Saturday, November 11, 2006

 

This Day in History

On this day in 1918, the Allies signed a cease-fire agreement with Germany at Rethondes, France ending the Great War, WWI, one of the worst wars in history, in a way guaranteed to engender a sequel. The Allies should have gutted it up and invaded Germany and marched to Berlin rather than merely cease fire while German troops were still in France and Belgium. The proof of the error is evident by the fact WWII started not 21 years later with the same participants (and it only ended--really ended--with the utter destruction of Germany by air and by occupying ground forces). Between the wars, November 11 was commemorated as Armistice Day in the United States, Great Britain, and France. After World War II, the holiday was recognized as a day of tribute to veterans of both world wars. Beginning in 1954, the United States designated November 11 as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars.

I salute the better, braver men and women (mainly men) and thank them for their service and sacrifice, as all Americans should, especially on this day.

Comments:
It was French intransigence at the "peace" (retribution) talks in 1919 and that scumbag Woodrow Wilson's spineless response that guaranteed WWII.

The Entente won a very near-run victory over the Central Powers, but forced through a peace treaty inappropriate for the scope of the victory. (And entirely incompatible with then-prevalent norms.)
 
And the German troops didn't really feel defeated; they felt betrayed by the REMFs, who, in trench veteran Hitler's twisted mind, were somehow all Jews. Nothing is so simple in most human activities that it can be completely and accurately summarized in a paragraph, and that probably goes double for war. Thanks for the expansive comment.
 
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