Veterans Day (Armistice Day) In Words, Songs, and Videos

Veterans' Day (formerly Armistice Day) On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over. November 11, is the anniversary of the Armistice which was signed in the Forest of Compiegne, France by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I. In the USA, Veterans Day honoring veterans of all wars replaced Armistice Day. The Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day. Veterans Day Remembrance Videos *Remembrance / Veteran's Day *All is Not Okay *Remembrance *Eleven Eleven *WWI Armistice - Letters from WWI The world then finally had enough of the irrational killing spree known as World War I. Twenty million individual human beings had perished in what was the largest military conflict the world had yet seen. World War I convinced much of the world of the insanity of war. (For a LITTLE SCRAP OF PAPER Countless Thousands fought and died, To prove the Allies' Honour Was their Glory and their Pride. Whilst the Gallant Fearless Navies Have swept clear the mighty sea, Of those foes who were a menace To their Peace and Liberty.) Thanks mostly to mutual defense treaties among nations that had no rational reason to fight each other, what started out as a royal family feud and regional squabble exploded into a global bloodbath. Serbia was joined by Britain, France, Belgium, Greece, Romania, Italy, Russia, Portugal, Montenegro, Japan, Brazil and, eventually, the United States, to fight Austria-Hungary’s alliance, which included Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. This madness was triggered when a Bosnian Serb secessionist assassinated Archduke Ferdinand of Austria. One act of violence – over one localized territorial dispute – resulted in the loss of lives, property and liberty of tens of millions of human beings. In one battle alone, the Battle of Verdun, the insanity of war was most apparent. From February to July in 1916, Germans and Frenchmen slaughtered each other relentlessly because their governments told them to. Germany "won" after losing 330,000 soldiers to France’s 350,000. It was all over a worthless piece of land, which, by the end of the battle, was littered with corpses and with about 1,000 rifle shells per square meter. Neither side gained any true strategic victory from the battle. On November 11, 1918, the world had finally had enough of this insanity. About ten million soldiers and ten million civilians were dead. The war left behind about nineteen million refugees and nine million orphans. In recognition of the horrible war and the glorious peace, November 11 would be known internationally as Armistice Day, a day for remembering the veterans and war dead from around the world, a day to reflect on the moment that the killing ended and the two sides called a truce. America had likewise had enough. After losing 112,000 of their fellow soldiers, the US troops came home, the US military shrunk, and Americans became utterly disillusioned with war. Americans, by and large, didn’t want to enter the war in the first place, and Woodrow Wilson had won in 1916 on a campaign slogan that he "kept us out of war." More than twenty years after World War I, Americans reelected Franklin Roosevelt for his third term after he promised not to send Americans to die in another global conflict. In the period after World War I, Americans found themselves extremely disenchanted with war, and, like the rest of the world, they celebrated Armistice Day as a time to remember veterans and appreciate the blessings of peace. The disastrous effects of World War I continued, however, and US entry had prolonged the conflict, most likely making the outcome worse. The property destruction eventually translated into global depression. (Germany under French Occupation red, Lost German territory orange) *Versailles Treaty German Territorial Losses The brutal treatment of Germany under the egregiously unfair *Versailles Treaty and German suffering under crushing sanctions and debt made the country ripe for the rise of Adolph Hitler. The prolonged war had given Lenin what he needed to establish communism in Russia. As totalitarianism of different strains began to take root throughout Europe, Americans looked across the sea and saw the failures of foreign intervention. World War II would come far too soon, but at least, for the time being, there was armistice. And our country’s been at war ever since, with more and more veterans to observe every November. Of course, today we must remember the veterans. This was, after all, a major purpose behind Armistice Day. Ever since the name was changed to Veterans’ Day, however, America’s servicemen and women have not gotten more respect: they have only been sent to far off and increasingly numerous places, to fight battles not in defense of America, but to extend the US empire. They have become cogs of the permanent US war machine. Upon returning home from Vietnam, they were called "baby killers" by misguided protestors who blamed the soldiers for their participation – however unwillingly – in an unjust war. And as insulting as such disrespect was, it seems to me even worse to send people to kill and die for nothing. We live in a time when war is revered and peace downplayed. To fight or even die for the government is now the greatest, most honorable achievement for an American. Soldiers fight wars, we have been told, to secure peace. They fight them there so they