How long are we likely to commemorate the world war events?

[SprigatitoYouAndIKnow]

Seeing the footage of the D Day today made me wonder how long this will go on for. My generation had grandparents who fought and some parents who were young children in WW2. I remember grandparents saying about their parents experienceof WW1 too. I feel lucky to grow up in a free country, but my kids don't have the same links or memories.

We don't still commemorate ancient battles that were won, or any infighting between the nations of our island. The world wars were on a much larger scale and had a very clear and evil enemy, so I would expect more collective remembering. I very much hope we don't have an equally big, or bigger, conflict in the future, so I assume that these things will go on for many years to come. Is there precedence from history?

People don't remember the suffering and death of others, how can they? what exactly are they remembering? they weren't there.

There is no 1 minute silence for D-Day either.

My point is that if the authorities deem it and there is money to be made, people will commemorate anything at all, which in its correct meaning is to observe usually officially, an event.

Today I have been called vile, distasteful and uneducated for saying a similar thing op.

It has been 80 years and yet somehow we are still glorifying the 2nd world war, but not the 1st or the Falklands or any other war. My kids have been taught so so much about WW2 at school that they’re sick of it. And the Germans must love being reminded about it every year!

We studied the Irish troubles in history at school and I think that is far more relevant to kids today.

My great grandfather gave his life up so that you could be free to speak nonsense today.

Some gratitude is in order.

If Hitler had won, today you be either Aryan (whatever it means) and heterosexual or dead.

Didn’t say I wasn’t grateful did I?

I just said we shouldn’t be glorifying it any longer. It’s time to let the past be in the past.

@JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam My impression of the D-Day commemorative events is that we were remembering their bravery and sacrifice, rather than glorifying WW2.

Im not sure that I’d have the gumption to do what those soldiers did, it must’ve been terrifying.

My dad was born in early thirties. Growing up, the war was mentioned a lot. It’s odd to think that, soon those with first hand experiences of the war will be no more.

I hope we will always remember; WW1 was the first war that was a total war. Civilians as well as military suffered. We still commemorate Trafalgar (albeit in a different way)

We don't really commemorate Trafalgar.

I don't think that things like VE day will be commemorated in say 100 years time.

People will still do Remembrance Day - but I am not sure how much it will mean to say it was the end of WW1 in 1918.

But most of us won't be around to know if it's being remembered.

@mollyfolk

"But sure isn’t that why he wrote it. It’s a warning. "

However as per his poem Niemoller did nothing to speak out against the persecution of others until the Nazis came for him.

Yet by not speaking out he survived and died in 1984. Those that did try to speak out or prevent the loss of freedoms to protect people like Niemoller such as Hans Litten or von Stauffenburg were killed.

So in short Niemoller did nothing at the time to fight back against the loss of freedoms of others, he relied on others to do this for him, these people died and he survived.

I think you need to read up on Stauffenberg. He tried to assassinate Hitler because he thought Hitler was weak and the Reich was in danger. He was a staunch anti-Semite and actively supported the colonisation of Poland and the rest of Europe.

I guess the question is whether you’d rather die on your feet or live on your knees. For some people living without dignity and having to go against their principles every day in order to survive is not worth living.

@Pigletsoink

"I guess the question is whether you’d rather die on your feet or live on your knees. For some people living without dignity and having to go against their principles every day in order to survive is not worth living."

My point is that the section of society that would suffer most from the loss of democracy and freedom of speech, religion, political views etc are the same section of society that would be the least willing to defend them.

They would want others to do this on their behalf, others that would most likely be killed whilst they then survive.

It’s always either the poorest or the purest that die in wars.

The poorest because they can’t get out of being conscripted and are the cannon fodder.

The purest, because they are idealistic and have principles they are willing to die for. These are the people that should lead a country but instead they die for it so that it can eventually be free and ruled by the mediocre people who stayed silent in order to survive.

I think most people today wouldn’t fight if West was attacked and would abandon their principles quickly in order to survive under a regime. The majority only should about various rights because it costs nothing and wins virtue points. They would be quiet if there were actual consequences to face.

I’m just saying how I see it, not judging.

Well yes we are in agreement so - he had been complicit in the horrors as had much of Germany. He saw this only when his own freedom was taken. Nobody is championing the man -but his quote is a worthy reminder of the dangers of remaining silent towards injustice.

When people a treated unjustly anywhere , it makes injustice acceptable and that threatens all of us.

No-one is "glorifying" anything. If you can't tell the difference between that and remembrance then you must be a bit dense.

