What Some Guys Gave

I don’t understand why some are placed on pedestals and some aren’t. To me, dead is dead.

Will say, those that died in war, did sacrifice. Ours is not to wonder why, ours is but to do or die…

My uncles didn’t fight for our right to vote. They fought, because a country with expansion in mind….was steamrolling much of Europe.

The US sat on the sidelines until the Japanese foolishly poked a bear…

Gen X and onward.
My Grandfather, if I recall was around 80 when he passed in 76. Imagine living on 1/2 a lung for 50 years….So he could have been anywhere between 16 and 20 something when he spilled blood…..

My dad was born in 31. So too young. But not by much. Both sides of my parents families were large. I had a lot of Aunts/Uncles. Large families were common back then…..

What I know, I learned some from school, some from family.

Any kid born after say 1970? Learn from Hollywood. And we know how accurate that is. Not very. And for a country that sat on the sidelines, likely would have continued to…..

My Grandfather fought in WWI as a signalman. He was never issued a rifle, just grenades and a .45 revolver. Probably a .455 Webley, or similar. It was his job to let HQ know whether their troops were advancing or retreating. When he found a telegraph bunker he was to identify which side was using it. If it was occupied, and identified as German, he through in a grenade, let the smoke clear, repair the lines if needed and report to HQ his position so they would know how the battle was going. He served through the war unscathed other than losing a tooth in a baseball game. He saw many horrible things and paid the price mentally and spent a year or two in Whitby Psych. PTSD wasn't a recognized thing back then. I have his complete service records showing his pay and medical records.

One of his sons, my Uncle served in WWII and was killed a day or two after D DAY by shrapnel. He is buried in France and my grandmother used to get a picture every year of his grave sent to her by the young woman that helped look after the grave sites. My late wife's father and I were talking one night about his service and I told him about when and approximately where my Uncle was killed. Very ironically, my father in laws job was cleaning up after battles. He was almost certain that his group or possibly himself probably picked up my Uncle's body to be sent for burial. I have to say, it gave me an eerie feeling hearing him talk about it. I never knew my Uncle, but his story and what I learned about a young man that died at twenty years of age for his country has always made me respect him.

I think the concept of young people not knowing is ridiculous, sacrifices were made and are still being made so that they can be free including WWII but also many other internal and external conflicts that have gone on and continue to go on.

People keep bringing up the right to vote and people throwing that right away, I have to admit I want a repeal on your tax return or something like that, not a large amount but something that is meaningful if you refuse to exercise your ability to vote, even if you take the time to vote no confidence in the options.

Remember that the voter turnout actually has not changed much since WWII, in the late 50s and 60s were the highest voter turnout by percentage of electors but those numbers were lower than the total population, probably because there was not universal suffrage yet.

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

Remember, in 1944, June 6th, quite a number of indigenous men went to fight, and die for your freedom but they were not allowed to vote until as late as 1969.

I know a lot about history, my one grandpa was too young but wanted to fly in the air force, he flew a trainer plane after the war. My one uncle was in the reserves but his dad kept the boys out to run the farm. I had 3 great uncles that fought, one of which had a chunk of his stuff blown off in Holland.

Remember what they were fighting for but please don't work that in to any agenda, we have millennials fighting for freedoms right now as part of the Canadian Armed Forces and they should be as respected as any others who put on the uniform.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

Gen "X" and "Y" millennials were never taught about WW1 and WW2 except for a cursory "Cole's Notes" version of the main talking points. By the time they were in History classes of the late '70's and 80's,the left wing revisionists had completely bastardized the history criteria in the education system. As for Gen "Z",well,I doubt any one of them could tell you anything about Korea or Viet Nam. Actually,that might not be 100% accurate because my grandson's senior class had a trip this past year to eastern Germany and Poland where they visited Bergen-Belsen,Treblinka and Dachau. They all came back dramatically changed from smart mouth little a**holes to young adults with a whole new outlook on life.

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I’m a GenX-er and we certainly didn’t learn anything about the two world wars in history class. If we had, people would be more appreciative.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

Yep,I shouldn't have included Gen "X". I'm a late "boomer/early Gen "X" myself. I remember Gr.12 history quiet well. One of my teachers was a Korean War vet who was a rabid advocate for freedom and liberty. Hell'they'd have likely run him out of town if it were today. I distinctly remember a local NDP MP attending an assembly espousing leftist politics and Marxist history talking points. Given half a chance,there was no doubt in my mind that my history teacher would have loved nothing better than to gut him like a fish.

