Remembrance Day?

I think a part of the problem when these issues come up for discussion is the picture that popular movies and TV shows has painted of the second world war. The stereotypes of the evil Nazi sadistic fanatic solider and the all American, honourable, brave allied solider have become so ingrained in our psyche that it is hard to separate that image from reality.

Maybe having served in the Canadian Army for 11 years gives me a slightly different insight? I don't know - I just can't see war - any war - through the rose coloured glasses of any justification.

The reality of soldiers in all wars is that the soldiers on both sides of any conflict will have more in common with each other than they do with the "leaders" that have put them into that war in the first place.

In WW2 - both the allied and the axis armies had an equal representation of honourable warriors, sadistic crazies and frightened kids. If you really look into the non-popularized history of WW2 you will begin to find accounts of allied soldiers committing the same type of atrocities as axis soldiers (with the exception of the Holcaust - that was truly depraved). Did you know - there were internment camps in Canada, the US and Aus for Japanese, Germans and Italians? Many families of Japanese descent in BC lost everything and were sent to camps.

Any nations military is a microcosm of that nations society, and at times of war when recruitment standards are dropped, lots of crazies make it in. The saying "The victor writes the history" is very true - and with WW2 we are living it.

So, ask yourself - is war really necessary? Is standing up and saying that war is a waste disrespectful of veterans? I would argue the opposite - and if you actually talk to some veterans, they would probably agree. The biggest sign of respect you can pay a vet or a serving solider is doing what you can to ensure war stops. The first step in that is getting a good grip on history and the base motivations of mankind.

My apologies for some of my more angry posts - when you lose a friend to "war" - especially when all he was doing was trying to get one of those damn submarines back to Canada - and when every time there is a Canadian mission the chances that someone who is a friend is on that mission is very high - you tend to take it a bit personally. I'd rather not have anymore of my friends die thanks - I'll pay a bit more for gas for my truck if that's what it takes.

I'd rather not have anymore of my friends die thanks - I'll pay a bit more for gas for my truck if that's what it takes.

me too

Listening to all you sensitive 90's males that have had every opportunity "afforded" to them made me think of this pic….

…as for the tags,enduramil,like myself was likely paying respects….no blow jobs involved.

After that i was canning meat and veggies for winter.

….douchebags….

Listening to all you sensitive 90's males that have had every opportunity "afforded" to them made me think of this pic….

These pictures any funny slogans are the problem though. Seen lots like it this Remembrance Day. It's not how the vets feel. Sure sells a great card or t-shirt though.

…you know that for the most part there wasn't much public knowledge about the holocaust until 1942, right?

As far as mass murder goes, don't forget about Stalin. Estimates are 20 million that he killed. Makes Hitler look like a choirboy.

Listening to all you sensitive 90's males that have had every opportunity "afforded" to them made me think of this pic….

I spent my 20's in uniform.

Thanks for the neg reps guys - the very height of irony considering I am technically a "veteran" not that I'll ever get the license plate…

I spent my 20's in uniform.

Thanks for the neg reps guys - the very height of irony considering I am technically a "veteran" not that I'll ever get the license plate…

don't worry.

they know better than you!

As far as mass murder goes, don't forget about Stalin. Estimates are 20 million that he killed. Makes Hitler look like a choirboy.

Its ok - this is starting to make good movies so it will be all over the popular press soon and become an issue…

Its ok - this is starting to make good movies so it will be all over the popular press soon and become an issue…

I'm feeling more and more like an ass the more I read what you've written. Emotions got the better of me, I've lost relatives in many major conflicts that we've been involved in, and much of the fall out from WWII affected my parents so much that it's become an emotional topic for me too. I misread and misunderstood your earlier sentiments, and I'm sorry.

But, I'm so fucking sick of people saying that our participation in the two world wars is why we have freedom today. You honestly think that Canada, the insignificant country it was (and really, still is), was going to be invaded and our democracy was going to fall?

Wow, someone really should have taken that moment of silence to do a little reading…

A - Canada's contribution to WWII was far from insignificant
B - The war was won by the slimmest of margins
C - Germany developed the atomic bomb and could have easily been the only ones to have it

If I'm not mistaken the Russians deserve most of the credit for defeating Hitler do they not?

Sorry if my earlier comments came out wrong, I just hate war and can see nothing good from it. Of course I know my life would have been very different if the allies had lost but the fact that so many millions had to die is just….sad.

I've lost relatives in many major conflicts that we've been involved in, and much of the fall out from WWII affected my parents so much that it's become an emotional topic for me too.

Don't forget they were also just coming out of the great depression

Wow, someone really should have taken that moment of silence to do a little reading…

A - Canada's contribution to WWII was far from insignificant
B - The war was won by the slimmest of margins
C - Germany developed the atomic bomb and could have easily been the only ones to have it

Amazing that most people don't know this. The allies only won because of superior numbers of people and crappy sherman tanks - lots and lots of crappy sherman tanks. The German army's equipment, training, tactics and strategies (well - not overall but at Army level) were all superior.