Many people say this era is too sad to write about, but I don't agree. The courage those men and women had, whether fighting and serving in the war, or those left at home to struggle on without them, is immensely satisfying to write about, to learn about.
Yes, there was death and slaughter, but from that bleak time grew the beginnings of nations' attitudes to band together in tough times and more importantly to weather the storms of future troubles. The great War was the first time that countries rose as one to fight a common cause.
How can man's courage be a sad thing?
These are the people who are the real heroes of the world, not football and film stars and the like, who too often in the media get the label of being a hero. Why? What on earth have they done that is heroic?
While searching my family tree I learned that I had ancestors who fought and died in the Great War. One great great uncle died on the first day of the first battle of the Somme in 1916. This information made me feel so proud that my family gave up strong men to save the world from tyranny.
Poppies growing on the Somme.
Some websites to visit and honour those who fought and sacrificed for us.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ww1.htm
http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/
http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/index.html
http://www.awm.gov.au/
2 comments:
Three of my uncles died in WWI too, Anne. Two at The Somme and one in France when he was just 18. I watched the two minute silence on TV and so many faces were of young soldiers who have lost comrades in Afghanistan - Why don't we ever learn?
Sorry - I meant to say great-uncles - I'm not that old!
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