When I was younger, going to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas on Armed Forces Day was an important occasion. Veterans Day and Memorial Day were revered in a city where the military presence was strong. Recent politicians have called for replacing these solemn occasions with holidays celebrating American victories in World War I and World War II. To do that would be to undermine what makes the Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day special.
This is not to knock America’s performance in both world wars. It was impressive what Americans were able to accomplish. In fact, I’ve written columns about our victories in these conflicts. I was even criticized by some readers for my verbal attacks on Nazis for their killing of U.S. P.O.W.s and pretending to surrender in order to kill more G.I.s (I was accused of spreading “propaganda.” I’ve written how we should honor American generals, not praise Nazi Generals.
But Armed Forces Day is about honoring all active-duty military. Veterans Day is for recognizing the living veterans who served this country. And Memorial Day is about commemorating those who gave their lives in defense of this country.
Making May 8 “Victory Day for World War II” completely ignores those who still had plenty of fighting in the Pacific. I would recommend the politician who suggested it should study the Battle of Okinawa, and see what our U.S. Marines and Army accomplished in that fight, which lasted until June 22. That politician should watch “Hacksaw Ridge,” and learn what happened to the sailors who suffered from a massive Kamikaze attack, as well as the pilots who took on the massive Japanese battleship Yamato. All in all, 12,000 Americans and General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. died, while another 36,000 suffered wounds. There’s no word on how many were afflicted with terrible memories of that conflict, which did not conclude until well after V-E Day.
To replace Veterans Day with “Victory Day” set off a colleague of mine, a veteran who earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star in Vietnam. “So how about a day for Korea?” he texted me. “Guess, technically that one isn’t over. Panama? Invasion but not really a war. But didn’t we win in Panama? Shouldn’t we celebrate that? Desert Storm? Wasn’t that a win? What else? Maybe we could….have a big military parade on every one of them? Isn’t that how you’re supposed to celebrate a victory?”
He wasn’t done, by a long shot. “And since it’s all about wins now and not really about honoring veterans, no more uncomfortable visits to cemeteries and VA hospitals? Wars are or should be last resort solutions to perceived problems. We had it right. Focus on the people who have served our country, often at great risk and sacrifice, by individuals, including sometimes the ultimate sacrifice. Why can’t we just continue to recognize that? People who only think in terms of wins and losses should stick to football and leave the analysis of a war to adults who have a clue of what war is like and what it does to people and to a country. But that kind of history makes some people uncomfortable and heaven forbid that anyone should ever have to be uncomfortable and have to think about anything that might upset them.”
He continued in perhaps the longest text I have ever received. “You know, I have a bias when it comes to war. Having known and having had serious conversations about serious things with friends whose names are now inscribed on a wall up in D.C. probably does that.”
For those who still serve, served in the past, and those who paid the ultimate price, let’s preserve Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day instead of changing these for political purposes. It’s the least we can do for them.
John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His “X” account is JohnTures2.
