On this Remembrance Day & Veterans Day, thank you to all veterans for your service.

Amen......

Well said.

And remember what swept people into this useless war, and all others, in the first place. Vigilance needed and compassion needed, not hubris and hatred.

In the UK there was the Silence at 11:00 and just now at 12:30 the bells ringing in celebration of the Peace.

Yes, thank you. In Atlanta, many church bells will ring at 11 am this morning.
Get this app - Bells of Peace: WWI Armistice. At 11 am today, your phone will ring in concert with all other ringing bells around. A moment of solemn remembrance.

Here are my favorite books and sources on WW1:

The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman is a highly regarded historical account of the tragic build-up to the Great War. August is a reference to August 1914, when sanity and civilization began to unravel.

The First World War is a great 10-part BBC series on this topic.

Paris 1919 by Margaret McMillan is a perfect bookend. It's an account of the year-long process that generated the Treaty of Versailles.

When I see Military, if close enough, I thank them for their service. If they are at a distance, I try to make eye contact, smile and nod appreciation. No question - the bravery, sacrifice and unselfishness. To paraphrase, "We are Free because of the Brave."

Thank you to all our Military who protect (and have protected.)

Remembering the millions of civilians who lost their lives due to bombs, bullets, genocide, disease and famine as well.

11 am is coming up in a couple of hours, here in the Pacific time zone. Of course with the time difference the signing probably occurred about 3am Sunday morning here in the Pacific Time Zone.

The BBC websites are reporting a lot on the commemorations in Europe and elsewhere, with many photos and video clips. Someone has also put yesterday's Festival of Remembrance broadcast on YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIEQakyZtdI

Adding my thank you to all who have and will be serving. I also appreciate the special links provided. There are some lovely comments on this thread. My Grandfather was in the Navy during WWI, my Dad served in England in WWII and my husband served during Vietnam so particular meaning for me today, too.

We re heading to the Cenotaph shortly wearing our poppies to remember and honour our past and current military and civilian defenders of our freedom. All at the ceremony will observe the minute(s) of silence. We hope that future generations will come to know of their sacrifices and declare "never again".

Yes, thank you to all Veterans and Active Duty, including my dad who landed on Omaha Beach during the Invasion, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and years later in Korea.
Thank you to All.

Today reminds me how disconnected from the military that the general US population is. I was very pleased to see the number of vets that were elected to the house. We need more both male and female. As an outsider I have always marveled at the relation of the military in the British society. Was there ever any question the princes would not have a military experience? (Our British posters probably will correct my misconceptions.) How many sons or daughters of our current political leadership have served? I am glad to see us giving some recognition even if it is only for a couple of days.

PS I did collect my courtesy dinner from McCormicks last night. I guess I should not complain.

Re Frank's post:
I thought these were thoughtful comments on this Veterans Day/Remembrance Day weekend. In 1973-74 when the US switched from the draft concept to the "volunteer Army", I think it fundamentally changed things and led to the situation we now have in the US, 5 decades later, that Frank mentions in his post.

I was drafted during Vietnam and, perhaps for that reason, have previously reflected on the things Frank mentions. The US situation, now, is in contrast to countries that have a relatively small population and/or a high perceived level of military requirements--where it's closer to universal military service.

My family is the opposite of Lt. Dan's in Forrest Gump. I've had relatives in every war going back to the Revolution (gun boat captain). Except for the rare casualty, however, my relatives lived and came home (one relative from the Kansas infantry is buried at Gettysburg) with harrowing experiences but not much worse for wear. My grandfather was artillery in WWI, he lost hearing in one ear. My great uncle was infantry and lost behind German lines for a month. Another uncle was a Marine in the Pacific during WWII, he was one of the first to land on Guadalcanal and one of very few in his unit to survive unscathed. My dad served on a destroyer off the coast of North Korea during the Korean War, my grandparents were told he was considered lost when the Koreans claimed to have sunk his ship - they were shot at but under radio silence until they ended their patrol. I narrowly escaped the Vietnam draft graduating high school in 1976 - just after peace with honor - after college joined the Air Force and flew B52's during the height of the cold war.

I don't think any of us considered ourselves special in any way. Just citizens doing our duty. Nice to be remembered though. Thanks.

In my opinion, both Frank and Emma make valid comments about the situation in each of their countries.

In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Alt5280,
Thank you for posting the Flanders Fields poem.
You may have seen the Trip Report I originated re my September tour of the Flanders Fields battlefields.

If not, that thread is here:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/flanders-fields-ww1-battlefields-a-place-to-pay-respects-reflect-on-the-folly-of-war

I visited the concrete bunker Field Dressing Stations where the poem's Canadian author, Dr. John McCrae, worked as a surgeon. He wrote the poem after a friend died in the spring of 1915 and was buried among the poppies. McCrae himself died later in the war (from disease).

As you look out on one of the many cemeteries at Flanders Fields, the poem may bring a tear to the eyes.

Curious,

I'm a bit late replying to this thread, but I share the sentiments with all of you in thanking the veterans for all they did. One of my grandfathers fought in the area of Flanders Fields and also at Vimy Ridge. I've also visited those bunkers where John McCrae worked.

Ken,
We also visited Tyne Cot cemetery and the Passchendaele Canadian Memorial.

Meeting up with the Russians in 1945...that must have been at Torgau an der Elbe, or was that at another spot after the initial contact with them on April 25?

On WW1 war cemeteries, it is pretty grim when you keep in mind a generation of Europe's young men were wiped out, worse when compared to the general population of a country, as in the case of France, and the euphoria, joy. idealism and enthusiasm with which the war was greeted in Europe in 1914 and the US later. The questions are how did this come about?

I've been to Austrian, French, German, British, Australian, Italian and US WW1 cemeteries..grim, poignant

If the word(s) were blackened or cut out, obviously by the Army censors, then he met the Russians at Torgau an der Elbe on 25 April or thereabouts if he wasn't present on the first day of the encounter.

The link-up with the Russians was seen as a momentous event not merely for the sake of Allied unity, at least superficially, but also meant that Nazi Germany was now operationally truncated, cut in two between north and south. Your dad was part of that momentous event.

Going there can easily be done as a day trip logistically from Berlin.

Even better to get to Torgau from Dresden than from Berlin. In Bautzen is a Polish monument dedicated to Poles attached to the Red Army.