Memorial Day

Evolution of Memorial Day

Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day

Same thing happened with Anzac Day;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day

What do you reckon we can learn from this?

Same for Remembrance day here in .nl; originally WW2 victims - military and civilian - only, from '61 all vicitims of conflicts anywhere in the world since WW2.
WW1 isn't included because .nl was neutral and we don't share in that massive trauma the likes of Belgium France UK US en of course Germany do.

What I see here, coming from a country that has Remembrance Day Nov. 11, as our military deaths commemoration day, is that May 24th retains its position as a holiday because of the need for a celebration about this time of year. Easter can be seen as the major spring festival day, a sign that winter is ended and a more outdoors life can be resumed. The 24th of May, or thereabouts is seen as a celebration of the end (Ontario and BC, and Quebec), or the beginning *(Alberta and the Prairies) of the seeding or sowing season. In Canada, of course it's the ruling monarch's birthday as the outward cause.

May 24th is considered too close to Easter and Anzac Day. We have Queen's Birthday on the second Monday in June - its main function is to provide a long weekend marking the official start of the ski season.

After that there is a very long period with no public holidays until Melbourne Cup Day in November (Melbourne only), but after that it's one continuous party until New Year's Day!

Can somebody tell me if our Memorial Day should be about remembrance or celebration.

I look around me and see a lot of the latter and not much of the former.

On our movie channels on the tv we have lots of gung ho war movies. Is that an appropriate form of celebration?

#6
I have just this morning got an email from a t-shirt supplier (they mail internationally) headed Celebrate Memorial Day and in the body of the email wishing me Happy Memorial Day! I think I have seen references to celebrating Anzac Day when what the writer really meant was commemorating it, but we would just never use the expression Happy Anzac Day, it's unthinkable.

This strikes me as very American. Reminds me of the days after 9/11 when I was bombarded with emails of American origin imploring me to prove my patriotism by getting out there and SHOPPING.

On the other hand, I can't see why you have a problem with gung ho war movies. People like them, they're supposed to be good for morale. I don't really watch many war movies, so I'm hard pressed to think of any that aren't gung ho - Full Metal Jacket perhaps? What are your suggestions for appropriate movies? Or TV shows?

This morning I observed Memorial Day by attending our location town's (Pawling in the Hudson Valley) annual celebration and gratitude to the men( so far anyway) who have died in military service from our town going back to the Civil War. There were about 250-300 attendants including boy and Girl Scouts , local volunteer fire department, etc.The Commander is the local American Legion outpost led the ceremony which focused on the theme of rememberance for those that had paid the ultimate price for our freedom. By the way, in his remarks, this Vietnam vet commented on the absence of historical knowledge of the younger generations and the hole that such a vacuum creates in the development of an informed citizen. Today was, as it is every year, a very special opportunity for a small community to connect over a rememberance. And yes, a celebration of our nations's freedom and the sacrifice that some made to preserve it.

>7 dajashby::
If you are looking for a war movie that depicts the tragedy of war, with the amount of pain that goes even to the "Winners", I always liked "A Bridge Too Far". There is currently a CBC TV series going on called "Camp X", that deals with the cruelties and compromises of the clandestine war. There's a particular episode that deals with the fact that an innocent French village will be wiped out, if the agents carry out their actions on the part of the allies. Several German soldiers carrying out the resulting massacre break down, and in a later episode, one of them commits suicide. It's WWII and no one is doing things that make them happy. I rather think Wars are more like that than a piece of mendacious garbage like"Inglorious Basterds". As well, the recent Brad Pitt film "Fury" actually did impart some of the grittier and uglier sides of the Northwest Europe Campaign.
I am a rememberer of wars not a celebrator. Even though when I look at my book list, I have read about 250 books on the World Wars....
>8 chagonz:: Your town seems to have mounted a decent and respectful ceremony.

I'll always remember seeing The Hill and Catch 22. MASH and Tour of Duty weren't as glorifying either iirc.

I think this is important and that you should make time for it.

http://www.c-span.org/video/?404902-3/army-staff-sergeant-sal-giunta-discusses-r...

I can't remember ever saying that before.