative.

I don’t think OP has a good handle on what Remembrance Sunday represents at all and is being purposefully obtuse.

You do realise that the 11am on 11th November marked the end of WW1 not WW2 right? Same with the poppies?

It’s about remembering those who have fallen in all conflicts and hoping that it doesn’t happen again.

What do you mean about making a difference? 🤔

It’s about remembering all who were affected in the wars, on both sides, from all nations. No need to feel conflicted.

I'd still love to know about these 'causes' the op mentioned? Too cowardly to come back and explain yourself op?

Good for you. I’m sure you shutting your eyes for 2 minutes once a year makes all the difference.

Remembrance is about your remembrance of those who have gone before.

You can remember anything you like. You can be on any side. You can honour any motivation. You can think of those who bravely fought. You can think of those who were coerced. You can think of the tragedy and the victims.
You can just think about it.

That's what it's for. It is not political. It doesn't have a side.

Just take a minute to remember and what that means to you.

I think you might be yes.

I have to go because I am elected.

Beforehand I didn’t really understand it. It was explained to me by a friend who’s a senior minister in Government- they said ‘We do this, so that if we need to vote to take military action we are aware of those who went before and the personal impact’. (They have had to vote to bomb personally)
I am only a local politician- people want to see us pay respects to the fallen from our area.
I will do this tomorrow because it’s the right thing to do - to hold those people and their families in our memories and if paying this tribute gives them some feeling that we are committed to cohesion and peace, locally and nationally- then that can only be for the greater good.

I go to remember my friends lost in Iraq and Afghanistan… and for those that couldn’t cope with what they saw over there, my DH goes to remember his Navy friends that he’s lost over the years, and not just in conflict and MH struggles, for those that fought Cancer (probably caused by what they were exposed to) It is not just WW1 & WW2