don’t have to here; they fought then so they don’t have to fight now; they found World War I to "end all wars" in the future. In the years since the renaming of Armistice Day, we have lost even the pretense that the United States engages in wars to stave off worse ones in the future. Although there is still some of this mythology floating around, those in charge make clear that we will be in an indefinite state of war. The War on Terrorism has only formalized the unwavering wartime stance of the US government since the beginning of the Cold War. In between the end of the epic Cold War and 9/11, our rulers could hardly go a moment without smashing Iraq with sanctions and bombings, funding foreign military adventures, propping up dictatorships, bombing Sudan, attacking Serbia, intervening in Haiti, or spraying chemical poisons on humans and other living things in Latin America. The War on Terrorism has only made this perpetual war official. The War Party has its new glorious enterprise to keep us in constant conflict with other peoples of the world. Undoubtedly, America’s hawks will celebrate Veterans’ Day, but they will forget about the time when November 11 was a day to remember the warriors while observing the blessings of peace. Instead, they will use the day to lionize war. They will forget the lessons of 1918, and will use a day that was meant to reflect on peace to cheer on more killing and destruction. We must indeed remember the millions of Americans who have been and continue to be sent to foreign lands to fight for dubious causes and imperial crusades. I don’t think the best way is by sending fresh faces into battle and adding fresh corpses to the graveyards of America’s war dead. One day, I hope that the last war fought will seem like a distant memory, and that the veterans who pass away will not be replaced by new ones returning from battle. One day, I hope most Americans will pay respect to the tragic sacrifices of America’s soldiers of the past by observing the beautiful bedrock of civilization that is peace. One day, I hope we can rejoin the world in a celebration of truce. One day, I hope we honor America’s veterans by restoring the original meaning of Armistice Day. References *Recent and Selected Thoughts of Anthony Gregory *World War I Color Photos *Photos of the Great War *World War I Album *Fighting 15th *Great War Locations Panorama Pictures *American War Cemetary in Argonne,France 1919 Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislature that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans. At 5 A.M. on Monday, November 11, 1918 the Germans signed the Armistice, an order was issued for all firing to cease; so the hostilities of the First World Warended. This day began with the laying down of arms, blowing of whistles, impromptu parades, closing of places of business. All over the globe there were many demonstrations; no doubt the world has never before witnessed such rejoicing. In November of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation. To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation. In 1927 Congress issued a resolution requesting President Calvin Coolidge to issue a buildings on November 11, and inviting the people to observe the day in schools and churches... But it was not until 1938 that Congress passed a bill that each November 11 "shall bededicated to the cause of world peace and ... hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day." After World War II, there were many new veterans who had little or no association with World War I. The word, "armistice," means simply a truce; therefore as years passed, the significance of the name of this holiday changed. Leaders of Veterans' groups decided to try to correct this and make November 11 the time to honor all who had fought in various American wars, not just in World War I. In Emporia, Kansas, on November 11, 1953, instead of an Armistice Day program, there was a Veterans' Day observance. Ed Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill into the House to change the name to Veterans' Day. In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971. Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11. Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans. However, most Americans confuse this holiday with Memorial Day, reports the Department of Veterans Affairs. What's more, some Americans don't know why we commemorate our Veterans on Nov.11. It's imperative that all Americans know the history of Veterans Day so that we can honor our former service members properly. They All Click & Play Military & Patriotic Tunes .... *Victory At Sea Mp3's *American Marches *American Patriotic Mp3's *American Patriotic Music/Songs *Gallery of the War Dead *Iraq All American Casualties To Date *Cost of Iraq War Continuous Tally *Ceremonial Music Online *If I Fall Video *World Trade Center Tribute Video *On This Day Music Tribute *What They Gave To Me Music Tribute *Taps ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wilfred Owen 1893-1918 This .... is not about heroes. ... Poetry is not yet fit to speak of them. Nor is it about deeds, or lands, nor anything about glory, honour, might, majesty, dominion, or power, except war. Above all I am not concerned with Poetry. My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity. Yet these elegies are to this generation in no sense consolatory. They may be to the next. All a poet can do today is