Us wwii memorial dedicated

[drewb99 0]

WWII memorial dedicated on beautiful, emotional day

Quote[/b] ] Nearly 60 years after the guns fell silent, the nation Saturday saluted 16 million ordinary Americans who stopped a storm of tyranny and changed the world.

The official dedication of the World War II Memorial, 17 years in coming, was the centerpiece of a day of pomp and grand gestures, small tributes and choked back tears.

Three presidents, movie stars, lawmakers, military brass, and leaders from countries defeated by America and her allies hailed the thousands of veterans of "The Big One" and their families assembled at the afternoon ceremony, and millions more not able to attend.

I watched the end of this live on the History Channel, and I just have 1 thing to say-

It's about time

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

I am happy that fate turned against us that day. But dont make me ignore all the soldiers that fell on the german side. For our cancelor it is a pretty tough walk on the edge: to celebrate the defeat of Nazi germany without blaming every german soldier that served back then!

[waffendennis 0]

I am happy that fate turned against us that day. But dont make me ignore all the soldiers that fell on the german side. For our cancelor it is a pretty tough walk on the edge: to celebrate the defeat of Nazi germany without blaming every german soldier that served back then!

Agree with you Albert.

But this week i saw a documentry on the news about D-Day and there where 2 man ( 1 Nazi MG42 gunner and a USA trooper who wanted to land on the beach )

The german Mguner ( still alive ) killed the most people in the world at that day.

And now those 2 ( the once who where enemys ) are now 2 good friends.

I needed to pick a tear away from that story.

Altrough I dont understand one thing:

We are only memorizing the USA/English/France/ soldiers but why not the one who have fallen at the german side?

They faught with honor and courage and they dont get memorized? only because they where the so called "bad"side.

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

You should by this weeks "Der Spiegel" there you can read the entire story about the gunner who shot over 3000 american soldiers with a MG and an ordianry rifle. But he is not proud of it, neither am I. But being put into one of those bunkers and fire for your life, well I guess I would have done the same thing. Sad enough!

[waffendennis 0]

You should by this weeks "Der Spiegel" there you can read the entire story about the gunner who shot over 3000 american soldiers with a MG and an ordianry rifle. But he is not proud of it, neither am I. But being put into one of those bunkers and fire for your life, well I guess I would have done the same thing. Sad enough!

Thats the person who I am talking about he shot those 3000 person with his MG and when that ran out of ammo he took his Mauser rifle and shooted them with a rifle...

I have respect for that man that he can live with the deaths he made.

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

It was part of my school duties to do a social month and work in a hospital. I saw many of those former soldiers starting to cry because they were afraid of meeting god and having to explain their deeds committed during WWII. (I also met Johannes Steinhoff there shortly before he died, he was one of the highest ranking people in the Luftwaffe and afterwards became the NATO general).

[waffendennis 0]

It was part of my school duties to do a social month and work in a hospital. I saw many of those former soldiers starting to cry because they were afraid of meeting god and  having to explain their deeds committed during WWII. (I also met Johannes Steinhoff there shortly before he died, he was one of the highest ranking people in the Luftwaffe and afterwards became the NATO general).

thats amazing

And i can under stand the feelings from the german soldiers.

But its really strange that those USA soldiers dont have regrets from what they did... cause they shooted/killed the most people.

But does any one else have their meaning about this?

[Harnu 0]

Watched the ceremony today, it was very nice.

After the end of it, the three presidents (Bush Sr., Bush Jr., and Clinton) were talking. Then I guess (hopefully) Bush Sr. pushed clinton

Anyone got a photo of that?

[ReaperY2K 0]

As much as What germany stood For...not all germans were Nazi's. . . it was as greater blow for Germany as it was for the allies! Lets Remember what was achieved on the 6th of June and what many died for! I give thanx and a great respect as a Britain to those who suffered for what I have today!!

ps I regardless of what the government has done to honour these people. . . feel sorry that those who fought for Britain and the free world have to be shamed *for the lack of a better word*by how the government has treated these Heroes can see how a great country can be ruined by the ideals of a few!!

