Does America Care about World War I and the soliders in it?

Mycroft · Feb 10, 2005

I beleve that America dose not care a lot about World War I. Though we did not perticipate long, we still made a differece. I found the first true memorial to WWI American Soliders today: http://www.marshallco.net/axtell/sites.html
Tell your opions, questions, thougts.

Michaelson · Feb 10, 2005

America tends to forget it's honored dead within two generations. Who remembers the veterans of the Spanish American War? I remember when I was young there were several living veterans of that 'war' who rode in our Memorial Day parade in my home town. When they passed away, no one even noticed. As our living reminders of those past wars move on, so does our collective memories OF those individuals.

So, to answer your question, very few remember, and as time moves forward, it will only become dimmer. Back in the early 70's, I personally met a member of the "Hat in the Ring' Squadran, who flew with Eddie Rickenbacker during WW1, and was a member of my brothers church in Ironton, Ohio. When he passed away, there was a small article in the local paper, and after that, nothing. No memorials, no rememberances, just his military gravestone in the local cemetary, already forgotten. Sadly, I can't even remember the mans name.

Regards. Michaelson

p.s. just to add a thought, I knew as I grew up that my home town must have been SOME kind of local involvement during the Civil War, but was never taught or heard of any involvement. It has only been since the recent Civil War movies that has the truth been revealed, and that my hometown apparently supplied a couple artillery batteries and infintry divisions. There are now two VERY active reinactment groups who travel around the U.S. to participate in mock battles. Long forgotten CW memorials in the town (which I WAS aware of) have been cleaned up and restored, after years and years of neglect.
Maybe there has been a slight reversal in the trend to forget the past, but it's selective.

Skywlkrinc · Feb 10, 2005

Maybe all that's needed to boost interest in WWI is a movie to be made about it. It worked for WWI with Saving Private Ryan and for the Civil War with Glory and Gettysburg

Luke

Michaelson · Feb 10, 2005

There have been a couple TV movies, but little response, even though one received a Golden Globe (man, I'm TERRIBLE with names and titles today! It was on the History Channel with Rick Schroder. Can somebody help out here?

). Folks tend to see the Civil War, even WW2 as being a 'romantic' period, TOTALLY forgetting the carnage and death that was involved in the conflicts. WW1 was a dead end introduction to trench warfare. No real 'glory', no gains, just men dying to gain, then lose a few feet of no-mans' land, at the whim of the commanding group in the rear. SO, folks have no 'romantic' or nostalgic feelings toward this particular war, so they just want to forget it even occurred. That's what I learned from the old pilot I met.

Just as an aside, the one thing I shall always remember was him asking me if I'd like to see his most favorite and cherished war momento. I said 'SURE!", and he went back in his bedroom, and brought out an old cast iron pot belly stove top lid. He handed it to me, and all I could do was look at it, then him. To make a long story short, this was what he sat on in his plane, as there was absolutely NO protection inside the old cloth and wood framed airplanes, and if a enemy pilot shot at him from below, at least he had this as protection for his nether regions. Said it literally saved his 'butt' on more than one patrol.

Regards. Michaelson

Doctor Strange · Feb 10, 2005

There's a French art-house film currently in release that's partly about WWI - "A Very Long Engagement". Frankly, I didn't much care for it, though its scenes are the front are very harrowing... The best WWI films remain Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" and the antique-but-still-packs-a-wallop 1930 version of "All Quiet On the Western Front".

Oh, and Michaelson, that recent History Channel flick with Rick Schoeder was called "The Lost Squadron", or "The Lost Platoon" I think. (Not to be confused with the old John Ford classic "The Lost Patrol".)

CORRECTION: I just looked it up, it's "The Lost Battalion"!

But you're right, WWI is such ancient history to most folks nowadays, that it's barely remembered at all...

Michaelson · Feb 10, 2005

THANK YOU!!! I knew it was 'Lost' something or other, but then, that could have been describing my train of thought at the time.....

High regards. Michaelson

Renderking Fisk · Feb 10, 2005

Mycroft, I posted a link to that memorial on my daily update and gave you credit.

It's sad that we forget those who saved the world. Out of sight... out of mind. We forget these things and why they happened: Only to ensure they will happen again.

Michaelson · Feb 10, 2005

While on the topic, let me share a link to a site I enjoy looking through on occasion, which houses panoramic views taken during and before WW1 in the U.S.

Library of congress panoramic collection

Just click on the 'subject' in the left hand menu, and the entire collection will come up in order. Click on any description, and a thumbnail photo will appear. Click on the thumbnail, and the entire photo will fill your screen. You'll have to scroll left and right to see all the details, and enjoy.

Regards. Michaelson

android · Feb 10, 2005

Don't forget All Quiet on the Western Front. Probably one of the most famous movies about WWI.

Doctor Strange · Feb 10, 2005

Uh, I did mention it. Look at my post above.

Michaelson · Feb 10, 2005

Uh, umm. well, YEAH, I saw that TOO, but were you referring to the silent version, or the talkie with Ernest Borgnine? (sp?) There's a difference, ya know.

Regards. Michaelson

Doctor Strange · Feb 10, 2005

Hey, I even explicitly said the 1930 version (which is an early talkie, not a silent)!

But I have to admit to having seen the late 70s version with Richard Thomas and Ernest Borgnine at some point and thinking it was pretty good. Not mega-classic like the original, but pretty good...

Michaelson · Feb 10, 2005

Oh....THAT version. Yeah, I knew it all along....

Personally, I liked the 1920's German silent myself, but then I'm a piano player, so go figure..... High regards. Michaelson

Mycroft · Feb 10, 2005

Thanks for your responses, I saw All Quiet on the Western Front...both versions (many times), they are ok, the Black and White one is better. My favortie WWI movie is a tv movie called the "Last Battallion," highly recomend it to anyone.

farnham54 · Feb 12, 2005

Perhaps a little off topic, but on the vien of forgetting the past:

I am currently in Rome and 2 days ago I did a tour of the colliseum. Hundreds upon Hundreds of people flocked through the main gates, just like literally millions (total) did 1900 years ago. And so many people took glee in passing through the "Gladiatorial Gates", where so many people passed before.

The romance of the colliseum and the gladiators far surpasses the fact that over one milliop men died for the sake of entertainment. Forget the past; no. Remember the parts we like, and forget the rest, Yes.

Just my two cents: memory is not the problem. SELECTIVE memory is.

Cheers,

Craig

Michaelson · Feb 14, 2005

Selective, revised, or not at all. It's a rare occasion when they take the time to get it right when re-telling a tale. Regards. Michaelson

SappySwami · Feb 16, 2005

Lost Battalion is one of my favorite war movies. Maybe because it is about WWI, which is often forgotten by the movies if you ask me.

I think maybe WWII is more popular not just because it was more recent, but the circumstances of WWII are probably more dramatic and significant, at least to some people, perhaps.

Michaelson · Feb 16, 2005

Speaking of which, I'm just starting the novel by Jeff Shaara, 'To the Last Man', his start of what I believe to be his next trilogy, based on WW1. He was the author of the 'God's and Generals', and 'The Glorious Cause' Civil War novels. He's now moved into WW1. So far a good, gripping read. Regards. Michaelson

The Mad Hatter · Feb 16, 2005

Here's an Amazon.com list of WWI films:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...AM4DQRJB/ref=cm_bg_dp_l_1/103-8499948-0625459

Mycroft · Feb 16, 2005

Very good list, thanks.

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