warn. That is why true Poets must be truthful. Wilfred Owen, from a preface to a planned book of his poetry. *Poetry of the First World War & Other Wars . . . "My Dead Are Not Silent" My dead are not silent. They scream in my dreams. My dead are not still. They reach for their mothers. My dead are young soldiers spent, wasted, discarded. They paid the price for political ploys for strategic follies for tactical errors. The politicians and planners the orderers and senders discomfited but unshamed demand that my dead lie quiet that my grief be smothered that my ache be shunned that my memories be denied. But my dead will not be stilled They will not be shelved numbered catalogued straightened into sanitized rows. Their blood yet drips through my soul Their moans still echo through my heart. My dead demand remembrance My dead demand honor My dead demand that lessons be learned. I hear them still through my dreams through my laughter through my prayers My dead are not silent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? -Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,- The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "All wars are planned by older men, in council rooms apart, Who call for greater armament And map the battle chart. But out along the shattered field Where golden dreams turn gray. How very young the faces were. Where all the dead men lay. Portly and solemn in their pride. The elders cast their vote. For this or that, or something else. That sounds the martial note. But where their sightless eyes stare out Beyond life's vanished toys, I've noticed nearly all the dead. Were hardly more than boys." Grantland Rice *Poetry of the First World War & Other Wars . . . And When He Gets To Heaven, To Saint Peter He Will Tell: "Just Another Soldier Reporting Sir, For I Served My Time In Hell." He's five feet two and he's six feet four He fights with missiles and with spears He's all of 31 and he's only 17 He's been a soldier for a thousand years He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an atheist, a Jain a Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew and he knows he shouldn't kill and he knows he always will kill you for me my friend and me for you Buffy Sainte-Marie, from the song "Universal Soldier" Veterans Day Click & Play Military & Patriotic Tunes .... *Victory At Sea Mp3's *American Patriotic Mp3's *American Patriotic Music/Songs *Concert Band & Soldiers' Chorus *1st Armored Division Ceremonial Music *82nd Airborne Division Marches *U.S.Bands Around the World Special Songs *Songs of the Times *Patricia Eyre Special Songs Special Videos *Music of Patriotism Protest Videos *Living With War Today Special Sites *The American War Library Stumble It!

Veterans Day (Armistice Day) In Words, Songs, and Videos

Veterans' Day (formerly Armistice Day) On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over. November 11, is the anniversary of the Armistice which was signed in the Forest of Compiegne, France by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I. In the USA, Veterans Day honoring veterans of all wars replaced Armistice Day. The Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day. Veterans Day Remembrance Videos *Remembrance / Veteran's Day *All is Not Okay *Remembrance *Eleven Eleven *WWI Armistice - Letters from WWI The world then finally had enough of the irrational killing spree known as World War I. Twenty million individual human beings had perished in what was the largest military conflict the world had yet seen. World War I convinced much of the world of the insanity of war. (For a LITTLE SCRAP OF PAPER Countless Thousands fought and died, To prove the Allies' Honour Was their Glory and their Pride. Whilst the Gallant Fearless Navies Have swept clear the mighty sea, Of those foes who were a menace To their Peace and Liberty.) Thanks mostly to mutual defense treaties among nations that had no rational reason to fight each other, what started out as a royal family feud and regional squabble exploded into a global bloodbath. Serbia was joined by Britain, France, Belgium, Greece, Romania, Italy, Russia, Portugal, Montenegro, Japan, Brazil and, eventually, the United States, to fight Austria-Hungary’s alliance, which included Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. This madness was triggered when a Bosnian Serb secessionist assassinated Archduke Ferdinand of Austria. One act of violence – over one localized territorial dispute – resulted in the loss of lives, property and liberty of tens of millions of human beings. In one battle alone, the Battle of Verdun, the insanity of war was most apparent. From February to July in 1916, Germans and Frenchmen slaughtered each other relentlessly because their governments told them to. Germany "won" after losing 330,000 soldiers to France’s 350,000. It was all over a worthless piece of land, which, by the end of the battle, was littered with corpses and with about 1,000 rifle shells per square meter. Neither side gained any true strategic victory from the battle. On November 11, 1918, the world had finally had enough of this insanity. About ten million soldiers and ten million civilians were dead. The war left behind about nineteen million refugees and nine million orphans. In recognition of the horrible war and the glorious peace, November 11 would be known internationally as Armistice Day, a day for remembering the veterans and war dead from around the