It seems appropriate that Veteran's Day is celebrated in November, the month of Thanksgiving and a time when many of us reflect on the many things in our lives for which we are grateful. I, for one, would like to say "Thank You" to the many men and women who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces. November 11, Veteran's Day, saw many events around our community to honor those courageous men and women who strive to make our lives safe and secure.
I can remember as a young child hearing the term "Armistice Day" and many event calendars note that November 11 is Veteran's Day and also Armistice Day. On November 11, 1918 an armistice was declared to end WW I and the practice of honoring our veteran's began a year later on November 11, 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Armistice Day as a time to honor those who served in WW I, the "war to end all wars." In the 1920s Americans embraced that day as a time to observe the armistice and honor the soldiers who fought in the war. It became a formal holiday in 1926. This day was also celebrated in England and Canada where it was known as Remembrance Day. Following WW II, Armistice Day received little attention, but interest soon revived in honoring those who had not only served in WW I, but also WW II and the Korean War. In 1954 Congress passed a bill declaring that November 11 would subsequently be known as Veteran's Day. And so began the designation of this day to pay tribute to our soldiers.
It is easy for us in our warm homes and cozy armchairs to become complacent and forget how much we owe to our members of the Armed Forces. "Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul" by Jack Canfield is full of stories of our veteran's, their experiences, and their sacrifices. This book pays homage to our men and women in uniform. Canfield and friends deliver a heartwarming look at our nation's best.
The Library has several books by well-known historian Stephen Ambrose and at least three of these focus on different aspects of World War II. "Citizen Soldiers" begins on the beaches of Normandy and ends almost a year later on May 7, 1945. In this narrative, Ambrose draws upon hundreds of interviews and oral histories to paint a picture of individuals during the war. These fascinating stories are told by members of the high command, the ordinary enlistees, nurses, clerks, code-breakers, and pilots.
"The Wild Blue" by Ambrose tells of the young men who were recruited by the Air Force to serve as bombardiers, navigators, and gunners in the B-24s that flew over Germany. The casualty rate for this courageous group was over 50 percent. Join Ambrose as he brings history to life with his story of these daring young men.
Perhaps Ambrose's best known book is "Band of Brothers", the story of E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. Members volunteered for this elite group, because they wanted to be part of the best fighting unit in the Army. The story follows them as they endure grueling basic training, hold the perimeter line at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and are the first into Hitler's outpost at Berchtesgaden. This is a fascinating, must read for those interested in WW II.
One of the newest books in the Library is "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War" by another well-known historian, David Halberstam. He paints a vivid portrait of the major players – Eisenhower, Truman, Mao, and Kim. But, his real interest is the front line soldiers who dealt with the consequences of the disastrous decisions and miscalculations that led us in to the Korean War. Another great book by a master writer.
The video "Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision" won the 1995 Academy Award for Best Documentary. This is the story of Maya Lin and her haunting design for the Viet Nam War Memorial. Lin, a 21-year-old architecture student at Yale, submitted a design that won out over 1,420 others. Her entry was controversial from the start – it did not feature the traditional elements of war memorials and although, unanimously chosen by the judges, it received mixed reviews from Congress and the public. This video is the story of Lin and her very personal memorial design. It is inscribed with the names of those officially listed as dead or missing in action. A soldier in the film is quoted as saying, "It's a quiet place where I can stand and remember my friends.And that's all I would like to do."
These are just a few of the many books and videos the Library offers that give a better understanding of what war and battle has been like for our veteran's. We hope to see you soon at the Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library.