I hate how the Media portrays a Member Like Beckham and Wilkinson as Heroes given how they win a game of Rugby or football get the uptmost respect from the general public considering how 16+ year olds were fighting a regime that many didnt understand for the greater good of the world...to me they were the true heroes, not being payed 1000's of pounds a week but doing what they believed was right!!!

I THANK YOU and forever will!!

In god we trust!!

Its about time these people were hounered for the years of Nightmares they must suffer, so that we may walk around today!!

[pajama 0]

Watch it on the History Channel, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, CSPAN, etc...

Can't believe it'll soon be the 60th annaversary of D-Day already...

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]Watched the ceremony today, it was very nice.

After the end of it, the three presidents (Bush Sr., Bush Jr., and Clinton) were talking.  Then I guess (hopefully) Bush Sr. pushed clinton  

Anyone got a photo of that?

Little bit different (AP):

Overall, it was a nice dedication.  

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

Reaper, good comment. And I especially understand your feelings about sports-stars. But I also think that these fallen british soldiers would love the idea that in our times heros kick leather-balls instead being awarded for shooting someone they dont know.

And tomorrow I can give you stats on how many brits actually participated during the landing. Some people will be amazed about the sum in contrast to US forces involved.

[Gordy 0]

Excuse me.

I don't mean disrespect but not only USA/England (France - that is a joke right?) have fought that war and that battle.

What about Canadians, Polish, Russians and other nations?

I am Polish a I must ask you couple questions:

Do you know who gen. Anders was? (Tobruk, Monte Cassino)

Who was gen. Sosabowski (I hope that was his name) (He took the responsibility for the furthest bridge of OP Market Garden - he lost - I think approx 80% of his men on that bridge)?

have you heard about 303 division of RAF? (english pilot were talking about them as impersonated devils [discovery channel])- they knocked out the german from the air.

I ask you to pay respect to every soldier who has fallen on this war as every nation payed its price to win it.

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

wow wow wow, step back. We all know about the polish contribution. Especially in the battle of Monte-Casino!

And there were many many other countries involved as well. Do you want me to provide you a list here? this day is to remember the fallen brothers during the landing.

[sputnik monroe 102]

I think the reason no one really brought up other nations in this topic is simply because its about the opening of the US WW2 Memorial.

[Tim Pink 0]

Quote[/b] ]USA/England (France - that is a joke right?)

Man thats pretty harsh, Just because the French didnt win doesnt mean they didnt fight.

In part the Allies owe alot to the efforts of the French resistance and many of the French who survived dunkirk went right back into service to fight alongside the british troops, maybe next time you could think about how damaging a comment like that could be.

@ Albert

These are the stats i could find.

70 million soldiers took part in world war 2, 16 million were killed, another 18 million civilians were killed.

The total of wounded and missing soldiers and civilians will never be known.

926,000 Aussies went into uniform to fight, 29,437 failed to return, 23,447 returned wounded.

146,000 New Zealanders joined the war, 11,515 were killed, 15,749 wounded.

Thats what i manged to find on the ANZAC commitment but i have no idea about other countries.

Quote[/b] ]Nearly 60 years after the guns fell silent, the nation Saturday saluted 16 million ordinary Americans who stopped a storm of tyranny and changed the world.

The one thing that does slightly annoy me though is how they say that America stopped the tyranny.

I have the utmost respect for all the Americans that served, but they always seem to forget how the British stood alone for 3 years against the Germans, they held back the tyranny and suffered horrific homeland losses.

Yes the Americans were bombed at Pear Harbour but IMHO that is nothing compared to the Battle of Britian and the huge amounts of dammage inflicted by the Luftwaffe.

It just gets me down sometimes how the Americans seem to forget those things, my grandma served in the british army and helped to organise Operation Overlord and i will always be proud of that.

Lest We Forget

Tim Pink

[hellfish6 7]

Well... it's our Memorial Day. Our WWII memorial. Maybe someday everyone in the world will be able to have a memorial that they can share with everyone else.

[toadlife 3]

The one thing that does slightly annoy me though is how they say that America stopped the tyranny.

The U.S. WWII memorial isn't just about the the war in Europe. The majority of U.S. WWII casualties happened in the Pacific.