world, a day to reflect on the moment that the killing ended and the two sides called a truce. America had likewise had enough. After losing 112,000 of their fellow soldiers, the US troops came home, the US military shrunk, and Americans became utterly disillusioned with war. Americans, by and large, didn’t want to enter the war in the first place, and Woodrow Wilson had won in 1916 on a campaign slogan that he "kept us out of war." More than twenty years after World War I, Americans reelected Franklin Roosevelt for his third term after he promised not to send Americans to die in another global conflict. In the period after World War I, Americans found themselves extremely disenchanted with war, and, like the rest of the world, they celebrated Armistice Day as a time to remember veterans and appreciate the blessings of peace. The disastrous effects of World War I continued, however, and US entry had prolonged the conflict, most likely making the outcome worse. The property destruction eventually translated into global depression. (Germany under French Occupation red, Lost German territory orange) *Versailles Treaty German Territorial Losses The brutal treatment of Germany under the egregiously unfair *Versailles Treaty and German suffering under crushing sanctions and debt made the country ripe for the rise of Adolph Hitler. The prolonged war had given Lenin what he needed to establish communism in Russia. As totalitarianism of different strains began to take root throughout Europe, Americans looked across the sea and saw the failures of foreign intervention. World War II would come far too soon, but at least, for the time being, there was armistice. And our country’s been at war ever since, with more and more veterans to observe every November. Of course, today we must remember the veterans. This was, after all, a major purpose behind Armistice Day. Ever since the name was changed to Veterans’ Day, however, America’s servicemen and women have not gotten more respect: they have only been sent to far off and increasingly numerous places, to fight battles not in defense of America, but to extend the US empire. They have become cogs of the permanent US war machine. Upon returning home from Vietnam, they were called "baby killers" by misguided protestors who blamed the soldiers for their participation – however unwillingly – in an unjust war. And as insulting as such disrespect was, it seems to me even worse to send people to kill and die for nothing. We live in a time when war is revered and peace downplayed. To fight or even die for the government is now the greatest, most honorable achievement for an American. Soldiers fight wars, we have been told, to secure peace. They fight them there so they don’t have to here; they fought then so they don’t have to fight now; they found World War I to "end all wars" in the future. In the years since the renaming of Armistice Day, we have lost even the pretense that the United States engages in wars to stave off worse ones in the future. Although there is still some of this mythology floating around, those in charge make clear that we will be in an indefinite state of war. The War on Terrorism has only formalized the unwavering wartime stance of the US government since the beginning of the Cold War. In between the end of the epic Cold War and 9/11, our rulers could hardly go a moment without smashing Iraq with sanctions and bombings, funding foreign military adventures, propping up dictatorships, bombing Sudan, attacking Serbia, intervening in Haiti, or spraying chemical poisons on humans and other living things in Latin America. The War on Terrorism has only made this perpetual war official. The War Party has its new glorious enterprise to keep us in constant conflict with other peoples of the world. Undoubtedly, America’s hawks will celebrate Veterans’ Day, but they will forget about the time when November 11 was a day to remember the warriors while observing the blessings of peace. Instead, they will use the day to lionize war. They will forget the lessons of 1918, and will use a day that was meant to reflect on peace to cheer on more killing and destruction. We must indeed remember the millions of Americans who have been and continue to be sent to foreign lands to fight for dubious causes and imperial crusades. I don’t think the best way is by sending fresh faces into battle and adding fresh corpses to the graveyards of America’s war dead. One day, I hope that the last war fought will seem like a distant memory, and that the veterans who pass away will not be replaced by new ones returning from battle. One day, I hope most Americans will pay respect to the tragic sacrifices of America’s soldiers of the past by observing the beautiful bedrock of civilization that is peace. One day, I hope we can rejoin the world in a celebration of truce. One day, I hope we honor America’s veterans by restoring the original meaning of Armistice Day. References *Recent and Selected Thoughts of Anthony Gregory *World War I Color Photos *Photos of the Great War *World War I Album *Fighting 15th *Great War Locations Panorama Pictures *American War Cemetary in Argonne,France 1919 Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislature that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans. At 5 A.M. on Monday, November 11, 1918 the Germans signed the Armistice, an order was issued for all firing to cease; so the hostilities of the First World