Considering so many people couldn't even cope with a simple lockdown there is no way they would have dealt with a war continuing for several years. Maybe have a bit of respect for those who had to go through it and actually fight.

I think most people today wouldn’t fight if West was attacked and would abandon their principles quickly in order to survive under a regime. The majority only should about various rights because it costs nothing and wins virtue points. They would be quiet if there were actual consequences to face.

I think this is true of any time. The majority just put their head down and quietly get on with their own lives and looking after their families.

I’m happy to shout about rights because I believe in them and i’m thankful I’m free do so. I stand in awe of amazingly brave people who put their lives and freedom at risk in countries that are not free. Like the women in Iran going out without a hijab in protest - facing 10 years in prison and torture.

Actually we don’t, D-Day only comes up at certain anniversaries like this year in the news/newspapers and if you are interested in the topic you will find documentaries etc but we aren’t filling the TV for days with WWII.

We don’t even do the 8th May as a big national remembrance. We don’t have a Memorial Day/rememberance day for soldiers, we have Totensonntag (Death Sunday) to remember all people and while it’s a bit hinted towards fallen soldiers, it’s absolutely not in your public eye.

@reluctantbrit Totennstag is that German?

We were in Normandy a couple of years ago. One thing I'd never realised is some of the Allied War cemeteries have German soldiers in them. No officers or SS but ordinary soldiers.

I caught a clip of one of the veterans saying similar the other day, the Germans they came across were young lads just like themselves.

@MyQuaintDog If they joined up right at the last minute in 1945, a veteran would be born in 1927 if enlisting at 18. So yes, 97, if you want to split hairs. Most would have joined up before and most would be 100 plus which is why they are no longer with us. My uncle, who was a sailor was born in 1926, but didn’t serve for all of the war. He died 20 plus years ago. Many dc of veterans will want to keep their memory alive but I don’t actually want to celebrate any wars fought forever. In the end it Canberra destructive and divisive. As we see in many areas of the world, there is no forgetting and no moving on. Just celebrating how one country or ethnicity beat another one for centuries . Respecting and thanking people for their contribution is better.

@TizerorFizz I don't think anyone is celebrating.

From what I saw it was more remembering commiserating the huge sacrifice that these men, young lads really, made and the ordeal they went through to bring peace to Europe.
It wasn't until I was stood on a Normandy beach last year it really hit me, once those young men landed when did they next have a proper safe bed to sleep in?

There is also an element of making sure people know what happened during the war years.
I was at school in the 80s, so really only 40ish years after the war ended. It was too soon and in some ways still too raw for it to be taught.

Our history lessons seemed to consist of Ancient Egyptians, Roman and Viking invasions, all very safe subjects.

I don’t think we celebrate here but in other countries celebration of battles won is fairly common. It’s a source of aggravation and mistrust. Look at NI. I think we give thanks here and yes, that’s different. I left school in 1972 and we did the 2nd world war. Not in huge detail but some of it. Some Fathers had fought in it.

I think most people today wouldn’t fight if West was attacked and would abandon their principles quickly in order to survive under a regime. The majority only should about various rights because it costs nothing and wins virtue points. They would be quiet if there were actual consequences to face

I’m just saying how I see it, not judging

Of course you are judging, just another older person slagging off the youth of today, expecting them to die for you.

I'm sure in the 1930s, many people like you rubbished the young men & women enjoying life, saying similar things "oh these youngsters, they wouldn't last 2mins in the trenches blah blah blah..."

Perhaps if the old war mongering codgers shut up and let younger people have their say, we wouldn't have quite so many wars, they all seem to be caused by the vanity and pride of the old.

It's not just abroad that you'll find German graves amongst British War dead. Our local cemetery has a small War graves area with a few Germans in it also New Zealanders, South African and Canadian.

I am old (ish) and I don’t expect anyone to fight for me. I would expect them to fight for their way of life. For their freedom.For themselves. It’s fairly obvious that, in most wars, the elderly are collateral damage. Especially those who cannot escape.

However we have become squeamish about wars. We don’t like body bags. How would we feel if it was thousands and thousands? Few living here have now truly experienced a war. Few have read news every day about ships being sunk and aircraft lost, let alone deaths of troops in large numbers. It’s in the past for us. As we now don’t accept wars as we used to, there would need to be a change of heart within the general public. However this isn’t impossible but as we are a divided nation in so many ways, it wouldn’t be a 100% effort!

80 years isn’t that long really, it’s a tiny pin prick of time compared to very old history.

Its only a few generations ago, and it was our grandparents or grandparents generation, even though my grandparents would have been children then.

Its recent history

This.

Teach your children better op.