Armistice Day was created to memorialize the end of World War I, the war to end all wars, the Great War. That failing dream was completely shattered on December 7th, 1941, a day of infamy, a day when world wars would need to be numbered.
On those lonely nights, in far away places, I sometimes pondered the question of what is a great war? Was the Battle of Little Bighorn a "great war' for the Indian nations? Was the Hundred Years War a great war? Was Alexander conquering the known world a "great war?"
For the average ground pounder, the "Willie and Joe" of every war, there is no "great war." There is not a good war. At best, it is a necessary war. War is mud. And if it's not mud it's stinking sand. If it's not too hot, then it's too cold. I guess just right only happens in Goldilocks tales.
Some of you out there still remember Ike. He was both our general and president. Kind of like George Washington other than the golfing and wooden teeth. President Eisenhower turned Armistice Day into Veterans Day. Wars come and go but veterans are forever.
Let the pant load countdown continue,
Wilton Byrum
Attic of Long Ago and Far Away
P.S. Ironically, I have to use a personal holiday to take Veterans Day off.
P.P.S. I installed Windows 7 on a secondary machine. It doesn't suck yet but it's too early for a review.
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