Warended. This day began with the laying down of arms, blowing of whistles, impromptu parades, closing of places of business. All over the globe there were many demonstrations; no doubt the world has never before witnessed such rejoicing. In November of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation. To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation. In 1927 Congress issued a resolution requesting President Calvin Coolidge to issue a buildings on November 11, and inviting the people to observe the day in schools and churches... But it was not until 1938 that Congress passed a bill that each November 11 "shall bededicated to the cause of world peace and ... hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day." After World War II, there were many new veterans who had little or no association with World War I. The word, "armistice," means simply a truce; therefore as years passed, the significance of the name of this holiday changed. Leaders of Veterans' groups decided to try to correct this and make November 11 the time to honor all who had fought in various American wars, not just in World War I. In Emporia, Kansas, on November 11, 1953, instead of an Armistice Day program, there was a Veterans' Day observance. Ed Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill into the House to change the name to Veterans' Day. In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971. Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11. Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans. However, most Americans confuse this holiday with Memorial Day, reports the Department of Veterans Affairs. What's more, some Americans don't know why we commemorate our Veterans on Nov.11. It's imperative that all Americans know the history of Veterans Day so that we can honor our former service members properly. They All Click & Play Military & Patriotic Tunes .... *Victory At Sea Mp3's *American Marches *American Patriotic Mp3's *American Patriotic Music/Songs *Gallery of the War Dead *Iraq All American Casualties To Date *Cost of Iraq War Continuous Tally *Ceremonial Music Online *If I Fall Video *World Trade Center Tribute Video *On This Day Music Tribute *What They Gave To Me Music Tribute *Taps ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wilfred Owen 1893-1918 This .... is not about heroes. ... Poetry is not yet fit to speak of them. Nor is it about deeds, or lands, nor anything about glory, honour, might, majesty, dominion, or power, except war. Above all I am not concerned with Poetry. My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity. Yet these elegies are to this generation in no sense consolatory. They may be to the next. All a poet can do today is warn. That is why true Poets must be truthful. Wilfred Owen, from a preface to a planned book of his poetry. *Poetry of the First World War & Other Wars . . . "My Dead Are Not Silent" My dead are not silent. They scream in my dreams. My dead are not still. They reach for their mothers. My dead are young soldiers spent, wasted, discarded. They paid the price for political ploys for strategic follies for tactical errors. The politicians and planners the orderers and senders discomfited but unshamed demand that my dead lie quiet that my grief be smothered that my ache be shunned that my memories be denied. But my dead will not be stilled They will not be shelved numbered catalogued straightened into sanitized rows. Their blood yet drips through my soul Their moans still echo through my heart. My dead demand remembrance My dead demand honor My dead demand that lessons be learned. I hear them still through my dreams through my laughter through my prayers My dead are not silent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? -Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,- The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "All wars are planned by older men, in council rooms apart, Who call for greater armament And map the battle chart. But out along the shattered field Where golden dreams turn gray. How very young the faces were. Where all the dead men lay. Portly and solemn in their pride. The elders cast their vote. For this or that, or something else. That sounds the martial note. But where their sightless eyes stare out Beyond life's vanished toys, I've noticed nearly all the dead. Were hardly more than boys." Grantland Rice *Poetry of the First World War & Other Wars . . . And When He Gets To Heaven, To Saint Peter He Will Tell: "Just Another Soldier Reporting Sir, For I Served My Time In Hell." He's five feet two and he's six feet four He fights with missiles and with spears He's all of 31 and he's only 17 He's been a soldier for a thousand years He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an atheist, a Jain a Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew and he knows he shouldn't kill and he knows he always will kill you for me my friend and me for you Buffy Sainte-Marie, from the song "Universal Soldier" Veterans Day Click & Play Military & Patriotic Tunes .... *Victory At Sea Mp3's *American Patriotic Mp3's *American Patriotic Music/Songs *Concert Band & Soldiers' Chorus *1st Armored Division Ceremonial Music *82nd Airborne Division Marches *U.S.Bands Around the World Special Songs *Songs of the Times *Patricia Eyre Special Songs Special Videos *Music of Patriotism Protest Videos *Living With War Today Special Sites *The American War Library