The last hurrah
6 June 2004 17:43![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mandragoraI've been watching the D-Day celebrations on and off all day. I have found them to be very moving - watching these gallant old men who are now in their eighties remembering their fallen comrades. They are, rightly, so proud of what they achieved and are being honoured as they deserve.
The French have been excellent and gracious hosts, especially when one considers that remembering isn't so easy for them. There has still never been a book published detailing the history of the French in WW2 because there remains such conflicting accounts of who did what. And if any Brit feels the temptation to gloat, there but for the English Channel might well go we. Those people who live in Normandy have been incredibly welcoming to the veteran servicemen and their families, remembering how they came to liberate them.
Bush's speech was actually (amazingly) decent and struck the right balance. Chirac's ditto. He gave thanks where they were due in a very warm manner. I was pleased to see President Putin there. The Russians (and the then members of the Soviet Union) didn't take part in D-Day as they were busy fighting on the Eastern Front at the time but they sacrificed more people than any other country in WW2. By D-Day they had lost 25 million people. That's the number of people in a medium-sized European country.
But I was also pleased to see Chancellor Schroeder there as well. It was the first time that the German leader has been invited and there was some speculation whether he would turn up. I'm glad that he was invited and even more glad that he came. It is nowadays inconceivable to imagine being at war with Germany, that is how far we've come in Europe nowadays. The Germans deserve credit for their central part in forging the European alliance, all the while living with their past legacy which they are determined to ensure that they don't forget. German friends of mine routinely visited concentration camps as part of their schooling whilst they were children several times. But the present generation in power weren't for the most part even born when the war ended and after sixty years I am glad that we are all able to remember together. I know that some servicemen felt that the German Chancellor shouldn't have been invited but most were in favour of his attendance. They respected their German foes, for the most part, save for the SS who were universally loathed.
There will never be another celebration like today. In ten years time the vast majority of those who landed in Normandy sixty years ago will be gone. May they never be forgotten.
The French have been excellent and gracious hosts, especially when one considers that remembering isn't so easy for them. There has still never been a book published detailing the history of the French in WW2 because there remains such conflicting accounts of who did what. And if any Brit feels the temptation to gloat, there but for the English Channel might well go we. Those people who live in Normandy have been incredibly welcoming to the veteran servicemen and their families, remembering how they came to liberate them.
Bush's speech was actually (amazingly) decent and struck the right balance. Chirac's ditto. He gave thanks where they were due in a very warm manner. I was pleased to see President Putin there. The Russians (and the then members of the Soviet Union) didn't take part in D-Day as they were busy fighting on the Eastern Front at the time but they sacrificed more people than any other country in WW2. By D-Day they had lost 25 million people. That's the number of people in a medium-sized European country.
But I was also pleased to see Chancellor Schroeder there as well. It was the first time that the German leader has been invited and there was some speculation whether he would turn up. I'm glad that he was invited and even more glad that he came. It is nowadays inconceivable to imagine being at war with Germany, that is how far we've come in Europe nowadays. The Germans deserve credit for their central part in forging the European alliance, all the while living with their past legacy which they are determined to ensure that they don't forget. German friends of mine routinely visited concentration camps as part of their schooling whilst they were children several times. But the present generation in power weren't for the most part even born when the war ended and after sixty years I am glad that we are all able to remember together. I know that some servicemen felt that the German Chancellor shouldn't have been invited but most were in favour of his attendance. They respected their German foes, for the most part, save for the SS who were universally loathed.
There will never be another celebration like today. In ten years time the vast majority of those who landed in Normandy sixty years ago will be gone. May they never be forgotten.
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no subject
Date: 6 June 2004 16:15 (UTC)He seemed incredibly chuffed with the idea.
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Date: 7 June 2004 13:41 (UTC)