As for the memorial, I'd say it's about 40-50 years too late, as the vast majority of WWII veterans aren't alive today to see it dedicated.

[denoir 0]

I am happy that fate turned against us that day. But dont make me ignore all the soldiers that fell on the german side. For our cancelor it is a pretty tough walk on the edge: to celebrate the defeat of Nazi germany without blaming every german soldier that served back then!

We are only memorizing the USA/English/France/ soldiers but why not the one who have fallen at the german side?

They faught with honor and courage and they dont get memorized? only because they where the so called "bad"side.

I disagree. While all Germans at that time were not Nazis and while it was certainly a minority that were gassing Jews, you'd had to be retarded at that time not to know what Hitler stood for. He had massive support. And those that supported him and his Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer should take the consequences as Ein Volk and Ein Reich.

Fighiting for ones country is not a carte blanch excuse when your country is set on world domination and genocide. I can extend my sympathy to the children in Hitlerjugend that were more or less brain washed. Not however to the adults that knowingly and willingly faught for Hitler and the Third Reich.

Personal sacrifice is not a virtue by default. If I throw myself off a cliff, do you think that I deserve a memorial?

Memorials don't comemorate the deaths and sacrifice, but what they died for.. In case of the German soldiers there is already such a memorial: Auschwitz.

Now, newer generation should of course not feel guilty about something they had no part in, but the generation that followed and supported Hitler deserve little sympathy.

[Pathy 0]

Well said Denoir.

And hellfish, yes, we have our own memorials for our own soldiers. But we still remember those who fought along side us.

On a side note, its nice to see that almost everyone is forgetting about the Soviets, who lost 30 million people in that war (civilian and military), the biggest sacrifice any of the allies made........

[Tim Pink 0]

Yeah but Stalin employing Comissars to shoot his own men wasnt a good war effort move.

you've got to ask, how many of those men were killed by Germans

[Pathy 0]

LOL, i think what youve seen in enemy at the gates is by no means a reflection on the war at large, although theres no doubting it happened. Most casulties were caused by Germans.

[Tim Pink 0]

lol

I've seen enemy at the gates but i've read some really horrible war stories too.

It just seems a bit of a waste.

Tim

[DarkLight 0]

Altrough I dont understand one thing:

We are only memorizing the USA/English/France/ soldiers but why not the one who have fallen at the german side?

They faught with honor and courage and they dont get memorized? only because they where the so called "bad"side.

The German soldiers get memorized too, you know...

There are graveyards all over Europe with graves of german soldiers.

And yes some of these graveyards are very beautiful, ok, they're not as big and impressive as some of the allied graveyards but that doesn't matter.

They're still pretty...

And every person that has died in that war must be remembered. In the end each one fought for the same thing: what they believe is right...

Oh and it also seriously pisses me off when i notice that a lot of people only talk about the Americans or British soldiers winning the war...

The allied forces won the war... no country won it, it was our united power that won the war!

Oh and in the end, i personally think that Russia suffered a lot more than most of our countries...

Actually they deserve most respect if you ask me... If Hitler wasn't so stupid to send so many troops to the East, the allied soldiers on the West probably would've suffered a lot more.

Lucky for us, the eastern front suffered more than us.

Oh well

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

Quote[/b] ]Memorials don't comemorate the deaths and sacrifice, but what they died for.. In case of the German soldiers there is already such a memorial: Auschwitz.

What a goddamn ignorant way to see it. Never heard such a black&white bullshit! Seems your wisdom has certain limitations! Or maybe the day has come in which you have to look up from your books and bother doing some face-to-face research with former soldiers!

And for DarkLight. Noone is asking to glorify the sacrifice of the german soldiers, noone requests to forget about the cruelties committed by WEHRMACHT soldiers, but simply to make people understand that D-Day is not (only) a great HEROIC event that gave people finally the occasion to "FIGHT EVIL", to bravely DIE for ones country, but that it is a day in which thousands and thousands of teenager slaughtered each other.

If you want to celebrate the victory over Nazi germany well fine then go organise a big marching parade, a great great fire-work, let your national military do some air-show presentations and a little show off in the local stadium. Fine with me.