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I am early GenX and we learned a lot in history and at home. Both my parents lived through the occupation. At 12 my dad was a courier for the resistance as kids were less likely to get bothered by the Germans. His dad was captured by the Germans during a raid on their resistance cell and was tortured in an attempt to get him to give up names. He eventually escaped and went well into hiding until the end of the war but would never discuss details of what happened.

My mom's dad was captured by the Germans after being injured during the handful of days that the Dutch forces fought before they surrendered. He was found naked in a ditch after the concussive force of an explosion actually blew all his clothes and tags off. Spent 6 months in a coma and they actually didn't know who he was or if he was Dutch or German until he woke up. He suffered mild depression for the remainder of his life.

One of my mother's uncle's was awarded the gentile honor of "Righteous among the Nations" by the Israeli government for the Jewish people he rescued during the war. Came with Israeli citizenship and full pension and healthcare if he ever decided to live in Israel. He just recently passed at 109 years old. Find memories of him spinning me around as a kid on a roundabout in a Rotterdam park.

Is culture taught in schools? Or passed down through families? Well I guess we could look at certain FN issues………….

Late stage Gen Xers, missed the boat. Though would still have some appreciation. While perhaps unfair, consider many “memes”. Pictures of young adults about to land on D-Day vs young people today complaining about 1st world problems and not being able to golf……go to bars, hang out….”they went to war. All were asking is for you to sit on the couch”…

Who thinks life in London during the Battle of Britain was fun..

Then to. Those left at home, worked in factories churning out munitions…lived off rations, and bought war bonds to help…Today, people gripe about taxes and fines…and no one, no one that’s unaffected is stepping up to help those sacrificing……

As I got older and started reading more, particularly from the British and European perspectives. I had family that both faught and lived through it. Not passed down, direct first hand…parents, aunts/uncles…I had some taught in school, and I had John Wayne.

Canada’s contribution, role etc. Nothing like Europe’s. Were our cities being bombed? Were US factories?

And the reality is, at least for us, and for people born after say 1970. Most of what they get taught is heavily skewed by “Hollywood”.

And maybe, it’s worth considering. That people that lived through it, might remember it, say those born around 1930-1935.

Are today, in their 80-90s.
Many of them, caged like lab rats and paying the prices…just as they did 75-80 years ago….

So.
When it comes to the generations, after Boomers.

I would argue, each successive (Gen Xers would be 40-55ish) has less and less and less appreciation for what it was like. and willingness to , sacrifice…

My Grandfather was a partisan resistance fighter in Italy during WW2. He was executed by German soldiers on Christmas eve in 1943 in front of his family during the battle of Ortona where over 2000 Canadian soldiers also lost their lives. He was buried along with 1500 Canadian soldiers in the Moro river cemetery.
My mother was 4 yrs old when she witnessed the execution of her father by German soldiers. She grew up in an orphanage until the age of 13.
She suffered from PTSD her whole life and always spoke of the freedoms that we enjoy here in Canada.
There was A LOT of sacrifice made by Canadian soldiers to free Italy and Europe from Fascism and the Nazis.
In comparison, I had a really great childhood even though we didn't have a lot of money and we took it for granted.
I am by no means rich but considered to be middle class. We don't lack anything in our lives and have some toys to boot. By the way, I worked hard to get to where I'm at today.
Millenials today are not taught this in schools and its a shame. Instead, they are taught to check their white privilege and they act like they are entitled with out earning anything. Our government encourages this behaviour and is destroying the small businesses of the middle class.
This marxist/socialist agenda that is out there must be defeated! I am very concerned with the future of Canada and the US.

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Originally Posted by 73hunter

I’m a GenX-er and we certainly didn’t learn anything about the two world wars in history class. If we had, people would be more appreciative.

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You didn't? I am a Millennial and I did, grade 9 history class, it was with the Canadian history class. Then had the opportunity to take history as college electives and took 2 more.

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Originally Posted by Fox

You didn't? I am a Millennial and I did, grade 9 history class, it was with the Canadian history class. Then had the opportunity to take history as college electives and took 2 more.

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Nope, wasn’t in our curriculum I guess ? I was born in ‘75, and have read plenty about both world wars and watched many a history documentary but none of what I’ve learned was from school.