Let's try and get 1,000,000 replies to this post

Probably going to Maryland Deathfest this year. Sodom, Razor, Metal Church, Bulldozer... it's an 80's speed metal fan's dream! (not to mention Obituary and Suffocation too)
 
mckindog said:
Forgive my ignorance, but do you guys do Remembrance Day ceremonies on Nov. 11 in Europe.
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No. Not on the 11th in whole Europe.

11 November ==> just the UK, plus:

- France and Belgium
Remembrance Day (11 November) is a national holiday in France and Belgium. It commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at 11:00 am—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month." Armistice Day is one of the most important military celebrations in France, since it was a major French victory and the French paid a heavy price in blood to achieve it. The First World War was considered in France as the "Great Patriotic War". Almost all French villages feature memorials dedicated to those fallen during the conflict. In France the blue cornflower (Bleuet de France) is used symbolically rather than the poppy.
- Poland: Independence Day
11 November is a public holiday in Poland called Independence Day, as the ending of First World War allowed Polish people to regain the freedom and unity of their country after over a hundred years of partitions. Major events include laying flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by members of the government and highest authorities, other public ceremonies and church services and school celebrations.
- Serbia: Armistice Day, since 2012.


St. Martin's Day is another Nov. 11 celebration that is done by some in Europe (for countries, see link). In my country it's not a public holiday.
 
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Nov 11th is Remembrance Day in most of the Commonwealth as well. Sometimes called Armistice Day. Regardless.

For the USA it is "Veterans Day". It used to be called Armistice Day, but the USA forgot they were in World War 1, plus they already have Memorial Day.
 
LooseCannon said:
For the USA it is "Veterans Day". It used to be called Armistice Day, but the USA forgot they were in World War 1, plus they already have Memorial Day.
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The difference (in theory not practice) is that Veteran's Day is supposed to celebrate all veterans, while Memorial Day is for those who died in combat.
 
Now, to be fair, the Americans lost very, very few people in WW1 compared to the other nations involved. And unlike the UK, France, Germany etc. they had recently had a war in which they lost way, way more people. I can really understand why it is smaller in their memory.

Edit:
US deaths by war (all causes):
American Revolutionary War: appx 25,000
War of 1812: appx. 15,000
Mexican-American War: 13,283
American Civil War: appx. 750,000
Spanish-American War: 2446
World War I: 116,516
World War I: 405,399

I mean, there's a huge difference there. Look at the UK by comparison:

American Revolutionary War: appx 24,00
Napoleonic Wars: 311,806 (incl. War of 1812)
Crimean War: 21,097
Boer Wars: 21,552
First World War: 826,746 (UK only)
Second World War: 450,900

It's even crazier when you look at France:

American Revolutionary War: appx 10,000
Napoleonic Wars: appx 1,771,000
Crimean War: appx 95,000
French Intervention in Mexico: 6,654
Franco-Prussian War: 138,871
World War I: 1,357,000
World War II: 550,000
 
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That's WWII. LC is right, most Americans don't know much about WWI, because we didn't come out of it with whopper tales like Pearl Harbor, D-Day and atom bombs.

WWI, we just joined the winning team for the second half. Americans today think of it as a European war.

Have you really seen Americans really claim credit for WWI? Again WWII I know happens, but I'm genuinely surprised about WWI.
 
Well OK, maybe I exaggerated. I've seen Americans claim credit for it, but not in the same scope as for WWII.

However, America's entry in the war was game-changing. The Allies may still have won, but it would have taken another two or three years.
 
One of the nicknames for WWI, for Americans, was "Over There". We never considered it our thing. I've always heard that the feeling of "fighting someone else's battle" was one of the big reasons for the US population wanting to stay out of WWII until Pearl Harbor.

WWII we had our own front in the Pacific. We had skin in the game, and we came out as a superpower. Only natural, as LC said, we'd remember it far better. I'd venture to say that aside from history buffs and students in school currently studying it, the average American knows very little about WWI. "That's the one that started when they killed a prince right?"
 
The Pacific Theater wasn't just the US, it was Australia and India and Britain doing a lot of lifting - and the Chinese. But yes, it was a more-American front. I don't know, let's find an average American and ask. Traaaavis?
 
I'm not average enough to answer that one! :lol:

But my dad and I did hit the magic number on Amazon!
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LooseCannon said:
The Pacific Theater wasn't just the US, it was Australia and India and Britain doing a lot of lifting - and the Chinese. But yes, it was a more-American front. I don't know, let's find an average American and ask. Traaaavis?
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Several reasons why, at least for this average American, WW2 is more front of mind:

1) I have spoken to people who actually fought in it;
2) the US was attacked on its soil;
3) it has been the subject of many popular films, including very recently;
4) it led to the Cold War, which I lived through, in part;
5) unlike World War I, it involved a true contest between good and evil, with the US unambiguously on the good side.
 
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